Summary: The essence of this book explains that all members of the early church were fully led directly by the Holy Spirit. There were no religious regulations whatsoever, except being completely guided by the Holy Spirit.

Call to Action: As believers, may we receive His grace to continually learn to be led by the Holy Spirit day by day.

We now enter the Book of Acts and observe how the apostles carried out their works in spreading the gospel of the Kingdom. As we already know, there is only one gospel proclaimed in the books of the New Testament, namely the gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus and John the Baptist cried out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And we will see that the proclamation of the apostles in this book is focused on the kingdom of heaven.

The Book of Acts was written by Luke to Theophilus as a continuation of his Gospel. In his Gospel, Luke recounts all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:51). Before being taken up into heaven, for forty days Jesus repeatedly appeared and spoke to His disciples about the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Elohim (Acts 1:3). Jesus spoke of nothing else except the kingdom of heaven, which indeed would later become the main theme or central focus of the apostles’ proclamation.

The Book of Acts consists of 28 chapters, which we can divide into two parts. Chapters 1–12 record the ministry of Peter and his team, primarily to the Jewish people. Then the second part, chapters 13–28, records the ministry of Paul and his team, who brought the gospel to the Gentiles, even as far as Rome, which at that time was the center of the Roman Empire.

Luke mentions that Paul taught about the Lord Jesus and the kingdom of heaven for two years in Rome while under house arrest, and then the book ends abruptly (Acts 28:31). There are many views as to why Luke ended the book so suddenly. However, in our view, there is an important truth hidden in this. Both Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome around AD 67 under Emperor Nero. And there is still one more type of ministry that God desired the church to understand, namely the ministry of the apostle John, which began around AD 90–95. These three ministries (Peter, Paul, John) fulfill the principle of the Trilogy that we have discussed elsewhere. That is why Luke stopped his record abruptly, because there is still a “continuation” of the acts of the apostles that must be understood by the church.

We see from the beginning of this book that it records how Jesus spoke about the kingdom of heaven before His ascension. And at the end of the book, it is also recorded how Paul taught about the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we can conclude that the Book of Acts proclaims the good news of the kingdom of heaven from beginning to end. This does not mean that the phrase “kingdom of heaven” must appear in every proclamation of the apostles. When someone proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, he is in fact indirectly proclaiming the kingdom of heaven. For the Messiah is the Son of David, and the kingdom of David was only a symbol, whereas the kingdom of the Messiah is the reality that exists in a higher dimension, namely the heavenly dimension. Thus, whatever the emphasis of the sermons recorded in the Book of Acts, the main point is truly the good news of the kingdom of heaven.

In the Book of Acts, those who believe in the proclamation of the good news of the kingdom of heaven are called disciples. We know that a disciple means one who is learning, or a student. Indeed, the kingdom of heaven is not something that believers can receive and immediately understand in its entirety. The kingdom of heaven is to be experienced and learned continuously. Paul even emphasizes that to enter the kingdom of heaven we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). A disciple learns the kingdom of heaven through everything he suffers.

Let us speak briefly about the term ‘disciple’ in this book as used by Luke to refer to those who believe in Jesus. The Greek term for ‘disciple’ is ‘mathetes’, which means a learner or student. What do these believers learn? Certainly matters concerning the kingdom of heaven, because before Jesus was taken up, He repeatedly spoke to His disciples about the kingdom of heaven. Likewise, Paul taught about the kingdom of heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ for two years while he was in Rome under house arrest (Acts 28:30–31).

Concerning being a disciple—in the sense of learning about the kingdom of heaven—this is something that is very important for us to emphasize today. Why? Because in the Christian world there are many misleading slogans or jargon related to the kingdom of heaven. Preachers often say, “Believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven,” or “Once saved, always saved.” Regardless of whether a believer’s faith grows or not, as long as he believes in Jesus, he goes to heaven. There is even another concept of heaven believed by the majority in Christianity, namely “a heaven far away,” where the streets are made of gold, there is the Father’s house (like a physical building), and we praise and worship God forever. Meanwhile, those who are not chosen by God will be thrown into eternal hell, in the sense of writhing in the fires of hell forever. All these concepts believed by the majority in Christianity arise because believers do not become disciples and do not properly learn about the kingdom of heaven.

In the Book of Acts, we see that the disciples learned diligently under the guidance of the apostles, who indeed proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven, and they lived out fellowship (koinonia), where they “sharpened one another,” as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). They were also processed by the Father in heaven through the sufferings and challenges they had to face, for Paul also emphasized that to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). And most importantly, they lived their daily lives under the leading of the Holy Spirit. There are about seventy expressions such as ‘the Spirit led’, ‘the Spirit forbade’, ‘the prompting of the Spirit’, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, and so on, in the Book of Acts. Thus, all members learned to live led by the Spirit. They worshiped in Spirit and in truth, as Jesus taught (John 4).

Many Christians do not understand that the expression “believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven” DOES NOT EXIST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. The books of the New Testament teach us that believing in Jesus results in eternal life (‘zoe’), and that the ‘zoe’ life we receive is still in seed form and needs to grow. The Gospel of John strongly emphasizes that ‘believing in Jesus results in zoe life’. That is why the New Testament is full of encouragements, exhortations, and teachings to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in daily life so that the ‘zoe’ life within us may grow. The parable of the sower in the Gospel of Matthew explains what things can hinder the growth of the ‘zoe’ life we possess.

Furthermore, the Lord Jesus will come again—commonly called the second coming—to judge His church. Jesus Himself will assess how the ‘zoe’ life of each member of the church has grown, whether it has borne fruit or not. Jesus will also evaluate our works of service, whether they can withstand testing or not. If they endure, then we will serve Him in the next age, namely the Millennial Kingdom, when the kingdom of heaven will be fully established on earth. All these teachings about the kingdom of heaven are clearly stated in the books of the New Testament.

Therefore, the slogans or jargon in Christianity that say “believe in Jesus and you will surely go to heaven” are truly very misleading. Sadly, this is what the majority of people in Christianity believe. All of this is because many Christians do not become disciples of the Lord.

At this time, we will discuss the meaning of the good news of the kingdom of heaven proclaimed by the apostles. The understanding of the kingdom of heaven is not “a heaven far away,” which is commonly preached in Christianity. Generally, Christians hope that after death they will enter a heaven that is unrelated to this earth. There is even a teaching of the “rapture,” being taken up from this earth and going to “a heaven far away.”

Pay attention to Acts 1:6–7: “… ‘Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He answered, ‘It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has set by His own authority.’” Here it is clear that Jesus answered that the KINGDOM OF ISRAEL ON EARTH will be restored; only the disciples do not need to know the time determined by the Father.

To understand the above matter, we must see that the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven to earth in Revelation 21:10. Who does this ‘New Jerusalem’ represent? Observe Revelation 21:9–10, where an angel shows the apostle John ‘the Bride, the Lamb’s wife’, and then shows him ‘the holy city, Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God’. This means that the Bride of the Lamb IS the New Jerusalem. Thus, the New Jerusalem is the church, and more specifically represents the nation of Israel. The kingdom of Israel will be established on earth in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1).

We must understand that the NEW EARTH is not the first earth being totally destroyed and then the Father creating a completely new earth unrelated to the first one. Revelation 21:5 emphasizes that God is the One who makes all things new. The Greek term translated ‘new’ here is ‘kainos’, not ‘neos’. ‘Neos’ means new in terms of age—fresh, young, newly made. ‘Kainos’ means new in the sense of being very different from the old. ‘Kainos’ also means never used before, but not in the sense of erasing the old and replacing it with something entirely new. Therefore, the earth remains the earth, but undergoes a RADICAL TRANSFORMATION, so that it is called new.

Our question now is: how does the Father bring about this radical transformation of the earth we stand on? The answer: through the ministry of the ‘New Jerusalem’, which is the church, and specifically the kingdom of Israel. There are several aspects of the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) that we will consider.

First, there is the throne of Elohim and the throne of the Lamb in this city (Revelation 22:1). The throne in the Book of Revelation speaks of authority. The throne of Elohim speaks of the authority of Elohim, while the throne of the Lamb speaks of the authority of the Lord Jesus, as the Lamb of Elohim who redeemed humanity. The Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) is humanity that manifests the authority of Elohim and the authority of the Lord Jesus on earth. Through a long process, the Bride of the Lamb comes to manifest God’s authority on this earth. We see that the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) is humanity that brings the kingdom of heaven to earth.

Second, there is the river of the water of life flowing from the throne. The Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) will become a blessing to the nations of the earth by freely giving the water of life (Revelation 22:17). And on either side of the river is the tree of life, whose leaves heal the nations of the earth. Third, the Bride of the Lamb (the New Jerusalem) will reign as kings forever and ever (Revelation 22:5). Therefore, this new earth comes about through the ministry of the church, and specifically the kingdom of Israel.

Thus, the good news of the kingdom of heaven proclaimed by the apostles does not mean sending people to “a heaven far away,” leaving the earth behind. Rather, it means bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth, so that the earth moves toward becoming a new earth, together with a new heaven. This is in accordance with the prayer taught by the Lord Jesus to His disciples: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Let us pay attention to Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” At this time, we will discuss the phrase “to be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”

In writing his Gospel, Luke recorded and arranged it orderly for Theophilus (Luke 1:3). If we read the Gospel of Luke, the phrase ‘arranged it orderly’ here, among other things, means arranging the events of Jesus’ ministry in an orderly way ‘geographically’. That is, Jesus’ ministry is recorded beginning in Galilee (Luke 4:14), then His ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51–19:44), then His ministry in Jerusalem until His ascension (Luke 19:45–Luke 24:51, and Acts 1:1–2).

Likewise, Luke records in an orderly ‘geographical’ manner the ministry of the apostles in the Book of Acts. The ministry of Peter and his companions began in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria (Acts 1–12). Then the ministry of Paul and his companions extended from Antioch to Rome (Acts 13–28). The city of Rome, as the center of the Roman Empire at that time, can be viewed as “the ends of the earth.” Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Luke ended the book “abruptly,” because indeed the apostles had become witnesses of Jesus “to the ends of the earth.”

We already know that the apostles proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of the Messiah. Let us step back for a moment to understand the phrase “to the ends of the earth.” The Father’s plan for humanity is clearly written in Genesis 1:26–28, namely to make humanity in His image and likeness, so that they may subdue ‘all the creatures’ that move on the earth. And the Father’s plan cannot fail. However, humanity must first be processed to become in His image and likeness, so that they can subdue ‘all the creatures’ that move on the earth. Of course, the meaning of ‘all the creatures’ that move on the earth is not only physical animals, but also the devil and his evil spirits who rule on earth. Paul emphasizes that our struggle is against the kingdom of the devil (Ephesians 6:12). Thus, the Father’s plan for humanity is to subdue the kingdom of the devil that rules over the whole earth.

Many Christians think that the fall of Adam was a disaster that thwarted the Father’s plan. These Christians do not realize that Adam’s fall was indeed planned beforehand by the Father as a process so that humanity might become in His image and likeness. Consider Romans 8:19–21: “… for the whole creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope….” Even the death of the Lamb was planned before the foundation of the world: “… the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world…” (Revelation 13:8, ILT). Therefore, the Father’s plan did not fail in making humanity in His image and likeness to subdue the kingdom of the devil that “creeps” on the earth.

How can humanity subdue the kingdom of the devil on the face of this earth? Certainly through the kingdom of the Messiah, which will be fully established on earth at the coming of Jesus, commonly called the second coming. This Messianic kingdom will continue to expand without limit until everything is subdued. Consider the prophecy of the Messianic kingdom in Isaiah 9:7: “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David….” Thus, the Messianic kingdom or the kingdom of heaven proclaimed by the apostles will subdue everything on this earth.

Therefore, the meaning of the good news of the kingdom of heaven being proclaimed “to the ends of the earth” is that the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of the Messiah has already begun and will continue to subdue everything on this earth.

Let us look at the ministry of Jesus after His resurrection and before His ascension. Acts 1:1–8 states it as follows: “… for forty days appearing to them and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of Elohim… for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…” (ILT). The proclamation of Jesus is clearly the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of Elohim. Since from the beginning of His ministry in Galilee, Jesus proclaimed, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and until His ministry just before His ascension into heaven, He also spent forty days proclaiming the kingdom of heaven to His disciples.

Therefore, the matter of being ‘baptized in the Holy Spirit’ must be connected to the matter of the kingdom of heaven that He taught. Jesus clearly taught His disciples to pray, saying, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This means praying that the kingdom which exists in the heavenly dimension would descend into the earthly dimension (space and time), so that the Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. In order for the kingdom of heaven to be manifested on earth and for the Father’s will to be done on earth, His disciples must be baptized in the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was never intended so that His disciples could go to ‘heaven far away there’, or to the so-called ‘Father’s house’, which is imagined as a beautiful place somewhere unknown. Clearly, the purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is so that the kingdom of heaven may come down to earth and the Father’s will may be done on earth.

One thing we need to understand is that the Holy Spirit poured out on the day of Pentecost was still a “pledge,” a “down payment,” or an “advance,” as a guarantee that the fullness would be given later. Ephesians 1:14 states, “The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it in full….” The term ‘guarantee’ is translated from the Greek word ‘arrabōn’, which means a down payment given as assurance that the full amount will be paid later. Meanwhile, the term ‘inheritance’ is translated from the Greek word ‘klēronomia’, which means inheritance.

Thus, the inheritance of Christ’s disciples is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in FULL, not PARTIALLY as occurred on the day of Pentecost. And the FULL outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also intended so that the kingdom of heaven may be manifested on this earth. Therefore, the inheritance of Jesus’ disciples is not HEAVEN, but THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT—meaning receiving the Holy Spirit fully, just as Jesus received Him when He ministered on this earth.

John 3:34 affirms, “For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit” (Indonesian Bible). When Jesus ministered on earth, He ministered in the unlimited fullness of the Holy Spirit—that is, the Spirit in FULL, not in PART. And because His disciples would receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit just as He did, Jesus promised that “…he will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these he will do, because I am going to the Father.” The reason His disciples could do greater works than those Jesus did is because Jesus went to the Father. Jesus went to the Father through His death, His resurrection, and His ascension to sit at the right hand of the Father. This is the basis for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We will discuss this later in Peter’s sermon (Acts 2:33).

Thus, Jesus’ ministry during the forty days after His resurrection was related to the matter of the kingdom of heaven that would be established on earth, and also to the fullness of the Holy Spirit—not merely a partial measure, but the full fullness of the Holy Spirit that His disciples would one day receive.

We have seen that Jesus’ ministry after His resurrection was related to the matter of the kingdom of heaven that would be established on earth, and also to the fullness of the Holy Spirit—not merely a partial measure, but the full fullness of the Holy Spirit that His disciples would one day receive. When will the FULL fullness of the Holy Spirit occur for Jesus’ disciples?

It is no coincidence that the PARTIAL fullness of the Holy Spirit occurred on the feast day of Pentecost. Therefore, we will explain when the FULL fullness of the Holy Spirit occurs through the three major feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. We will see that these three major feasts of Israel are related to the matter of the ‘harvest of souls’. It must be remembered that the souls to be harvested are mature souls, because a farmer never harvests crops that are not yet ripe.

Let us briefly look at the three feasts of Israel related to the harvest of souls.

First, Passover. Jesus, as our Passover Lamb who was slain, is the fulfillment of Israel’s Passover celebrated once a year. In John 4:35 it is written, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (ILT). The Greek term translated ‘harvest’ here is ‘therismos’, which means the process and time of harvesting. Thus, Jesus said that the time of harvest had arrived. The Indonesian Bible translates it as ‘ripe for harvest’.

The souls of Jesus’ generation had matured and were ready to be harvested. The ‘harvest of souls’ associated with Israel’s Passover feast occurred in Jesus’ generation. Who were the harvesters? John 4:38 says, “I sent you to reap….” Jesus’ disciples were the harvesters. But the sowers were not Jesus’ disciples. Verse 38 says that “…others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” The ‘others’ Jesus referred to are all the servants of God in the Old Testament era—prophets, priests, kings, and all God’s chosen people throughout the Old Testament—who served Yahweh. Yet Jesus added that both the sower and the reaper rejoice together and receive their reward.

Thus, the Lord’s disciples in Jesus’ generation were the reapers, while the sowers were God’s chosen people throughout the Old Testament era. We see here that when the Jewish Passover feast was fulfilled by Jesus as the Passover Lamb, the ‘harvest of souls’ took place.

Second, Pentecost. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit discussed in Acts chapter two, as the fulfillment of the Jewish feast of Pentecost, was not a ‘harvest of souls’. Why? Because the souls who experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at that time were not yet mature. In fact, at that moment the church was just born like a baby. The church needed to experience growth. God gave apostles, prophets, shepherds, evangelists, and teachers so that the church might grow toward “…full maturity and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).

The church, in the process of its growth, was split into tens of thousands of denominations due to the attacks of fierce wolves on certain leaders (Acts 20:28–30). This caused the church not yet to be mature for harvest. And it is precisely here that we see the concept of the church’s “firstfruits”—that is, members of the church throughout the ages who matured earlier and were ready to be harvested. However, the “firstfruits” of the church are not Christians who are better than others. The “firstfruits” of the church were predetermined by the Father’s sovereignty, as written in James 1:18: “…that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (ILT). Thus, throughout church history there have been Christians who matured earlier (the firstfruits) and were ready to be harvested.

The Bible explains that the harvesting of the church’s “firstfruits” occurs at the coming of Jesus, commonly called His second coming. This event is recorded in Romans 8:19–21, where the “firstfruits” of the church will experience the FULL outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is the event in which the kingdom of heaven is FULLY established on earth. And the “firstfruits” of the church will do works greater than those Jesus did, according to His promise (John 14:12). According to Romans 8:19–21, the “firstfruits” of the church will set creation free from its bondage to decay. We are not discussing the feast of Tabernacles at this time.

At present, we will discuss how Jesus ascended into heaven, during which He repeatedly appeared to His disciples, ministered to them for forty days, and spoke about the kingdom of heaven. Consider Acts 1:11: “…this Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” Perhaps this verse is used by some Bible teachers to prove that Jesus will come again and be seen by the physical eyes of the disciples. From this verse, the expression of Jesus’ “second coming” is also taught. The teaching that Jesus will come a “second time” and be visible to the physical eye has become very popular and widely believed by the majority of Christians, even though the expression “second coming” never appears in the Bible. This “physical” interpretation continues, so that in general, Christians understand the Lord’s coming as a second physical coming of Jesus, accompanied by preceding events such as the great tribulation, the coming of the Antichrist with the number 666, the rapture of believers, and so on.

In the New Testament, Christ is described as coming “with the clouds,” coming like “lightning,” coming like “a thief,” coming as “the sound of an angel,” coming with “the trumpet of God,” coming as “the bridegroom,” coming as “King,” coming as “the morning star,” coming as “Judge,” coming as “Savior,” coming into “His temple,” coming to “the Mount of Olives,” coming riding a “white horse,” coming as “the good shepherd,” coming in “His kingdom,” coming “in glory,” coming “upon His throne,” coming with “His angels,” coming with “His saints,” coming to “His saints,” coming within “His saints,” and so on and so forth. None of these descriptions point to a second physical coming. Our understanding of His coming becomes very confused if we think He comes only twice—first, His coming 2,000 years ago, and then a “second coming” sometime in the future. In fact, the Bible affirms that the Lord has come, is coming, and will come. He comes continuously, and He progressively reveals Himself until all His plans are fulfilled.

Let us begin with the Greek terms used in the New Testament that are translated as “coming.” There are six Greek terms.

The first is PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the New Testament and comes from the verb ‘pareimi’, meaning ‘to be present’. The noun means ‘presence’. Parousia never refers to the act of coming or arrival, but to the presence of someone who has already come. Its usage in the New Testament is never associated with a physical coming of the Lord. Thus, ‘parousia’ means presence. Where two or three gather in His name, He is there. That is His PRESENCE. That is His COMING.

The second Greek term is APOKALUPSIS, derived from the verb ‘apokaluptō’, meaning ‘to uncover’ or ‘to reveal’, emphasizing revelation—an unveiling of someone who was previously hidden.

The third Greek term is EPIPHANEIA, which appears six times in the New Testament. It comes from a verb meaning ‘to bring to light’ or ‘to make manifest’. The noun means ‘manifestation’. This term is used to express the glory and splendor manifested by the Lord’s coming.

The fourth Greek term is PHANEROŌ, which means to make manifest or to make visible—not necessarily to the physical eye, but as a perception.

The next Greek term is ERCHOMAI, which is used to indicate the actual act of coming. This term is not the same as ‘parousia’, which refers to the presence of someone who has already come. ‘Erchomai’ is used in Revelation 1:7, “Behold, He is coming with the clouds…,” and also in Acts 1:11, “…this Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The sixth Greek term is HĒKŌ, which emphasizes coming to a particular place. This word is found in Revelation 2:25, “But hold fast what you have until I come.”

Certainly, these six Greek terms do not indicate six different kinds of the Lord’s coming. Rather, the varied usage helps us understand the intended meaning of a text that speaks about His coming. For now, it is sufficient to understand that the Lord’s coming DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PHYSICAL COMING. Thus, Acts 1:11, which explains Jesus’ coming, does not necessarily refer to a physical coming.

We have seen, based on the brief explanation of these six Greek terms translated as “coming,” that the meaning of the Lord’s coming does not have to be physical. Therefore, Acts 1:11, which explains Jesus’ coming, also does not have to refer to a physical coming.

If we look at the context of Acts 1:11—where Jesus repeatedly spoke about the kingdom of heaven to His disciples, and also their question about when the kingdom of Israel would be restored—then we certainly would not interpret Jesus’ coming as His physical return, much less as His coming to rapture His disciples away from the earth to “heaven far away there.” By paying attention to the context, we see that Jesus’ coming is actually the coming of the kingdom of heaven to earth.

In the Christian world, the teaching that the kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth is not widely accepted. Generally, preachers teach that after we die, we will go to heaven and praise God there forever. Such teaching, though perhaps pleasant to the ears, is not what Jesus and His apostles taught. Jesus clearly taught His disciples to pray that the kingdom of heaven would come to earth, so that the Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Therefore, to understand Acts 1:11, we need to step back and look again at Genesis 1:26, which says, “…Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion… over all the earth….” God’s purpose in creating humans in His image and likeness was so that humans would have dominion over the whole earth. The term ‘dominion’ in this verse comes from the Hebrew word ‘radah’, meaning ‘to rule’. This speaks of human governance over the earth. Verse 28 further states not only that humans are to have dominion (rule), but also to ‘subdue’ (the Hebrew term ‘kabash’, meaning ‘to tread down’). This implies that there is an enemy to be subdued on earth—the kingdom of darkness. From Genesis 1:26–28, we find that God’s purpose in creating humans in His image and likeness is for humans to rule and to subdue the earth. There is an enemy to be subdued and trampled. To establish human authority and rule on earth, humans must struggle against the enemy and conquer it.

From this portion of Scripture, we see that the focus of God’s plan for humanity is the earth—how humans can rule, subdue, and trample their enemies on this earth; how humans can establish their governance on this earth. Earth… earth… earth… this is the purpose and focus of God’s plan for humanity. God did not create humans to be evacuated to heaven and sing there endlessly. God will not rapture humans from the earth to take them into heaven, because God’s purpose in creating humans is for them to rule and subdue everything that creeps upon the earth.

Therefore, the meaning of Acts 1:11—which states that Jesus will come again in the same way as His disciples saw Him go into heaven—must be understood as the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. This understanding is consistent with the context of Acts chapter 1, the context of the entire New Testament, and also the context of the whole Bible.

We have emphasized that the meaning of Acts 1:11 must be understood as the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven to earth, and that Jesus will come as King above all kings. At this time we will discuss the coming of the Lord as King. When speaking about the Lord’s coming as King, we must also speak about the kingdom, because a kingdom is the domain or territory of a king’s authority. The word ‘kingdom’ comes from ‘king’ and ‘domain’ (territory of authority), so a kingdom is the territory over which a king rules. Jesus is the King, and the territory of His authority is the heavenly realm. That is why, when Pilate asked, “Are You a king?” Jesus answered that for this purpose He was born, but that His kingdom is not from here (not of this world). This does not mean that Jesus has no authority over the whole earth. Jesus said that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Rather, it means that the sphere of Jesus’ rule is the heavenly realm.

However, we must understand that the Father’s plan is for the Kingdom of Heaven to be established on this earth. That is why Jesus taught us to pray that the Kingdom of Heaven would come to the earth. It is in this sense that we are speaking about the coming of Jesus as King.

Before we go further, we need to clearly understand where the Kingdom of Heaven is. Let us look at two verses that speak about this. First, Luke 17:21: “…for indeed the Kingdom of God is AMONG (ENTOS) you” (LAI). Second, Matthew 23:26: “…first cleanse the INSIDE (ENTOS) of the cup, so that the outside may also be clean.” The Greek term ENTOS (which appears only twice in the New Testament) is translated as AMONG in Luke and INSIDE in Matthew. It is impossible for both translations to be correct. We know that the golden rule in understanding the meaning of a word (term) is to understand how it is used in a sentence. In Matthew 23:26, the use of ‘entos’ makes it impossible to translate it as AMONG. Therefore, it is clear that ‘entos’ must be translated as INSIDE, so Luke 17:21 should read, “For indeed the Kingdom of God is INSIDE you” (LAI). In fact, the Kingdom of Elohim or the Kingdom of Heaven is INSIDE YOU. Even if we look at the context of Luke 17, the Kingdom of Heaven was ALSO INSIDE THE PHARISEES who opposed Jesus; only the EFFECT or INFLUENCE of that kingdom was not present because they did not believe.

Thus, the Kingdom of Heaven is inside us; therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven HAS COME, IS COMING, and WILL COME. The Kingdom of Heaven HAS come into us, because it is indeed inside us; it IS GROWING inside us, in the sense that Jesus as King increasingly rules and governs every aspect of our lives; and it WILL COME into us, in the sense that we will be revealed (manifested together with Jesus in glory) when the seventh trumpet is sounded, when the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of the Lord (JESUS) and of His Anointed (that is, US)—see Revelation 11:15. When the Kingdom of Heaven comes to the earth, we will reign together with the Lord Jesus. This is the meaning of His coming as King.

The event of Jesus’ coming as King, which we are awaiting, is also written in Romans 8:19, Colossians 3:4, Jude 14, and other passages that affirm the coming of the Lord together with His saints to rule this earth. If we understand the coming of the Lord Jesus as King whose Kingdom is inside us, then we will not wait for Jesus to come from a physical heaven with a physical throne, perhaps descending to a physical Jerusalem to rule the earth from there. This physical teaching comes from a fallen Christianity. The Overcomers certainly realize that the Kingdom of Heaven is within them… ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory…’.

Let us continue our discussion into chapter 2, where the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred on the day of Pentecost. Many Bible teachers hold the view that “Jesus comes twice physically,” that is, first 2,000 years ago, and then later at the end of the age Jesus will return physically to this earth.

But now, let us look at what actually happened on the day of Pentecost. We will explain the concept of the Lord’s coming through the three major feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The fulfillment of these three major feasts can explain to us the coming of the Lord, especially His coming in and through His chosen people.

Let us begin with the fulfillment of the Passover feast. The coming of the Lord Jesus in the fulfillment of Passover was when He came as our Passover Lamb and sacrificed Himself on the cross to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2).

Then, the coming of the Lord in the fulfillment of the Pentecost feast was when He came as the Holy Spirit. Many people assume that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as the fulfillment of Pentecost, was not the coming of the Lord. But let us look at the Lord’s promise to His disciples (the eleven disciples) on that final night. John 14:18 says, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:28 also says, “…I am going away, and I am coming back to you….” John 16:16 affirms, “A little while, and you will see Me no more; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” If the coming of the Lord is understood as a “second coming,” then until now the Lord has not come, and His disciples (the eleven) have all died, so Jesus’ promise would not have been fulfilled. Remember, Jesus promised to come again TO HIS DISCIPLES (the eleven, since Judas had gone). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the coming of the Lord as “another Comforter.” The Greek term ALLOS (not HETEROS) translated as ‘another’ means ‘another but the same’. Thus, the “other” Helper (Comforter) that Jesus meant is HIMSELF, but as the person of the HOLY SPIRIT. Therefore, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is also the coming of the Lord.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15:45: “Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being,’ but the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” The phrase ‘life-giving spirit’ comes from the Greek expression ‘pneuma zoopoieo’. ‘Zoopoieo’ is a verb meaning ‘to give life’. That is why Young’s Literal Translation renders the phrase as ‘life-giving spirit’. Thus, the last Adam, who is Jesus, became a Spirit who gives life. This is consistent with what is written in John 10:10, that the purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world was to give Life (‘zoe’), that is, the kind of life lived by Elohim. This ‘zoe’ life enables us to know the Father and to know Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3). THEREFORE, THE EVENT OF THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ACTUALLY THE COMING OF JESUS IN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Just as Jesus fulfilled the Passover feast, so also Jesus fulfilled the Pentecost feast. This understanding is necessary for us to comprehend the Kingdom of Heaven. If our understanding is that Jesus comes twice physically, then we will not understand the Kingdom of Heaven. In fact, the 120 people who received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit were the PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM. They are called disciples in the book of Acts because they were learning about the Kingdom of Heaven from the teaching of the apostles.

Let us continue our discussion of the concept of the Lord’s coming through the fulfillment of the three major feasts of Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Feast of Booths). We have discussed the coming of the Lord in the fulfillment of Passover and Pentecost. Now we will discuss the coming of the Lord in the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Again, this is important for us to understand the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us read several passages related to the Feast of Tabernacles. First, it is written in Leviticus 23:33–44. Second, the Feast of Tabernacles is also called the Feast of Ingathering (Exodus 23:16). Third, it is also called the feast of the seventh month, where the number seven speaks of fullness or completeness (Nehemiah 8:14). If we observe the three major feasts of Israel—Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles—these feasts are related to the ‘harvest’. In Passover, we have only the ‘sheaf of the firstfruits’; in Pentecost, we find the ‘harvest of the firstfruits’; in Tabernacles, we obtain the ‘harvest of the firstfruits in its fullness’.

How is the Feast of Tabernacles fulfilled in the church? We know that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the 120 disciples was a “partial” outpouring, as a pledge or guarantee. Ephesians 1:14 affirms this: “…having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” (ARRABON = pledge, guarantee, or down payment) (ILT). Therefore, in the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, the “firstfruits” of the church will experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fullness. And because the Feast of Tabernacles is called the ‘Feast of Ingathering’, all the “firstfruits” of the church in every age will be gathered and will experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This event of the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not the same as what is commonly understood in Christianity as a “great harvest of souls,” as proclaimed to occur in an end-time revival. Rather, this full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the harvest of the “firstfruits” of the church (those who mature earlier) throughout the ages. Thus, not all members of the church throughout the ages will experience the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The firstfruits of the church are those members who have matured earlier, in accordance with the meaning of “firstfruits.” James 1:18 affirms this: “…that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures…” (ILT). This verse also emphasizes that becoming “firstfruits” is the Father’s decision and determination.

The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is what Paul calls ‘glorification by faith’ (Romans 8). In the book of Romans, Paul explains salvation with three expressions: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. Glorification by faith is something that all creation eagerly longs for (Romans 8:19–21). When the ‘full outpouring of the Holy Spirit’ occurs, the firstfruits of the church will be revealed (manifested) to all creation. Romans 8:19–21 affirms that the purpose of revealing the firstfruits of the church is to liberate creation. It is no coincidence that James uses the expression firstfruits of creation, because what will be liberated by the firstfruits of the church is ALL CREATION.

Indeed, the firstfruits of the church are the “little flock” to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 12:32). We are simply waiting for the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths), in the sense of the “full” outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the Kingdom of Heaven within us may be revealed (manifested) on this earth, and we may minister on this earth in bodies of glory. Thus, the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles comes to the firstfruits of the church, in the sense of receiving THE FULL OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LIBERATE CREATION.

Let us now enter into Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14–36). We will take several important points from this sermon. The first point we will discuss relates to His ascension (2:33–36). It is written: “Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of Elohim, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear… YAHWEH said to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool’… therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that Elohim has made Him both Lord and Messiah—this JESUS whom you crucified” (ILT).

Notice the phrase “exalted to the right hand of Elohim.” This speaks of Jesus’ authority as Lord and Messiah. The term ‘Messiah’ is certainly related to the Kingdom, that is, the Kingdom led by Jesus. And this Messianic Kingdom will make His enemies a footstool for His feet. 1 Corinthians 15:24–28 affirms that this Messianic Kingdom will subdue all enemies, the last enemy being ‘death’, which is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). When all the remnants of sin have been removed and subdued in the universe, then a condition will come that is called ‘the Father being all in all’ (verse 28). This means that the Father can express Himself through and within all creation.

Furthermore, Jesus affirmed that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him; therefore, make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–19). This means that the basis of the command to disciple all nations is that Jesus possesses authority in heaven and on earth. It is clear that salvation, or making all nations disciples of the Lord, depends on the authority of Jesus Christ. Salvation does not depend on human response, because all people are already dead in sin. Dead people cannot give any response. Likewise, Paul affirms that the people of the world cannot believe the gospel because they have been blinded by evil spirits (2 Corinthians 4:4). That is why Jesus said that if He were lifted up, in the sense of dying, rising, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, and obtaining authority in heaven and on earth, then He would and could draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).

Then, the ascension of Jesus is also the basis for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Notice Acts 2:33: “Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of Elohim, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.” Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit, or baptized His disciples with the Holy Spirit, because He had been exalted and had sat at the right hand of the Father. Thus, the baptism in the Holy Spirit did not occur because the disciples prayed and waited for ten days until Pentecost arrived. There was nothing the disciples needed to do in order to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. The disciples simply BELIEVED in Jesus, and they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the basis of His ascension.

The fact that Jesus has already sat at the right hand of the Father and possesses authority in heaven and on earth should be a strong encouragement for us to make disciples and to believe that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

The second point we will discuss in Peter’s sermon concerns the resurrection of Jesus. Peter quotes David’s prophecy about the resurrection of the Messiah, as follows: “For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2:27).

To understand the resurrection, we need to understand what is meant by ‘Hades’ in the verse above. The phrase ‘the realm of the dead’ is translated from the Greek term ‘hades’. The meaning of hades is actually a dwelling place (a realm) where the spirits of people who have died reside. We do not know exactly what the life of those spirits who have left their bodies is like. What is clear is that ‘the realm of the dead’ is not like a grave where there is no life at all. People who have left their earthly bodies enter into a kind of existence that is referred to as ‘the realm of the dead’ in the verse above.

Let us look at the story of the fall of Adam and Eve so that we may understand this ‘realm of the dead’. Genesis 2:17 states, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The term ‘die’ in this verse is translated from the Hebrew expression ‘mut tamut’. Mut tamut cannot be translated simply as die, because ‘mut’ means ‘to die’, and therefore the expression ‘mut tamut’ carries a specific meaning. Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible renders it accurately as, ‘dying thou dost die’, meaning that at the moment you eat the forbidden fruit, you immediately enter a ‘condition of death’ that progresses toward physical death. Thus, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they did not die physically at once, but they entered a ‘condition of death’ that eventually led to physical death. This is why Adam and Eve were still able to function for hundreds of years before finally dying physically.

The Bible refers to this ‘condition of death’ experienced by Adam and Eve with the term ‘death’, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Therefore, ‘death’ is not a condition without activity like the grave. In reality, ‘death’ is the condition of a sinful person who lives apart from the life of Elohim. A human being who lives apart from the life of Elohim is said to live in the ‘realm of death’, This is the condition of sinners which, in turn, results in physical death.

Let us return to Acts 2:27 above: “for You will not abandon my soul to the realm of the dead….” After His death on the cross, Jesus entered the ‘realm of the dead’ for three days. However, the ‘realm of the dead’ could not hold Jesus there. Jesus was raised because He possessed the kind of life of Elohim (‘zoe’), which overcomes the kind of life called ‘death’. The resurrection of Jesus proves that He has conquered the kind of life called ‘death’. That is why Paul declares, “…death has been swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54–55).

Such was Peter’s sermon affirming that the resurrection of Jesus had been prophesied by David. The Lord’s disciples in the early church strongly emphasized the resurrection of Jesus, both in their teaching and in their role as witnesses of His resurrection.

We continue Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost concerning the resurrection of the Messiah and compare it with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 15. We will see that the resurrection of Jesus has an impact on the resurrection of all the dead. Note 1 Corinthians 15:13: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised.” This means that precisely because Christ has been raised, there will be a resurrection of the dead. For Christ has been raised as the “firstfruits” of those who have died (verse 20). We know that the meaning of “firstfruits” implies that there will be subsequent fruits to be harvested.

Let us observe Paul’s line of thought in explaining the resurrection of all the dead as a result of Christ’s resurrection as the “firstfruits.” 1 Corinthians 15:21–23 states: “For since death came through one man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through one man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order….” Here Paul is speaking

about headship. Both Adam and Christ Jesus are heads of humanity. This means that what the head experiences will also be experienced by all its members.

When Adam fell into sin and received the kind of life called ‘death’ as the wages of sin—which in turn leads to physical death—all his members (all human descendants of Adam) also receive the kind of life called ‘death’, which results in physical death. We do not need to do anything to receive this kind of life called ‘death’. When we are born into the world, we immediately receive the kind of life called ‘death’, which leads to physical death, because we are members of Adam as the head of humanity. Likewise, Christ Jesus is the head of humanity. When Christ was raised, all humanity will also be raised, each in his own order.

Observe the order explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:23–28: “…Christ the firstfruits; afterward those who belong to Him at His coming. Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after He has destroyed all rule and all authority and power… The last enemy to be destroyed is death… so that God may be all in all” (Indonesian Bible).

Thus, the order of resurrection is as follows. First, Christ as the firstfruits. Second, at His coming—commonly called the second coming—there will be the resurrection of the bodies of His chosen ones. This event is recorded in Romans 8:19–21, where the sons of Elohim, with glorified bodies, are revealed to all creation in order to free all creation from its bondage to decay. Third, the kingdom of Jesus and His chosen ones will subdue everything until the last enemy, death, is defeated. When death as the wages of sin has been defeated, then all humanity will also be raised in glorified bodies. Thus it is fulfilled that Elohim becomes all in all, meaning that Elohim can express the fullness of His glory in and through all humanity.

Thus, the resurrection of Jesus as the “firstfruits” has an impact on the resurrection of all humanity. At this point, we continue Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost concerning the death of Jesus. Note Acts 2:23: “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of Elohim, you killed by the hands of lawless men, having crucified Him” (ILT).

We have discussed His ascension and His resurrection, as well as their impact on believers and on all humanity. Now we will discuss the death of Jesus, which is certainly central to the proclamation of the apostles.

Let us quote several verses related to the death of Jesus. Matthew 26:28 states, “For this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Luke 22:19 says, “And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’” 1 Corinthians 11:24–26 states, “…This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me…. This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

There are several things we need to note in the verses above. First, the New Covenant is sealed by the blood of Jesus. Second, the Lord’s Supper is observed by the church as a remembrance of Jesus. Third, by observing the Lord’s Supper, the church proclaims the death of the Lord until He comes.

What does the expression ‘in remembrance of Me’ mean? The Greek term translated as ‘remembrance’ is ‘anamnesis’, which means a reminder. Thus, if translated literally, Jesus said, ‘Do this as a reminder for Me’. This is reinforced by the phrase ‘of Me’, which comes from the Greek term ‘emos’, indicating that the reminder belongs to Jesus. Therefore, the church observes the Lord’s Supper to remind Jesus. Remind Him of what? To remind Jesus of His promise to come again.

This is in harmony with the prayer that the Lord Jesus taught His disciples: ‘Your kingdom come’. It is also consistent with Revelation 6:10: “…How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until You judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” And 2 Peter 3:12 states, “as you look forward to the day of God and hasten its coming” (Indonesian Bible). Therefore, every time the church observes the Lord’s Supper, the church reminds the Lord Jesus of His promise to come again and establish His kingdom on earth.

By observing the Lord’s Supper, the church also proclaims the death of Jesus. This is very important, because the essence of the gospel is the death of Jesus that takes away the sin of the world. And the early church observed the Lord’s Supper daily.

We continue Peter’s sermon, in which Peter quotes Joel 2:28–32 as he explains the phenomenon that occurred on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:17 states, “And it shall be in the last days, Elohim says, that I will pour out from My Spirit upon all flesh…” (ILT). The Indonesian Bible translates it as, “I will pour out My Spirit upon all people.”

The original text, ‘pas sarx’, indeed means ‘all humanity’. However, we see that the phenomenon of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred only to the 120 people who were together with Peter and the other apostles. The prophecy of Joel that Elohim would pour out His Spirit upon ‘all humanity’ will indeed come to pass. However, what happened on the day of Pentecost was only a partial fulfillment. This means that the prophecy that Elohim will pour out His Spirit upon all humanity will certainly be fulfilled later. How will Elohim fulfill Joel’s prophecy of pouring out His Spirit upon all humanity?

We will explain the process of Elohim fulfilling Joel’s prophecy through His purpose as revealed in Ephesians 1:9–10, where ultimately all things will be united in Christ. Note Ephesians 1:9–10: “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of the times, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.”

There are several things we need to observe from these verses. First, all things will be united in Christ, both in heaven and on earth. In the original text there is no term ‘head’, as found in the Indonesian Bible, although indeed Christ Jesus is the Head. Thus, all things will be united IN CHRIST. The phrase ‘to unite’ is translated from the Greek verb ‘anakephalaioō, derived from the roots ‘ana’ and ‘kephalaioō’. The preposition ‘ana’ means ‘again’. This indicates that all things will return to their original condition where there is no separation. To unite all things in Christ means that all things will RETURN AND BE UNITED IN CHRIST. There will be nothing ‘outside of Christ’ that remains separated.

Adam’s sin caused separation everywhere in Elohim’s creation. But the verse above affirms that there will be a time when nothing is separated anymore, and ALL THINGS ARE UNITED IN CHRIST. The phrase ‘all things’ comes from the Greek term ‘pas’, meaning ‘all’, ‘the whole’, or ‘every kind of’. This refers to everything created by Elohim—not only living beings, but also the entire universe. This is the ‘purpose of Elohim’ declared in the verse above.

Second, the Indonesian Bible translation “the plan for the fullness of the times” comes from the Greek phrase ‘oikonomia ho plērōma ho kairos’, which is accurately translated in Young’s Literal Translation as “the dispensation of the fullness of the times.” As we know, Elohim’s plan or purpose is fulfilled through several dispensations (or ages). The verse above speaks of an age in which all things are united in Christ, namely the dispensation of “the fullness of the times.” We will not now discuss this dispensation or the other ages in which the fulfillment of Elohim’s purpose takes place. What is important for us to understand is that THERE WILL BE A TIME when all things are united in Christ.

The third thing we must observe from the verse above is the expression “the mystery of His will.” The term ‘mystery’ (Greek: ‘mysterion’) does not mean something hidden and impossible to understand. Rather, it requires revelation for the Lord’s disciples to understand “the mystery of His will.” In fact, the revelation of the mystery of His will or ‘the purpose of Elohim’ is clearly stated in Scripture: that all things will be united in Christ. Unfortunately, within Christianity there has spread and been believed by the majority of the Lord’s disciples the idea that Elohim will only choose some people to enter heaven while the rest (perhaps the majority) will be thrown into hell and tortured forever. This results in ELOHIM’S CREATION BEING SEPARATED FOREVER. This doctrine of “eternal hell” is what keeps the mystery of His will a mystery for most of the Lord’s disciples. But His chosen ones will receive revelation concerning the purpose of Elohim, which is clearly declared in Scripture. Thus, in His time, Elohim will unite all things in Christ, and this means that all humanity will receive the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. This is the ‘full fulfillment’ (not partial fulfillment) of Joel’s prophecy that Elohim will pour out His Spirit upon all humanity.

We continue our discussion of the fulfillment of Joel 2:28–32, as Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, when only 120 people received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, while in Joel’s prophecy Elohim would pour out His Spirit upon ALL HUMANITY. We have explained this issue by quoting Ephesians 1:9–10, where ultimately all humanity will be united in Christ, and therefore all humanity will ultimately receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in accordance with Joel’s prophecy. Now we will explain the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy by examining the fulfillment of the three major feasts of Israel (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles) in the context of the church.

Let us look at these three major feasts of Israel. First, the Feast of Passover (Leviticus 23:4–5). Second, the Feast of Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15–22). Third, the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths (Leviticus 23:23–25). The Feast of Passover occurs in the first month, the Feast of Pentecost in the third month, and the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh month. That is why Deuteronomy 16:16 states, “Three times a year all your males shall appear before YAHWEH your Elohim in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Sukkot…” (ILT).

The Feast of Passover has been fulfilled by Jesus as our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). The Feast of Pentecost has also been fulfilled by Jesus when He came in the person of the Holy Spirit as a “down payment” (guarantee, Greek: ‘arrabōn’, Ephesians 1:14). And Jesus will come again—commonly called “the second coming”—as the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, by pouring out the Holy Spirit fully, no longer partially, upon the OVERCOMING CHURCH. Why only upon the overcoming church? This is because the early church, which received a partial outpouring of the Holy Spirit, later fell and fractured into tens of thousands of denominations. And the Lord calls His overcomers in every church age to be representatives of His fallen church (Revelation 2–3).

The event of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in its fullness occurs only to the “little flock” (the overcoming church), to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven (Luke 12:32). Let us look more closely at these overcomers so that we do not misunderstand them or assume that they are the “great and famous people” in the Christian world. The context of Luke 12:32 is Jesus’ words to His disciples not to worry about food and drink. Jesus then commands them to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven (v. 31). After that, Jesus declares the Father’s decision that He is pleased to give them the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here, the disciples of Jesus—to whom the Father is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven—are called a “little flock.” The Greek term ‘mikros’, translated as little, does not only mean small in number or quantity, but also small in dignity (glory and honor). This is very meaningful, because in the Christian world—where the church has been fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations—the “great and famous people” within it possess human glory and honor. Meanwhile, the “little flock” does not possess such human glory and honor. Therefore, in the Christian world, “many are called, but few are chosen.” These few who are chosen are the “simple ones,” or the “little flock,” to whom the Father is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven.

We must be clear about this: the overcomers, or the “little ones” in the Christian world, receive the Kingdom of Heaven solely by the decision and sovereignty of the Father. It is not because this “little flock” is great, famous, possesses many spiritual gifts, or is “used extraordinarily by God” in the Christian world that the Father is pleased to give them the Kingdom of Heaven. Not at all. Clearly, this “little flock” receives grace and is given the Kingdom of Heaven freely by the Father in heaven.

What does it mean that the Father gives the Kingdom of Heaven to this “little flock”? Romans 8:19–21 explains that at the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, when the “little flock” receives the outpouring of the Holy Spirit ‘in fullness’, this “little flock” will minister together with Jesus on earth in glorified bodies to liberate creation from the bondage of corruption. This present earth—the one we stand on today—will move toward the New Earth and the New Heaven through the ministry of the “little flock,” where there will no longer be death, which is the wages of sin (Revelation 21:4; Romans 6:23). In the condition where there is no longer death, the Father can be ALL in ALL, meaning the Father can express His love, His glory, and His character in ALL HUMANITY. This means that ALL HUMANITY, in the end, will receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, so that the prophecy of Joel 2:28–32 is fulfilled.

Now we will discuss the case in which Peter and John healed a man who had been lame from birth at the Temple (Acts 3:1–10). After the healing took place, Peter preached to the crowd who were astonished by what had happened. Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico caused the number of believers to grow to five thousand men (4:4).

We need to discuss briefly the role of miracles in evangelism. Many people assume that without miracles, evangelism will not be successful—in the sense that few or no people will repent. Actually, this view is mistaken, because miracles do not always result in the repentance of souls. Consider the case when Jesus raised Lazarus, who had been in the tomb for four days. Some Jews who witnessed this miracle did not repent; instead, they reported it to the Pharisees. Then the Sanhedrin, upon hearing this report, decided to put Jesus to death (John 11:45–53). Thus, miracles do not always result in repentance, although miracles can indeed confirm the word that is preached.

We need to understand that repentance occurs because a person receives revelation of what the Lord Jesus has already done for him or her. And this is solely the decision of His grace. Consider Acts 13:48: “…and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (NKJV). This means that Elohim first determined a person to receive eternal life, and only then could that person repent and believe.

There is a common error in the Christian world. Many people, including preachers, cry out, “Believe in Jesus, go to heaven.” Meanwhile, the Bible says, “Believe in Jesus, receive eternal life.” Eternal life in the verse above is translated from the Greek expression ‘zoe aionios’. We know that ‘zoe’ is the kind of life that Elohim lives. Jesus emphasized, ‘I am the zoe’. And indeed, Jesus came to give His life—‘zoe’ (John 10:10). Meanwhile, the term ‘aionios’ is an adjective whose noun form is ‘aion’, meaning ‘age-long’, or a dimension of time. Thus, eternal life is a kind of Elohim’s life (zoe) that enters the dimension of time. And everything that enters the dimension of time requires a process to grow. Likewise, the life of ‘zoe’ that we receive in our inner being when we believe also needs to grow day by day. Therefore, by believing in Jesus, we receive ‘zoe’ life that must continue to grow.

In the Gospel of John, there are many expressions stating that believing in Jesus results in receiving eternal life. Thus, believing in Jesus does not mean going to heaven, but receiving eternal life (‘zoe’ life), which must continue to grow until we truly know Elohim, because it is this ‘zoe’ life that enables us to know the Father and Jesus whom He has sent (John 17:3).

In the Book of Acts, those who believed in Jesus are called disciples. This is because they were learning about the Kingdom of Heaven, which is central to the apostles’ teaching. And Paul emphasized that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22).

If we look at the teachings on the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew—especially the parables of the sower, the wise and foolish virgins, the parable of the talents, and the parable of the faithful and evil servants—we know that at the time of Jesus’ coming to establish His Kingdom on earth, not all born-again Christians will be permitted to take part in it. This confirms that believing in Jesus means receiving eternal life (the seed of ‘zoe’ life), not entering heaven or taking part in the Kingdom of Heaven that will be established on earth at His coming.

We return to the role of miracles in evangelism. Christians, including preachers, must realize that miracles do not always produce repentance, nor do they always produce faith, nor do they always cause the seed of ‘zoe’ life to grow in the inner being of Christians. We must place miracles in their proper place—as something that can confirm the word being preached. But we must focus on the word that is preached. We must focus on His grace, which enables people of the world, as well as Christians, to receive the revelation of God’s word that saves (for unbelievers) and that grows the seed of ‘zoe’ life (for believers). This is how we should understand the role of miracles in the proclamation of God’s word.

Let us enter Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico after the miracle of healing the lame man (Acts 3:12–26). Verse 13 states: “The Elohim of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the Elohim of our fathers, has glorified His Servant, JESUS, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him” (ILT). Now we will reflect on the term ‘glorified’ in this verse.

The term ‘glorified’ comes from the Greek verb ‘doxazō’, which means ‘to make glorious’. The fact that Jesus was glorified by the Father does not mean that Jesus did not already possess glory before the Father. John 17:5 states: “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Jesus already had glory before the Father, but He ‘emptied Himself’ to carry out the work of redemption.

After Jesus was glorified through death, resurrection, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, the Holy Spirit came into believers, because before Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given (John 7:39). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Glory who dwells in believers who are reproached for the name of Christ (1 Peter 4:14).

Indeed, the pinnacle of salvation is when we as believers are glorified at the coming of the Lord. The glorification of believers at Christ’s coming is rarely discussed in the Christian world. If believers are not glorified in Christ, then salvation is not yet complete. Romans chapters 1–8 explain this complete salvation.

Generally, in theological schools there is a course called Soteriology, which discusses the salvation provided by the Lord Jesus for us. But usually only justification by faith and sanctification by faith are discussed. If only these are discussed, then salvation is not complete. There is one more, which is actually the pinnacle of Jesus’ work for us: glorification by faith.

Romans chapter 8 explains glorification by faith as the pinnacle of our salvation. Let us quote a few verses. Romans 8:10: “And if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (ILT). Romans 8:17: “…joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Romans 8:23: “…we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (ILT). Here, glorification by faith is explained as ‘the redemption of our body’—the removal of this sinful body and its replacement with a glorified body like the one Jesus has, since we are joint heirs with Him.

When, where, how, and for what purpose are we glorified together with the Lord Jesus? Romans 8:19–21 explains: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

When and where does this glorification by faith take place? Certainly when the kingdom of heaven—of which we are already citizens—is fully manifested on earth at His coming (commonly referred to as the Second Coming of Jesus). How does this glorification by faith occur? When our physical body is replaced with a glorious body like the one Jesus possesses. For God’s elect who have died before Jesus’ coming, they await the resurrection of the saints at His coming. What is the purpose of our being glorified together with the Lord Jesus on earth? To set all creation free from the bondage of corruption and bring it into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim.

Through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim, this old Earth (the First Earth) will move toward the New Earth and the New Heaven as well. When Elohim creates the New Heaven and the New Earth, it does not mean that the first heaven and earth are totally destroyed and replaced with entirely new ones. In theological terms, this is not ‘creatio ex nihilo’, but ‘creatio ex vetere’. This means that the New Heaven and the New Earth are the first heaven and earth that have undergone a ‘radical transformation’ through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim. Thus, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob not only glorified Jesus Christ, His Son, but will also glorify us together with Him at His coming, when the kingdom of heaven is fully established on earth.

Let us continue Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico by considering Acts 3:18: “But those things which Elohim foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Messiah would suffer, He has thus fulfilled” (ILT). In the preaching of the apostles, the point that the Messiah must suffer is strongly emphasized (Acts 17:3; 26:23). Why is this so?

For the Jewish people in particular, they were expecting a Messiah exactly like David, because they believed that the Messiah was the son of David. The Messiah awaited by Israel was a warrior leader like David, one who would build a physical Temple—though it was not David but his son Solomon who built it—and who would bring peace to the world, with Israel as the “head” and the other nations as the “tail.” This expectation was not entirely wrong, since the Messiah is indeed the Son of David, a physical descendant of David as prophesied by the prophets. However, what the Jewish leaders did not understand was that the Messiah is not only David’s physical descendant; the kingdom of the Messiah is greater than David’s kingdom, as Psalm 110:1 affirms.

When Jesus asked the Pharisees why David called the Messiah his Lord, if the Messiah was David’s son, they were unable to answer Him (Matthew 22:41–46). Actually, this is easy to understand: the kingdom of the Messiah exists in a “higher dimension” than David’s kingdom. David’s kingdom was earthly in nature, whereas the Messiah’s kingdom is spiritual, existing in the heavenly realm (the kingdom of heaven). That is why David called the Messiah his Lord. Jesus affirmed to Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). The Messiah’s kingdom exists in the heavenly dimension but will be fully established at His coming (commonly referred to as the Second Coming).

As those who believe in Jesus as the Messiah, we must also proclaim that the Messiah had to suffer. Why? Philippians 1:29 states, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Him.” Paul also exhorted Timothy, “…share in suffering for the gospel…” (2 Timothy 1:8). Romans 8:17 emphasizes, “…co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Hebrews 12:11 declares, “Now no discipline seems joyful at the time, but grievous….” Acts 14:22 affirms, “…through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (NKJV). There are many other verses that speak of suffering as something normal for Christians. Therefore, as believers in Jesus, we must proclaim that the Messiah had to suffer, because we too will experience suffering in following Him.

However, we must not seek suffering, become people who love suffering, or preach that suffering is an additional requirement for salvation. Consider Jesus’ struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. There were two elements in His struggle: the cup of suffering and the will of the Father. Jesus did not choose suffering; He chose the Father’s will. But when the Father’s will required Him to drink the cup of suffering, Jesus chose His Father’s will and drank the cup. So, Jesus did not choose suffering, but the will of His Father.

Likewise, we should not choose suffering. But if, by the Father’s sovereign arrangement, we must experience suffering, we should not avoid it or run away from it when it comes. Suffering is necessary to make us strong and ready to be glorified together with Jesus at His coming.

We continue Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico by paying attention to Acts 3:21, which says, “whom heaven must indeed receive until the times of restoration of all things, which Elohim has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the age began” (ILT). After, in the previous verses, Peter testified about the death and resurrection of Jesus and exhorted his listeners to repent so that the Lord might bring times of refreshing, he then made a remarkable statement that, “Christ must remain in heaven until the time of the restoration of all things…” (Acts 3:21, NIV/LAI). With this statement, Peter declared that the ‘times of refreshing’ or the ‘times of restoration’ were not intended only for his listeners, but that these times of refreshing or restoration were intended for ALL THINGS.

This is what we will reflect on now, namely, how Christ Jesus can remain in heaven while the work of restoring all things can still take place or continue. Let us consider the words of Jesus to His disciples in John 14:12, which say, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these he will do, because I am going to the Father.” In this verse, Jesus emphasizes the reason His disciples can do works greater than those He did, namely, because Jesus is going to the Father. This means that Jesus goes to the Father through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, so that the Holy Spirit may come upon His disciples. Thus, it is because of the Holy Spirit that the disciples are able to do greater works than those Jesus did. Certainly, these are not works of redemption—which were accomplished solely by Jesus on the cross and have been perfectly completed—but what Jesus meant are THE WORKS OF THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS AS REFERRED TO IN PETER’S SERMON.

It is the Holy Spirit who enables His disciples to carry out the work of restoring all things. We know that the Holy Spirit who came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost was still in the form of a “down payment” or “deposit,” that is, an advance payment as a guarantee that the full payment will certainly be given (Ephesians 1:14). When will the full payment be received by His disciples? This will take place at the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles, as described in Romans 8:19–21, which says, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

The FULL outpouring of the Holy Spirit will occur upon the sons of Elohim, namely the overcomers throughout the church age as described in Revelation chapters 2–3. Because the church has fallen into tens of thousands of denominations, only the overcomers of the church will receive the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit at His coming (commonly called the second coming of Jesus). When the overcomers of the church receive the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then the work of restoring all things begins—namely, the restoration of creation from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim.

The event of the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is eagerly awaited by all creation. This is the time when the kingdom of heaven is FULLY established on earth. This is the time for us, with glorified bodies, to do works greater than those Jesus did, according to His promise. Thus, Peter’s sermon is fulfilled, which states that Christ Jesus must remain in heaven until the restoration of all things by the overcoming church, that is, His believing disciples.

Let us continue Peter’s sermon at Solomon’s Portico concerning the prophecy about the Messiah. The prophecy concerning the Messiah began with Abraham and Moses and was continued by the prophets, starting from Samuel and the other prophets. At this time, we will only discuss the

Messianic prophecy related to His kingdom. Consider Acts 3:25, which says, “You are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which Elohim made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

We will see the meaning of Abraham’s calling when he was commanded to come out of Ur of the Chaldeans. Before the calling of Abraham in Genesis 12, the Bible tells of a man named Nimrod who built the kingdom of Babel and others, even building the Tower of Babel, where God confused their languages at that time so that they were scattered, each with their own language, their own gods, and their own kingdoms. The region of Ur of the Chaldeans, the place of origin of Terah, Abraham’s father, had a god called the moon god and was ruled by the kings of ancient Babylon. These ancient Babylonian kingdoms were fragments of Nimrod’s kingdom, for Nimrod was the first man to exercise power and build a kingdom.

Why was Abraham called out of the region of Ur of the Chaldeans, even having to leave the family of Terah, his father? The answer is that God would build a lineage (the nation of Israel) and give the Promised Land in order to build a kingdom that would be a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. The kingdom of David was a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. God could not build a kingdom through the descendants of Abraham in Ur of the Chaldeans, because Ur of the Chaldeans was already dominated by the ancient Babylonian kingdoms, which were fragments of Nimrod’s kingdom. It is impossible to build a kingdom within another kingdom. Thus, in essence, Abraham’s calling out of Ur of the Chaldeans was to build a kingdom as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom.

Therefore, through Abraham, the Bible had actually already prophesied the Messianic kingdom, which would become a blessing to all the peoples of the earth, just as God promised to Abraham and his descendants. Furthermore, we all believe that the prophesied Messiah is Jesus Christ, even though to this day, as a nation, Israel has not yet accepted Jesus as their Messiah.

Let us look at the Messianic kingdom in the context of Christianity. Jesus said that He would build His church, and that the Messianic kingdom is a kingdom that exists in the heavenly dimension (the kingdom of heaven). Luke 17:21 emphasizes, “…for indeed, the kingdom of God is among (‘entos’ in Greek) you.” The Greek term ‘entos’ should be translated as ‘within’. Young’s Literal Translation renders it, “…the reign of God is within you.” Thus, within the inner being (spirit) of every member of the church there is the kingdom of heaven.

The church should manifest the kingdom of heaven on this earth. The church is the instrument through which the kingdom of heaven is manifested on earth. Jesus taught His disciples to pray that the kingdom of heaven would come to earth, that the Father’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

However, the church has been divided into tens of thousands of denominations. And these denominations are human kingdoms. There are rulers (kings) in each denomination who have the right to regulate everything; even the church buildings they build usually become the property of “the king.” In such a condition, it is impossible for the church to function as an instrument to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. And usually, the main focus of preaching in denominations is not the kingdom of heaven. Yet the central teaching of Peter and the apostles was the kingdom of heaven or the Messianic kingdom.

We continue our discussion into chapter 4, where Peter and John were arrested by the priests, the Sadducees, and the captain of the temple guard, and were brought before the Jewish Council (the Sanhedrin). There are three occasions where the church bore witness before the Jewish Council that had been the mastermind behind Jesus’ crucifixion. First, in chapter 4, where Peter and John testified. Second, in chapter 5, where Peter and the other apostles testified. Third, in chapter 7, where Stephen testified before the Council and at the same time became the first martyr of the church.

After the church testified three times before the Jewish Council and they still did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, then in AD 70 the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army, so that Judaism was practically brought to a halt until today. The synagogues that exist are merely places where Jews gather to study the Torah and pray. All sacrificial festivals, tithing laws, and other observances that had to be carried out at the Jerusalem Temple ceased.

Let us reflect on why the Jewish Council, which represented the Jewish nation, remained unwilling to accept Jesus as the Messiah. Certainly, there is a reason from the perspective of God’s word, namely that God Himself blinded their eyes for His own purposes (John 12:37–40). From the perspective of the rabbis, they were waiting for a Messiah like David who could deliver Israel from its physical enemies (the surrounding nations), rebuild the Temple, and bring peace to the world. Meanwhile, Jesus came to deliver Israel from their sins and to build a spiritual Israelite kingdom (the New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb, Revelation 21). But now we will look at the reason why the Sanhedrin did not accept Jesus as the Messiah from the perspective of the kingdom.

It cannot be denied, in a certain sense, that the Sanhedrin was a human kingdom led by Jewish religious leaders. They had authority over the nation of Israel—not only in religious matters, but also in political and social matters. And the Sanhedrin felt disturbed when Jesus appeared and ministered among the people. They felt jealous and threatened by Jesus’ influence. Pilate understood this when the Jewish religious leaders handed Jesus over to him (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). Thus, there was a hidden reason why the Jewish religious leaders did not want to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah: their “kingdom” felt threatened by the coming of Jesus as King.

If we reflect even more deeply, indeed the kingdom of heaven will be fully established on earth, and the kingdoms of this world will be subdued. Consider Revelation 11:15, which says, “Then the seventh angel sounded, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying: ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Anointed, and He shall reign forever and ever.’” The expression ‘His Anointed’ refers to the overcoming church; therefore it should be written in lowercase, ‘his anointed’. This means that Jesus and the overcoming church will take over all human kingdoms in this world—whether political, social, or religious—and reign on earth until all His enemies are subdued.

This is the hidden reason why the Jewish religious leaders did not want to accept Jesus as King. Their religious kingdom felt threatened by the coming of a new King who would even subdue them. In fact, Satan was behind this religious kingdom of the Sanhedrin, and of course Satan realized this. May we not build our own religious kingdoms like the Sanhedrin, so that unconsciously we reject Jesus as King.

Let us continue our discussion about the kingdom of the Sanhedrin that rejected Jesus as the Messiah (King). Now we will examine whether the denominations that exist in Christianity are also human kingdoms. If it is proven true that these denominations are human kingdoms established by Christian religious leaders, then those denominations cannot accept the message of the Messianic kingdom (the message of the kingdom of heaven), just as the kingdom of the Sanhedrin could not accept Jesus as the Messiah.

Let us begin by looking at the early church in the book of Acts. They were not a human kingdom, because there was not a single leader who had authority over the church. The authority of the early church was clearly the authority of the Holy Spirit, because all church members were directly led by the Holy Spirit. Peter, Paul, John, and the other apostles were all servants of God and of the church. However, in Acts 20:28–30, Paul prophesied that some leaders would arise who, through false teachings, would try to draw the Lord’s disciples after themselves. Through their false teachings, they would seize the authority of the Holy Spirit over the Lord’s disciples and establish their own authority over them. This is where human kingdoms began—when church leaders drew the Lord’s disciples to themselves and established their own authority over them.

Indeed, this is what has happened with denominations in Christianity. Each leader draws the Lord’s disciples to himself, so that the church is divided into tens of thousands of human kingdoms. Initially, all church members were governed directly by the Holy Spirit, but now the Lord’s disciples are governed by their respective leaders, and each builds his own kingdom.

Let us now look at the book of Revelation to prove that denominations are human kingdoms. We know that the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ—and certainly of His church—given to the apostle John in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). In the book of Revelation, there are three women with different characteristics: the woman in Revelation 12, the woman in Revelation 17, and the woman (the Bride of the Lamb) in Revelation 21–22.

Throughout the Bible, a woman is always a symbol of the church, as the Bride of Christ. Adam is a type of Christ; therefore Eve is a type of the church (Romans 5:14). Eve speaks of the aspect of the church that comes from Christ, because Eve was created from Adam’s rib. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, represents the aspect of the church that comes from the world, because Joseph received her in Egypt (a symbol of the world). Abigail represents the aspect of the church as Christ’s warrior, because David was a man of war. And there are many other symbols of women that represent the church in its various aspects.

Let us look at the characteristics of the woman in Revelation 17–18. First, this woman sits on a beast (Revelation 17:3). The beast is a symbol of a human governmental system. Therefore, the woman sitting on a beast represents a church that is supported by a human governmental system. Second, this woman is given the name Babylon (17:5). Babylon was the kingdom built by Nimrod. Therefore, the woman called “Babylon” is none other than the church (a human kingdom) built by “Nimrods.” Third, this woman is the great city that reigns over the kings of the earth (17:18). In the book of Revelation, a city represents a human governmental system, and this church (the great city) has authority over the kings of the earth. Thus, it is clear that the church described in Revelation 17–18 is the denominations, and they are human kingdoms, whether Catholic or Protestant.

Therefore, because denominations are human kingdoms established by their leaders, they cannot accept the message of the Messianic kingdom or the kingdom of heaven. The good news (gospel) of the kingdom of heaven does not receive its proper place in denominational preaching.

After Peter and John were threatened by the Jewish Council not to speak anymore in the name of Jesus, they gathered with the believers and reported this to them (Acts 4:17, 23). Then, when the believers heard it, they spontaneously prayed, “…Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot vain things… grant to Your servants boldness to speak Your word…Stretch out Your hand to heal, and perform signs and wonders through the name of Jesus, Your holy Servant… They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:25–31).

There are several things we need to note regarding this prayer of the congregation. First, this prayer arose spontaneously, without being arranged or programmed by church leaders. Indeed, the life of the early church functioned spontaneously; it was neither forced nor regulated by its leaders. The congregation evangelized spontaneously, gave spontaneously, prayed spontaneously, and gathered spontaneously as well. Why was this so? Clearly, it was because the One who directed the movement of the church was the Holy Spirit Himself. Every member of the church was directly guided by the Holy Spirit. That is why we say that the early church was an organism (the Body of Christ), whose authority was held directly by Jesus through His Spirit.

This is different from what generally happens in Christianity today. Why? Because leaders have taken (more precisely, “seized”) the authority of the Holy Spirit over each church member and begun to regulate the church themselves. Church leaders have begun to act as “managers” rather than as servants. A manager has authority over subordinates, and generally a manager’s tasks include planning, organizing, leading/motivating, and implementing control systems over the movement of the church. As a result, Christianity today is driven by programs created by leaders, and the spontaneity of the Holy Spirit is no longer present.

Second, we see that the congregation’s prayer was focused on the proclamation of God’s word. They prayed to be given boldness to proclaim the word of God. They prayed for healings, signs, and wonders so that these might serve as confirmation and strengthening of the proclamation of the word (Acts 14:3). The early church was focused on proclaiming the word of God. When the number of disciples increased and the apostles became preoccupied with ‘serving tables’ (diaconal service to widows), the congregation chose seven men to serve in the distribution to widows and the poor, so that the leaders could focus on prayer and the word of God (Acts 6:1–7).

Third, in the passage above we see that the sign of a person being filled with the Holy Spirit is boldness in proclaiming the word of God. Notice the statement above: “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God boldly.” Therefore, the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit is not outward signs such as performing miracles, speaking in tongues, or even convulsions and other outward manifestations, as commonly occur in Pentecostal and Charismatic services within Christianity. Rather, the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the courage to proclaim the word of God as it truly is.

We know that after Peter preached at Solomon’s Portico, the number of believers increased to about five thousand. At this point we will discuss how the early church, or the people of the kingdom, managed their finances. There are two passages we will consider: Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:34–35. These two passages explain the finances of the people of the kingdom, as follows: “…all things were held in common. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

There are several points we need to observe in these verses. First, all their possessions were held in common. What does this expression mean? Does it mean that members of the early church were not allowed to have personal property? From Peter’s words in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, we see that owning personal property and managing it according to the owner’s will was not wrong. Notice Peter’s words: “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?”

Second, there was no one among them who lacked anything. As a result of the financial management of the people of the kingdom, no one was in need. Clearly, the use of the congregation’s finances was specifically directed toward members who were in need.

Third, the money obtained by the early church came from wealthy people who, moved by the Holy Spirit, sold their houses or lands and handed the money over to the apostles. There is no indication that collections were passed around to extract money from the congregation, let alone teachings on tithes, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, or other doctrines as a means of drawing money from church members. And all the money collected was distributed to each member according to need.

Did the apostles receive a fixed allowance (salary), or anything of that sort, from the congregation? Let us look at some important points in Paul’s teaching regarding church finances. First, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (1 Corinthians 9:9 and 1 Timothy 5:18). These verses do not support a wage system at all, such as that found in Christianity today. The Corinthian church, which Paul himself had founded, criticized Paul regarding the legitimacy of his apostleship. This occurred because there were false teachers/false apostles teaching in the Corinthian congregation. These false teachers certainly expected money from the Corinthian church, since money is often a sure measure of whether someone is a false teacher or not. Therefore, Paul did not want to receive money from the Corinthian church, even though it was indeed his right as a servant of God to be supported occasionally (1 Corinthians 9:12). We must emphasize ‘occasionally’, because Paul never received ‘regular’ financial support from any church, including the churches he had founded. The church in Philippi only helped Paul from time to time.

Furthermore, Paul taught Timothy that elders who lead well and who preach and teach are worthy of double honor, meaning that they deserve financial support from the church. Yet even here we do not see any indication that such support must be given regularly. Rather, true widows were to be supported regularly from church funds (1 Timothy 5:3). Supporting widows on a regular basis was indeed a practice of the early church (Acts 6:1).

Second, giving must be done willingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul never taught tithing, firstfruits (money), or faith pledges, which are commonly practiced by teachers within Christianity.

Third, giving to the poor and assistance to churches in need. For Paul, ministry to the poor and to churches in need of help was of great importance (Galatians 2:10). Paul also brought aid to the church in Jerusalem to be given to members who were lacking. The finances of the early church were indeed prioritized for widows and the poor. This differs from Christianity today, where generally the money collected is used for the needs of the ministers and the needs of the ministry itself, including buildings and other expenses.

In fact, Paul’s teaching on church finances is not difficult to understand. Clearly, church funds were primarily given to members who were in need, while church ministers only occasionally received support from church finances. This is the essence of Paul’s teaching regarding church finances. Such was the financial management of the people of the kingdom, or the early church, as we see in the New Testament books.

We now enter chapter 5 and discuss what Ananias and his wife Sapphira did. We have already discussed that the money collected in the early church came from wealthy people who were moved by the Holy Spirit to sell their houses or lands, and whose proceeds were brought to the apostles to be distributed to each church member according to need. Such financial management ensured that no member of the church lacked anything.

Notice Acts 5:1–2: “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. With his wife’s knowledge he kept back part of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” However, Peter said that Ananias and Sapphira had agreed to lie to the Holy Spirit. This was because Ananias and Sapphira acted ‘as if’ they had handed over the entire proceeds of the sale to the apostles. Peter clearly stated that before it was sold, the land remained theirs, and even after it was sold, the money was still under their control.

The question for us is: why did Ananias and Sapphira do this? If we look at the preceding verses, we see a man named Joseph, whom the apostles called ‘the son of encouragement’, who also sold a field he owned and laid ‘all’ the proceeds at the apostles’ feet. We see here that Joseph was appreciated by the apostles, but this does not mean that the apostles only valued members who gave money. Rather, Joseph’s action was indeed commendable because it supported members of the congregation who were in need.

It appears that Ananias and Sapphira wanted to receive recognition from the apostles and other church members for selling their land and bringing the proceeds to the apostles. But their love of money caused them to hold back part of it. On the one hand, they wanted to be honored by people; on the other hand, they also loved their money. They did not realize that their action was not lying to the apostles or the congregation, but lying to the Holy Spirit. In the end, they were disciplined by the Holy Spirit and died.

From this case we see that the early church, or the people who were learning about the kingdom of heaven, were not to seek human honor or human glory. Paul emphasized that if he were trying to please people, he would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). Seeking human honor is not a trivial matter for the Lord’s disciples who are learning about the kingdom of heaven. Why is this so?

Consider Colossians 1:27: “…Christ in you, the hope of glory” (ILT). Likewise Luke 17:21: “…for behold, the kingdom of God is among (Greek: entos = within) you” (ILT). It should be translated, “for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” For the early church—namely, the Lord’s disciples who were learning about the kingdom of heaven—seeking human honor or human glory was not a trivial matter. The Holy Spirit directly administered discipline in the form of physical death. The Lord’s disciples in the early church possessed an ‘inward’ glory, namely Christ dwelling within the believer; that was their glory. Likewise, the kingdom of heaven that dwells within each believer is the hope of glory.

The people of the kingdom will be glorified together with Christ at His coming (Romans 8). The people of the kingdom must seek and strive for the glory of God alone. When Satan tempted Jesus, he tempted Him by offering worldly glory (Matthew 4:8). Sadly, the early church later fell into what is now Christianity, in which glory has become outward, human, and even worldly. The people of the kingdom can certainly understand this.

We continue our discussion in chapter 5 by paying attention to verse 12: “Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico.” In the early church, God performed many signs and wonders through the apostles to confirm the word of God and the testimony of the apostles, especially their testimony concerning the resurrection of Jesus.

But now we will discuss the characteristics of the people of the kingdom in terms of their fellowship. It is emphasized in the verse above that they were always together in Solomon’s Portico in close fellowship. What is meant by the expression ‘close fellowship’? The expression ‘close fellowship’ (Greek: ‘homothumadon’ = of one mind) has a meaning closely related to the term fellowship (Greek: ‘koinonia’). Both terms express the existence of unity among believers. Where there is ‘homothumadon’ and ‘koinonia’, division cannot exist. Let us compare these two terms with Johannine theology.

Johannine theology is marked by an emphasis on the proclamation of life (Greek: ‘zoe’ = the kind of life of God) and ‘koinonia’, a fellowship that exists as a result of sharing the same kind of life. Thus, the First Epistle of John is filled with an understanding of ‘life’ and ‘koinonia’. Although John also explains that God is Light and Love, all of this is related to the concept of ‘koinonia’.

The reason the Apostle John so strongly emphasized ‘life’ and ‘koinonia’ in all his writings is that he wrote from the perspective of Patmos. John’s exile on the island of Patmos by the churches that had fallen in Asia Minor was actually a ‘breaking of koinonia’. That is why 1 John 1:3 states: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship (koinonia) with us…” Thus, the Apostle John no longer had ‘koinonia’ with the fallen churches in Asia Minor, which had been corrupted by three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. However, he wrote his letter so that some members of those congregations might receive it, and thus have ‘koinonia’ with him.

The Apostle John saw that the fallen churches no longer had true ‘koinonia’ with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. Indeed, the fallen churches had a kind of ‘koinonia’ or fellowship among their members, but not with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. This is what the Apostle John emphasized when he said, “…and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Furthermore, the Apostle John strongly emphasized the matter of joy in his letters. In his first letter, he even stated that his purpose in writing was that our joy might be made complete (1:4). The joy John referred to is the joy that results from having true ‘koinonia’ with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, and true ‘koinonia’ with fellow believers. Such joy is abiding and does not depend on circumstances outside of us. This is the goal of living in ‘koinonia’.

Let us return to the expression in the verse above: “All the believers were together in Solomon’s Portico in close fellowship.” The people of the kingdom not only gathered regularly, but they also had ‘koinonia’, even to the extent that “…no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

In fact, a community within Christianity may gather together without experiencing ‘koinonia’. We must distinguish between ‘gathering’ and having ‘koinonia’. These two things are very different. But the early church always gathered, and they also had ‘koinonia’.

We are still discussing chapter 5, where the Jewish Sanhedrin began to act against the church. Notice verse 17: “Then the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.” As we read the Gospel accounts, we can understand that the Jewish Sanhedrin held authority over the nation of Israel. At this point we will discuss whether Christianity today, or the existing denominations, have become ‘similar’ to the Jewish Sanhedrin in exercising authority over other church members.

In The New Bible Dictionary, Volume II, page 2, it is written: “The history of the Sanhedrin is obscure. Traditionally it began with the seventy assistants of Moses (Num. 11:16–24). Ezra is thought to have reorganized this institution after the exile.” Both Jesus and Paul acknowledged and submitted before the Jewish Religious Court, since Jesus and Paul were part of the nation of Israel.

When Jesus was tried before the Jewish Religious Court and was accused by many false witnesses, Jesus remained silent (Matthew 26:59–64). However, when the High Priest asked Him under oath by Elohim whether He was the Messiah, Jesus answered firmly. This proves that Jesus acknowledged the authority of the High Priest, and therefore Jesus had to respond to his question. Likewise, when Paul was judged before the Jewish Religious Court and was accused of insulting the High Priest, Paul immediately gave an explanation (Acts 23:1–5).

Let us consider Matthew 23:1–12, which says: “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore do and observe whatever they tell you, but do not do according to their deeds… But you are not to be called Rabbi… you are all brothers… Nor are you to be called leaders… For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Pay attention to the verses above. Jesus told the crowds that they must obey and do everything taught by the scribes and the Pharisees, because they sat on the ‘seat of Moses.’ The seat of Moses here is certainly symbolic, referring to an authority, just as Moses had authority over the nation of Israel as the one sent by God to bring Israel out of Egypt. Even though the behavior of the scribes and the Pharisees was not right, because of their authority they still had to be obeyed.

However, when Jesus spoke to His disciples, He firmly stated that ‘you are all brothers.’ No one should be called rabbi, father, or leader. Jesus did not mean that there should be no teachers or leaders in the church, but according to the context, there must be no “seat of Moses” in the church. What Jesus meant was that in the church no one has authority over other members. All church members are equal, egalitarian, and no one may have authority over another.

Yet, because some church leaders draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves, today leaders in the Christian world possess human authority over other members (Acts 20:28–30). Hierarchy and human systems of government have entered the church. As a result, church leaders occupy the “seat of Moses,” just like the Pharisees and the scribes.

The Christian world has become similar to the Jewish Religious Court, which had authority over its members. Church leaders who seize the “seat of Moses” have in fact exalted themselves, and the verses above clearly state that whoever exalts himself will be humbled.

We have already discussed that the Jewish Religious Court is “similar” to denominations in the Christian world, in the sense that denominations have authority over their members, including the right to judge, just as the Jewish Religious Court (the Sanhedrin) did.

However, the leaders of the early church, or the leaders of the kingdom people, had no authority over other members, and certainly no authority to judge. When Peter spoke to Ananias and Sapphira, he only spoke what the Holy Spirit whispered or revealed to him. Peter did not know at all what would happen next to Ananias. It was the Holy Spirit who ‘pronounced the verdict’ on Ananias and Sapphira. The Holy Spirit judged them, because the Holy Spirit revealed their wrongdoing and passed judgment on them. Therefore, Peter had absolutely no authority over other members.

In the Christian world we often hear the phrase, ‘do not judge.’ Generally, this is meant to prevent people from pointing out the faults of denominational leaders. Many Christians do not understand what the phrase ‘do not judge’ really means. Therefore, let us discuss this. ‘Do not judge’ is an instruction from Jesus, and it does not need further debate—but have we truly understood what Jesus meant?

Let us examine this from Scripture. Matthew 7:1 states, “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” But John 7:24 says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” The Greek verb ‘krino’ in both verses actually means ‘to decide, to evaluate, to distinguish, to consider’ something before making a decision. If these two verses are not viewed in context, they appear contradictory. On the one hand, Jesus says ‘do not judge,’ but on the other hand He says it is permissible to judge as long as it is done justly and not according to appearances. So, may we judge or not judge?

Let us look at the context of Matthew 7:1. To whom was Jesus speaking? Matthew 7:1 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, which Jesus delivered to His disciples. Note Matthew 5:1, which says, “When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.” Then Jesus spoke to them (His disciples—verse 2). Jesus was not speaking to the crowds; He was speaking only to His disciples. It was to His disciples that Jesus said, ‘do not judge.’

Now let us consider the context of John 7:24. To whom was Jesus speaking? Jesus was speaking to the Jews, especially the scribes and the Pharisees, who were judging Him unjustly. Thus, the scribes and the Pharisees MAY judge, as long as they do so justly. Our question now is: why were the scribes and Pharisees allowed to judge, as long as it was just, while His disciples were not allowed to judge?

Let us return to the book of Matthew. Matthew 23:1–11 states: “…The scribes and the Pharisees sit on MOSES’ SEAT. Therefore do and observe whatever they tell you (THE CROWDS)… But you (HIS DISCIPLES) are not to be called rabbi, for you have one Teacher, and YOU ARE ALL BROTHERS… Nor are you to be called leaders, for you have one Leader, the Messiah. Whoever is greatest among you shall be your servant.” These verses clearly explain why the scribes and the Pharisees COULD JUDGE the Jewish nation, while Jesus’ disciples COULD NOT JUDGE. This was because the scribes and the Pharisees sat on MOSES’ SEAT—an authority that applied only in the CONTEXT OF THE OLD COVENANT. But in the church (the New Covenant), there is no MOSES’ SEAT. Church leaders certainly exist, but there is no authority to judge, because in the New Covenant context, THERE IS NO MOSES’ SEAT. Jesus emphasized to His church that whoever is greatest must become a servant in the truest sense—having no rights, let alone authority, over His church. Jesus never delegated His authority, because the church is an ORGANISM, where the authority that operates is the LIFE OF THE BODY. And that Life is Jesus: I AM THE LIFE.

Now consider the Christian world. The church, which is an ORGANISM, has fallen and fractured into thousands of ORGANIZATIONS through the behavior of “Jezebels” who seized Jesus’ authority over His church, just as Jezebel seized the authority of Ahab, her husband, in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. The leaders of church organizations, those at the top of church organizational hierarchies, are the ones who possess authority to judge the congregation, just like the scribes and the Pharisees. THE AUTHORITY OF CHURCH ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS IS ILLEGAL AUTHORITY. Jesus never delegated His authority over the church.

Let us now draw a conclusion. This conclusion is somewhat personal. I am often accused of judging people or judging church organizational leaders. Let us be honest and open. I hold no position in any organization within the Christian world. I have no authority over His church, and indeed it should be so. I CANNOT POSSIBLY JUDGE. I only rebuke leaders, admonish, and point out errors, just as Paul advised Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2), but I cannot make any decisions because I HAVE NO AUTHORITY. I am simply obeying Paul’s exhortation.

Do you know who likes to judge in His church? Those who like to judge are leaders who possess ‘illegal authority’ in the church. They are the ones who evaluate, admonish, rebuke, and make decisions over people in their organizations—perhaps even expelling people from the organizations they lead. They do this, perhaps daily, because that is their task: JUDGING THE CHURCH OF JESUS, just as the Jewish Religious Court judged the nation of Israel.

So, stop accusing me of judging… although I truly do not care about people’s judgments of me… it is the denominational leaders who love to judge. I even suspect that they are the ones who POPULARIZED the phrase ‘do not judge,’ so that congregations follow it blindly without understanding its meaning. Leaders like this do not want to be rebuked or criticized for their actions and teachings…

Now we will discuss Gamaliel’s advice regarding the case in which the apostles were judged by the Jewish Religious Court (Acts 5:26–40). Gamaliel was a Pharisee, a member of the Jewish Religious Court, a teacher of the law, and highly respected by all the people of the Jewish nation (verse 34). Gamaliel’s advice was indeed very good.

Let us consider his advice. First, he advised the Religious Court to carefully consider what they were about to do to the apostles (verse 35). Second, he presented facts about Theudas and Judas, who caused disturbances and then died, and whose followers were scattered, leaving no lasting impact (verses 36–37). Third, based on these facts, he concluded that the Religious Court should take no action against the apostles, because, he said, “…if this plan or undertaking is of human origin, it will fail” (verse 38).

We know that this advice was very good, because it was based on common sense and factual data. But we must remember that Saul, who persecuted the church, was a disciple of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Why did a Gamaliel still produce a Saul who persecuted the church? To answer this, we must return to the books of Genesis and Revelation.

We know that the Garden of Eden is a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth in its initial stage, while the city as a symbol of human government (the New Jerusalem descending to earth) represents the Kingdom of Heaven coming to earth in its fullness. The New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9–10). Indeed, the journey from the ‘Garden of Eden’ to the ‘New Jerusalem’ is the journey of humanity to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

However, humanity must eat from the fruit of the ‘Tree of Life’ in order to carry out the Father’s plan in heaven—namely, to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Jesus is symbolized by the Tree of Life, whom humans must eat (John 6:53). But because Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, humanity lives based on its knowledge of good and evil.

Therefore, although Gamaliel gave good advice, because he (and all members of the Religious Court) did not believe in Jesus, his good advice still resulted in persecution and resistance against the church and the Kingdom of Heaven. The two ‘Trees’ in the Garden of Eden are always in conflict. Although the Tree of Knowledge makes people religious, religion can never understand the ways and will of the Father. The Father’s thoughts and will can only be understood by ‘Tree of Life’ people. Conversely, ‘Tree of Knowledge’ people (religious people) do not understand the Father’s will.

It cannot be denied that Christianity has fallen and become the Christian religion. The early church, which originally consisted of believers all led directly by the ‘Life-giving Spirit of Christ’ (the Holy Spirit), has now fractured into the Christian world, where leaders of the Christian religion govern and manage their members with religious regulations, whether Catholic or Protestant.

For the kingdom people, it is clear that Revelation 17:5–6 describes the Catholic Church (the mother) and the Protestant churches (her daughters), who are drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus throughout the ages. Those who study the history of Christianity certainly understand this. The history of Christianity is indeed filled with “Gamaliels” who, although giving good advice, still persecuted the kingdom people.

Now we move into chapter 6 and discuss how the kingdom people managed their finances. Acts 6:1 states, “Now in those days, when the number of disciples was increasing, a complaint arose among the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.” Before we discuss the problems that occurred in the early church as the number of disciples increased, let us consider the apostles’ teachings, especially Paul’s, related to church finances. Let us begin by examining the following facts from Paul’s teachings.

First, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” (1 Corinthians 9:9 and 1 Timothy 5:18). These verses do not support a wage system like the one found in the Christian world at all (the teaching of Balaam). The Corinthian church, which Paul himself founded, criticized Paul regarding the legitimacy of his apostleship. This happened because of false teachers/false apostles teaching in Corinth. These false teachers certainly expected money from the Corinthian congregation, because a sure indicator of whether someone is a false teacher is always related to money. Therefore, Paul did not want to receive money from the Corinthian church, even though it was indeed his right as a servant of God to be supported OCCASIONALLY (1 Corinthians 9:12). We need to emphasize OCCASIONALLY, because Paul never received REGULAR financial support from any church, including the churches he founded. The church in Philippi only helped Paul from time to time.

Next, Paul taught Timothy that elders who lead well and who preach and teach are worthy of double honor, meaning they should receive financial support from the church. Even here, we do not see any indication of regular payment. Instead, true widows were to be supported regularly from the congregation’s funds (1 Timothy 5:3). Supporting widows regularly was indeed a practice of the early church (Acts 6:1).

Second, giving must be done willingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). Paul never taught tithes, firstfruits (money), or faith pledges, which are commonly practiced by teachers in the Christian world.

Third, giving to the poor and assistance to churches in need. For Paul, ministry to the poor and helping churches that required assistance were essential …what was important (Galatians 2:10). Paul also brought aid to the church in Jerusalem to be given to church members who were in need. The finances of the early church were indeed prioritized for widows and the poor. This is different from much of Christianity today, where the money collected is generally used for the needs of the ministers and for ministry needs, including buildings and other things.

In fact, Paul’s teaching on church finances is not difficult to understand. It is clear that church funds were primarily given to members who were in need. Meanwhile, church ministers only occasionally received support from church finances. This is the essence of Paul’s teaching regarding church finances.

Let us return to Acts 6:1 above, where the issue arose that the distribution of church funds to Greek-speaking widows was being neglected. Notice the phrase ‘daily distribution’ in that verse. Clearly, giving money to widows was a routine service that had to be carried out every day. Thus, widows were entitled to receive financial assistance from the church every day according to their needs. In fact, the finances of the early church were distributed to all members according to each one’s need (Acts 2:45).

This ministry to widows was so important that the apostles needed to appoint seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to carry out this task, so that the apostles could focus on prayer and the ministry of the word.

At this point we come to the case of Stephen as the first martyr of the church. Stephen was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit and was one of the seven chosen to serve in the administration of church finances (Acts 6:5). When Stephen debated with the Jewish community and they were unable to withstand his wisdom, they accused Stephen of blaspheming Moses and Yahweh. Therefore, Stephen was brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin to be judged. This was the third time that the witnesses of Jesus were judged by the Jewish Sanhedrin: first Peter and John, then Peter and the apostles, and the third time was Stephen.

After Stephen was put to death by the Sanhedrin, Luke began to record the movement of the church in evangelizing throughout all Judea and Samaria, and through Paul, to the “ends of the earth,” namely Rome, or in other words, evangelizing the Gentiles. Thus Luke records the “achievement of the church” in evangelizing the entire known world at that time, according to Jesus’ command: “… you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Luke records that the early church (the disciples of the kingdom of heaven) had fulfilled Jesus’ command to be His witnesses.

Now we are not discussing Stephen’s sermon before the Jewish Sanhedrin, but we will give meaning to Stephen’s death after the church bore witness for the third time before the Sanhedrin. In the Bible, the principle of ‘three times’ (trilogy) has significant meaning (Proverbs 22:20; Hebrew term: ‘shalosh’ = three times). Proverbs 22:20 says, “Have I not written to you three times…” (ILT). Thus, since Stephen’s third testimony before the Sanhedrin was still rejected, this means that the opportunity was closed for the Jewish Sanhedrin to accept Jesus as their Messiah. In other words, as a nation represented by its leaders (the Sanhedrin), Israel was declared by Elohim to be a nation that rejected their Messiah. Of course, there have been Jews throughout the church age who accepted Jesus as Messiah, but this is not counted as the acceptance of a nation, only as individuals.

After the Sanhedrin put Stephen to death (around AD 34), in AD 70 the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Roman army led by General Titus. Judaism, as a religion, practically came to a halt and has been unable to carry out sacrificial rituals, tithes, and other rituals prescribed in the Law of Moses to this day. The synagogues that exist are merely places where Jews gather to pray and study the Torah. The death of Stephen was a “closure” for Judaism.

Why do we discuss this? Because the death of Stephen as the “closure” of Judaism, at which point the Gentiles entered the church, has meaning in accordance with what is written in Romans 11:25–26: “… a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved…”. How, in the end, will all Israel be saved? Israel will be saved in its entirety when the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the Second Coming).

This is the meaning of Stephen’s death, which will ultimately result in the salvation of all Israel. We will discuss Daniel’s prophecy (70 × 7) in order to better understand the Father’s plan to save and restore all Israel.

Let us continue our discussion of the restoration of Israel according to God’s word in Romans 11:26–27: “And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.’”

There are several things we need to reflect on from the verses above. First, all Israel will be saved. The Greek term translated as ‘all’ is ‘pas’, which means ‘all, the whole, every kind of’. It appears 1,244 times in the New Testament and means ‘all, whole, whatever, whoever, everything’, and it is never translated as ‘some’ in the New Testament. This means that all Israel, in the true sense, will surely be saved.

Second, Israel is saved by the Deliverer who comes from Zion. The Greek expression translated by the Indonesian Bible as ‘Deliverer’ actually means ‘the One who liberates’, and it uses a definite article before it. Thus, the one who liberates Israel is ‘a specific person’ who comes from Zion. We all certainly agree that this specific person who liberates Israel and comes from Zion is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, the problem is that Israel to this day, as a nation, does not accept Jesus as their Messiah. However, the preceding verse (verse 25) gives us the answer: “… Israel has experienced a hardening until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” Thus, all Israel will be saved by Jesus Christ ‘after’ the Gentiles have come in. The expression ‘the Gentiles have come in’, according to the context, means that at this present time only a ‘remnant of Israel’ is saved (Romans 11:5), and likewise only a certain number of Gentiles are saved. When that certain number of Gentiles has come in (been saved) in this age, then all Israel will also be saved.

Fourth, the Messiah will save Israel through a covenant. The covenant referred to is certainly not the Old Covenant, in which the removal of sin was only symbolized by the blood of animals. But the verse above (verse 27) firmly states that God removes the sins of Israel. Thus, the Messiah will save all Israel through the New Covenant (New Testament).

We have emphasized that the death of Stephen was a “closure” for the Jewish nation as a whole. That is, through the death of Stephen as the third witness before the Sanhedrin, the opportunity for the Jewish nation “as a whole” (as a nation) to accept the Messiah was closed. And after a number of Gentiles have come in, then Israel will be saved.

The matter of Stephen’s testimony being the “closure” for the nation of Israel to accept their Messiah can be explained through Daniel’s prophecy of 70 × 7 (Daniel 9:24–27). Daniel 9:24 states: “Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal vision and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy.” There are two interpretations of Daniel’s 70 × 7: first, the futurist interpretation, and second, the historicist interpretation.

The futurist interpretation states that one week (7 years) in Daniel’s 70 × 7 has not yet been fulfilled, meaning there is a time gap (interval) of unknown length until the third Jerusalem Temple is built and the Antichrist appears, who will make a covenant with the nation of Israel. Such an interpretation is very strange, because it causes Daniel’s 70 × 7 years to be interrupted by an unknown interval of time and then resumed again after the third Temple is built and the Antichrist comes.

We believe the historicist interpretation is more reasonable, because it allows Daniel’s 70 × 7 to run continuously without being interrupted by an unknown interval of time. The historicist interpretation states as follows: first, 7 × 7 years occurred from 457 BC to 408 BC, namely from the time King Artaxerxes ordered the Jews to restore Jerusalem until its completion. Second, 62 × 7 years (408 BC to AD 27), from the completion of the restoration of Jerusalem until the baptism of Jesus Christ. Third, 1 × 7 years (AD 27 to AD 34), from the baptism of Jesus Christ until the death of Stephen, during which the crucifixion of Jesus occurred (AD 31). Thus, after the death of Stephen, the Jewish nation will be restored by the Messiah in the context of the New Covenant, as written in Romans 11:26–27 above.

Let us continue our discussion of the restoration of Israel. We know that the restoration of Israel will take place through their Messiah (Christ Jesus), after the number of Gentiles who come in has been fulfilled. Those Gentiles who come in certainly include individual Jews, and together they are called the church. But we know that since the time of the apostle John, the church has fallen into tens of thousands of denominations. Revelation 2–3 explains to us that God is seeking His overcomers to represent the church throughout the ages.

When the Lord Jesus comes (commonly called the Second Coming), He will judge His church and establish His kingdom together with His overcomers on this earth. Revelation 5:10 and Revelation 20:4 affirm that Christ Jesus and His overcomers will reign for 1,000 years on this earth. The ministry of this overcoming church is written in Romans 8:19–21, which essentially concerns restoring creation from its bondage to corruption. This means that the ministry of the overcoming church does not stop with the 1,000-year kingdom, but continues on into the age of the New Heaven and New Earth, and even until the Father becomes all in all.

The question for us now is: when will the kingdom of Israel, or the nation of Israel, be ‘fully’ saved? This is what the disciples asked the Lord Jesus, to which He answered, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority” (Acts 1:7). But to the apostle John it was revealed that Israel will be fully restored when the New Jerusalem descends from heaven, as recorded in Revelation 21:9 to 22:17.

We must understand that the New Jerusalem is a symbol that points to the Bride of the Lamb. Notice Revelation 21:9–10, where an angel says he will show the Bride, the wife of the Lamb, to the apostle John, yet he shows him the city of New Jerusalem. Therefore, the New Jerusalem is the Bride of the Lamb. Who, then, is the Bride of the Lamb?

Consider the basic nature of the Old Covenant, which is like a covenant between husband and wife. Jeremiah 31:32 says: “not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband” (ILT). The relationship between Yahweh and Israel is like that of husband and wife, whereas the relationship between Elohim and the New Testament church is like that of father and child. Thus, specifically, the New Jerusalem (the Bride of the Lamb) depicts the nation of Israel. And since a city is a symbol of a government, the city of New Jerusalem depicts Israel as a whole, both as a nation and as a kingdom.

Therefore, in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth, Israel will be fully restored as a nation and also as a kingdom. Israel will even offer healing to the nations through the “leaves of the tree of life” (Revelation 22:2). Likewise, Israel will offer the “water of life” freely to whoever is thirsty (Revelation 22:17). Thus Israel will be fully saved and restored.

Now we will discuss the content of Stephen’s sermon before the Jewish Sanhedrin. We know that Stephen’s sermon was the third testimony to the Sanhedrin, and after the Sanhedrin rejected it, the opportunity was closed for the Jewish nation as a whole (as a nation) to accept their Messiah. The Father’s program to restore Israel as a nation will take place after the number of Gentiles has come in, as we have discussed previously.

Stephen’s lengthy testimony explains the history of Israel beginning with Abraham’s call by Elohim until the time Solomon built the Temple. This sermon shows how Israel repeatedly rejected those whom God sent. Stephen’s sermon concludes with the assertion that just as the ancestors of Israel rejected those sent by God, so too the Jewish Sanhedrin had rejected Jesus as the Messiah whom God sent. Acts 7:51–53 is the conclusion of Stephen’s sermon, directly rebuking the Sanhedrin: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you…”

Let us now expound Stephen’s sermon by paying attention to the true meaning of Abraham’s calling. Indeed, Abraham was promised descendants and the land of Canaan (the promised land). But what was Elohim’s purpose in all this? In fact, Abraham’s calling was a calling to build a kingdom (the kingdom of Israel) as a symbol of the coming Messianic kingdom.

Note that Abraham had to leave Ur of the Chaldeans, because at that time Ur of the Chaldeans was part of the fragmented kingdoms built by Nimrod (Genesis 10–11). Abraham also had to leave his father’s household, because they worshiped other gods (Joshua 24:2). Thus, Abraham was called to build a kingdom as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. Therefore, Abraham had to leave the fragmented kingdoms of Nimrod and have descendants and land/territory to build a kingdom.

However, the journey to build the kingdom of Israel as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom required a considerable length of time. From Abraham (around 2000 BC) to the kingdom of David (around 1000 BC) took at least 1,000 years. Within this time span, Stephen explained how the ancestors of Israel continually resisted those whom God sent. What Stephen presented was historical fact and could not be refuted by the Sanhedrin. But perhaps what shocked the Sanhedrin was Stephen’s conclusion, which emphasized that just as your ancestors always resisted the Holy Spirit, so do you as well.

We know that after hearing Stephen’s testimony, and even after Stephen declared his vision that the Son of Man was standing at the right hand of Elohim, the Sanhedrin rushed upon Stephen together, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him to death. Stephen was the first martyr of the church. And after the death of Stephen, the church in Jerusalem experienced severe persecution; yet it was precisely because of this persecution that the gospel spread throughout Judea and Samaria.

Let us continue Stephen’s sermon by looking at the role and ministry of Moses in building the kingdom of Israel as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. Deuteronomy 33:4–5 affirms, “Moses commanded the law to us… He was king in Jeshurun….” Jeshurun is another name for the descendants of Jacob, and Moses became king among the descendants of Jacob.

We know that Moses’ ministry was to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt toward the Promised Land, but they had to pass through the wilderness. In fact, Egypt, the wilderness, and the seven nations in the Promised Land that Israel had to conquer are respectively symbols of the world, the flesh, and the devil with his evil spirits. Moses led the people of Israel toward the Promised Land so that Israel, as a kingdom in the Promised Land, could become a symbol of the Messianic kingdom. In this sense, Israel was a kingdom people undergoing a process of building a kingdom.

Let us observe the condition of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

First, Israel in Egypt. Stephen emphasized in his sermon that a king of Egypt who did not know Joseph arose and oppressed the people of Israel. It was at that time that Moses was born and adopted as a son by Pharaoh’s daughter. Because Moses was educated in all the wisdom of Egypt, he was powerful in word and deed. When Moses tried to resolve a conflict among the Israelites, they rejected him as ruler and judge. Moses needed to be shaped for forty years in the wilderness before he could deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt. With the “rod” of Elohim, Moses delivered Israel by performing miracles in Egypt.

Second, Israel in the wilderness. In his sermon, Stephen emphasized that Israel refused to obey Moses’ leadership and wanted to return to the land of Egypt (7:39). Israel even made a golden calf and offered sacrifices to the idol. Therefore, God allowed Israel to worship idols throughout the forty-year journey in the wilderness, as written in verses 42–43: “…Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? No; you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan, the images you made to worship….” How tragic it is that during the forty years in the wilderness, the kingdom people worshiped idols, even though the tabernacle of Moses was among them.

Third, Israel in the Promised Land. We know that because of Moses’ carelessness in his words at Meribah, since Israel embittered his spirit, Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land (Psalm 106:32–33). Joshua then led Israel to take possession of the Promised Land from the seven nations. In fact, even in the Promised Land, Israel experienced many failures in taking possession of it. Specifically, when Joshua and all his generation died, another generation arose that did not know the works of Yahweh, so Israel mingled with the surrounding nations and worshiped idols. This was the period of Israel’s decline in the Promised Land, as recorded in the book of Judges.

Thus was the role and ministry of Moses, as king in Jeshurun, in leading the people of Israel toward the Promised Land. Even though Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land, he remained a great leader in Israel.

We have seen that Israel, as a kingdom people under the leadership of Moses and also Joshua, undergoing the process of building a kingdom through the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, constitutes an important part of Stephen’s rather long sermon (Acts 7:15–45). Now we will move into the application of Israel’s journey from Egypt, the wilderness, and the Promised Land.

We know that the Old Testament is a symbol, a shadow, and a prophecy, while the reality, substance, and essence is Christ within the hearts of believers (Colossians 2:17). Let us begin by discussing Israel while they were in Egypt. In the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of the world. When Israel was in Egypt, they were enslaved by Pharaoh. Moses was sent by God to deliver Israel from slavery in Egypt so that they might worship God (Exodus 4:22–23). Likewise, the church, as a kingdom people, must also be delivered from the bondage of this world in order to worship God.

In the Bible, the world has two meanings: the world in a general sense, and the world in the sense of a religious world. When the devil tempted Jesus, he showed Him the glory of the world in a general sense—that is, the splendor of the kingdoms of this world (Matthew 4:8). Christians are also tempted by the devil through love for the splendor of this world. We will not discuss this now.

What we will focus on specifically is the world in the sense of the ‘religious world’. To understand the world in this sense, we must look at the writings of the apostle John. The Greek term ‘kosmos’ (translated world) appears 186 times in the New Testament, of which 78 times are in the Gospel of John and 24 times in his epistles. Thus, more than half of its occurrences are found in John’s writings. The frequent use of this term in John’s writings certainly has special significance in Johannine theology.

We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used in a sentence. When the term world appears in John 3:16—“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”—we understand that ‘world’ here means all humanity on the face of the earth. But when the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15—“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”—then the meaning of ‘world’ here is certainly not all humanity. The world here is a ‘system’ whose values are contrary to God’s values.

In the dictionary, a system is a group of things that work together according to certain rules or values. Economics, politics, social structures, and even religion have become systems. Before we elaborate further on this system, let us look at several passages from John’s writings that will clarify this system for us.

Let us look at John 15:18–25. In the Indonesian Bible (LAI), this passage is titled ‘The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples’. If we read the entire passage, we can identify who is meant by the world here. Verse 25 says, “But this happened to fulfill the word that is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” It is clear that ‘the world’ here refers to the Jewish religious system or Judaism—that is, the Jewish religion with their Law. They were the ones who killed Jesus and hated and persecuted His followers. Why did Judaism kill Jesus and hate His followers? Because Judaism did not know the Father in heaven who sent Jesus.

Next, let us look at the entirety of John chapter 17, where the term ‘world’ appears 18 times. Chapter 17 is Jesus’ prayer on the final night, and Jesus says, “…I do not pray for the world” (verse 9). “…the world has hated them” (verse 14). “O righteous Father, the world has not known You…” (verse 25). In this chapter, Jesus firmly states that the world (Judaism—the Jewish religion) does not know the Father who sent Him, and here Jesus does not pray for the world (Judaism). Jesus prays only for His disciples and for those who will believe through their word.

If we consider John 12:31—“Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out”—and also Revelation 12:9—“So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…”—then we can understand that the devil is the ruler of the world in the sense of the religious system, and the devil is also the one who deceives the religious world.

Has Christianity today become a religious system, or a world? Have false teachings become so widely accepted in Christianity today? Has the church fallen? These questions must be answered honestly by us, especially by God’s chosen people.

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, three false teachings that have infiltrated the church are clearly described. The teachings of the Nicolaitans and Jezebel, where hierarchy entered the church and leaders usurped the authority of the Lord Jesus as the Head of the church. This caused the church to be divided into laity and priests (Catholicism), or congregations and pastors (Protestantism). Then there is the teaching of Balaam, where the wage system in serving God and commercialism were justified. Is not the Christian world full of commercialism, just as in the time of Jesus when the Temple was filled with trade? Thus, the church, as a kingdom people, must also be delivered from the bondage of the world (the Christian system) in order to worship God in spirit and truth, as taught by Jesus (John 4).

We have seen how Israel in Egypt, through extraordinary miracles, was eventually led by Moses to walk through the wilderness toward the Promised Land. But we know that the generation of Israel that came out of Egypt failed to reach the Promised Land, except for Joshua and Caleb. We will discuss several factors that caused them to fail to reach what God had originally planned for them.

First, the incident of the golden calf (Exodus 32). This event may seem like a temporary act of idolatry. However, Stephen in his sermon explains that this idolatry lasted for forty years in the wilderness. Consider Acts 7:42–43: “…Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? No, you took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images which you made to worship….” Here we see that after the golden calf worship, Elohim turned away from Israel and allowed them to worship idols for forty years (7:42). Thus, even though the tabernacle of Moses was among them in the wilderness, they worshiped idols for forty years (7:44). This is one of the reasons why the first generation that came out of Egypt could not reach the Promised Land.

Second, the case of Israel grumbling and demanding meat (Numbers 11). Notice verse 5: “We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic.” Here we see that Israel still remembered the pleasures of Egypt, even though they had already left Egypt. This caused them to desire to return to Egypt, as in the case of the twelve spies (Numbers 14:4). It seems that Israel had come out of Egypt, but “Egypt” had not yet come out of Israel.

Third, grumbling and rebellion against the leadership of Moses (Numbers 16). God’s judgment upon their rebellion was terrifying, for the earth opened its mouth and they went down alive into the realm of the dead.

Fourth, the case of the twelve spies (Numbers 13–14). We know that of the twelve spies, only Joshua and Caleb continued to believe God that He was surely able to bring Israel into the Promised Land, even though there were formidable enemies before them.

Let us apply Israel’s failures in the wilderness to the context of the church. We know that Israel’s inheritance was the Promised Land (Canaan), but the church’s inheritance is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was only a “down payment,” a “guarantee,” or a “deposit” (Ephesians 1:14). The full outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be given to us at the coming of the Lord Jesus.

However, we know that the church has failed and fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations. Therefore, God calls His overcomers throughout the church age to represent this fallen church. And indeed, only His overcomers will receive the inheritance, namely the full gift of the Holy Spirit at the coming of the Lord. This event is written in Romans 8:19–21, where His overcomers are glorified together with Christ to restore all things.

Thus, just as the first generation of Israel failed in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb, so also the church has failed and fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations, and only His overcomers will receive the church’s inheritance and reign with Christ for a thousand years on the earth (Revelation 5:10; 20:4).

Let us continue our discussion of Israel in the Promised Land. We know that the second generation of Israel entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. The seven nations in Canaan have now perished, but we know that Israel never fully possessed the Promised Land that God had promised. Israel even experienced a division of the kingdom after the reign of King Solomon and also experienced exile to Assyria (the northern kingdom) and to Babylon (the kingdom of Judah).

Let us look from Israel’s history at what was required for Israel to possess their inheritance, namely the Promised Land. First, Israel had to fight the seven nations in Canaan and not intermarry or ‘coexist’ (make covenants) with these seven nations. But after the time of Joshua and his generation passed away, another generation arose that did not know the wars of Canaan and that ‘coexisted’ with the remaining nations left by Joshua (Judges 2–3). The people of Israel ‘compromised’ with the remaining nations, and this caused Israel to participate in their idolatry.

Second, Deuteronomy 7:22 states, “And YAHWEH your Elohim will drive out those nations before you little by little. You will not be able to destroy them all at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you” (ILT). This means that according to the growth of the people of Israel (multiplying), God would gradually drive out those nations.

Third, Israel was to be a nation led directly by Yahweh (a theocracy). Of course, Yahweh used elders and prophets as His spokesmen to lead Israel. But in the days of Samuel, Israel rejected Yahweh and asked for a king to lead them, like the surrounding nations. Although there were good kings in Israel, Israel’s history continued to decline during the time of the kings, until Israel eventually went into exile and did not obtain the promised inheritance.

There are certainly other things Israel had to do in order to obtain their inheritance, but the three points mentioned above are sufficient for this brief writing. Let us apply these matters to the case of the church in attaining its inheritance, namely the gift of the Holy Spirit in His fullness.

First, the seven nations in the Promised Land are symbols of the Devil and his evil spirits that must be fought by the church so that the church may obtain its inheritance. James 4:7 affirms, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (NIV). Of course, the Devil uses the world and human flesh to attack us. Here we are challenged not to compromise with the values of this world and must learn to deny our own flesh. By submitting ourselves to the values of Elohim and refusing to compromise, we are resisting the Devil.

However, there is one thing we must be alert to, namely the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). Therefore, we must continue to learn humbly before the Lord and always be ready to

receive new revelation from Him. We should not be overly confident in all our views, but keep learning, so that we may be spared from many of the devil’s deceptions.

Second, the application of Deuteronomy 7:22 above is that we must live day by day being led by Christ inwardly (living the ‘zoe’ life). In this way we grow in the ‘zoe’ life, where this ‘zoe’ life begins to fully govern our minds, emotions, and wills, so that the devil is increasingly “pressed back” and retreats from our soul-life.

Third, every member of the church must be led directly by the Holy Spirit, just as in the early church. Jesus affirmed that “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). The system of church governance must be ‘Theocracy,’ just as Israel was meant to be. If the church is in such a condition, then the devil and his evil spirits are driven back step by step, and the church can receive its inheritance, namely the fullness of Christ.

Thus, the church will receive its inheritance if the three things above are carried out diligently. At His coming, the church will be glorified together with Christ and will receive its inheritance together with Christ (Romans 8:19–21).

We are still discussing Stephen’s sermon, in which he concluded with the story of David who desired to build the Temple, although in the end it was Solomon who built it. Why did Stephen end his sermon with the story of David’s desire to build the Temple as a dwelling place for Elohim? At least two points can be presented here.

First, the kingdom of David is a symbol or shadow of the Messianic kingdom. David received grace and a promise concerning his descendants, that his throne would never end (1 Chronicles 17). The Jewish people were always waiting for the coming of a leader (the Messiah) from the lineage of David, who would establish the kingdom of Israel forever. In the case where the second Temple had been destroyed by the Roman army, they also hoped that the Messiah would rebuild the Temple.

But we know that they rejected Jesus as their King and Messiah. This was because they expected the Messiah to build a ‘physical’ kingdom like the kingdom of David, for that was their understanding of the Messiah as the Son of David. They hoped that the Messiah would free them from ‘physical’ enemies, namely the surrounding nations that fought against Israel. They did not expect a Messiah who would free them from the bondage of sin.

At one time Jesus asked the Pharisees whose son the Messiah was (Matthew 22:41–46). Of course, the Pharisees immediately answered, ‘The Son of David’. But when Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah his ‘Lord’, and asked how it was possible that David called the Messiah his Lord while the Messiah was also his son, the Pharisees were unable to answer Him.

For us, however, this issue is very simple. The kingdom of David was only a symbol or shadow, while the Messianic kingdom is the reality. Jesus once said to Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world. The Messianic kingdom exists in a higher dimension, namely the heavenly dimension (the kingdom of heaven). That is why David called the Messiah his ‘Lord’, because the kingdom of David is “lower” than the Messianic kingdom. The kingdom of David exists in the earthly dimension, while the Messianic kingdom exists in a higher dimension, the heavenly dimension.

Second, Stephen emphasized that although David’s intention to build the Temple was good, the Most High does not dwell in ‘physical places’ called the Jerusalem Temple (Acts 7:48–50). The Jerusalem Temple was only a symbol, and when the reality came, it was no longer needed. Indirectly, Stephen was rebuking the ‘physical thinking’ or ‘physical concepts’ of the Pharisees. If they had been able to let go of their ‘physical concepts’ about the Messiah, they would have been more open to receiving Jesus as their Messiah.

After Stephen explained the case of David, he then strongly rebuked the Sanhedrin. Both the kingdom of David and the Temple he longed to build were merely physical symbols. The reality of all these things is ‘spiritual,’ namely the Messianic kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) and the “Temple” built by the Messiah, which is the church (the saints). Sadly, the Pharisees were unable to shed their physical concepts.

These are the two points we need to reflect on as to why Stephen ended his sermon with the case of David and then rebuked the Sanhedrin.

We now enter chapter 8, where the gospel of the kingdom begins to spread to the regions of Judea and Samaria after the severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem. Those who were scattered went throughout the land preaching the gospel. This chapter specifically records the evangelism carried out by Philip, one of the seven chosen to serve tables (Acts 6:5).

There are several things we need to pay attention to in Philip’s evangelism in chapter 8. First, Philip preached the gospel of the kingdom of Elohim or the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, and the name of Jesus Christ (verse 12). Philip preached the gospel of the kingdom just as the Lord Jesus preached it. The good news of the kingdom of heaven as written in the New Testament focuses on the coming of the Lord Jesus to establish the kingdom of heaven ‘fully’ on earth. This is the good news—that the kingdom of darkness has been destroyed by the Lord Jesus and is gradually being driven back from this earth.

Second, signs and miracles accompanied Philip’s preaching (verses 6–7). We must remember that the function of signs is only to confirm the word that is preached. This does not mean that without signs or miracles people cannot believe the gospel. Consider the ministry of John the Baptist, who did not perform a single sign, yet many people believed in Jesus because John the Baptist spoke the truth about Jesus (John 10:41–42). Therefore, above all, the word of God must be preached correctly.

Third, the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon the Samaritans (verse 16). This does not mean that when the Samaritans believed in Jesus Christ they did not receive the Holy Spirit who gives Life (‘zoe’) to those who believe. Rather, the Samaritans who believed in Jesus had not yet been ‘connected’ to the church in Jerusalem (the Body of Christ). Peter and John, as representatives

of the Jerusalem church (the Body of Christ), were needed to lay hands on them, and then the Holy Spirit came upon them. This was because Philip was not a ‘representative’ of the Jerusalem church, as the apostles were as leaders of the Jerusalem church.

Fourth, the case of Simon the sorcerer who later believed in Jesus (verse 13). Simon tried to offer money in order to receive the power to impart the Holy Spirit, as Peter and John did. Peter’s response was very firm in rebuking Simon, so that Simon asked to be prayed for that the severe rebuke would not come upon him. Here we see Peter’s attitude of being impossible to ‘bribe’ with money concerning the gift of Elohim. For the apostles, selling the gift of Elohim was a great evil.

We see how Jesus responded when there was trading in the Temple. Jesus drove out all who bought and sold in the Temple courts, overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and said, “You are making it a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:12–13).

In the early church we do not see any ‘buying and selling’. Church funds that were collected were primarily given to the poor and to widows. Christianity that has been filled with ‘buying and selling’ can no longer be called the church, because its basic nature has changed into a “den of robbers.”

We continue with Philip’s evangelism in chapter 8, this time to the Ethiopian eunuch (verses 26–40). There are several things we will discuss in this evangelism.

First, the leadership of the Holy Spirit in Philip’s evangelism is clearly evident. We read in the passage above, “…an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip… Then the Spirit said to Philip… The Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away…”. In the book of Acts, there are about 70 expressions that emphasize that the Holy Spirit fully directed the movement of the church. This is very different from the general movement of Christianity today. In the Christian world, there are many church “managers” who regulate the movement of the church. These “managers” make plans, organize, motivate and lead, and establish control systems over church members. All of this happens because “savage wolves” have attacked some church leaders, so they exalt themselves by drawing the Lord’s disciples after themselves and controlling the Lord’s disciples who have become their followers (Acts 20:28–30). We will discuss this later.

Second, Philip’s evangelism was focused on Jesus. Note verse 35: “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” The passage read by the eunuch was a prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Messiah, that the Messiah would be like ‘a lamb’ led to the slaughter and would not open His mouth, meaning He would not resist those who slaughtered Him.

A gospel that is focused ON JESUS must be emphasized, because today many preachers are focused on HUMAN NEEDS. Indeed, Jesus is very good and will meet our needs. But if our preaching is focused on human needs, especially physical needs, then Christians will seek Jesus in order to obtain physical needs. Jesus rebuked the crowd who sought Him because they had eaten physical bread and were filled (John 6). Jesus emphasized that the physical bread He gave was only a ‘sign.’ Jesus wanted the crowd to understand the ‘sign’ He performed and to come to Him to receive the bread of life, which is Himself. Evangelism must be focused on Jesus, so that people come to Jesus to receive the bread of life.

Let us take just one example of how a preacher who is focused on human needs will certainly misinterpret the Bible. A very popular and often-preached verse is found in John 10:10: “…I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” This verse is understood to mean that Jesus intends to give an abundant life in terms of health, prosperity, wealth, and so on, related to human physical needs.

If the preacher were focused on Jesus, he would not misinterpret it as above. He would understand that Jesus intends to give His Life (Greek: ‘zoe’) so that humans may know the Father and know Jesus whom He sent, for that is the purpose of ‘zoe’ life (John 17:3, eternal life = ‘zoe’ life). And if that ‘zoe’ life grows into abundance, then humans will know the Father and know Jesus truly and fully. There are still many other verses that are “twisted” by preachers who focus on human needs. And what is most tragic is that in the end they will also “twist” verses to meet their need for money. No wonder teachings such as tithes (money), firstfruits (money), faith pledges (money), and so on arise in the Christian world. This is the logical consequence for preachers who prioritize human physical needs. Such preaching does not glorify the name of the Lord Jesus.

Third, spontaneity regarding baptism. When the eunuch saw water, he spontaneously asked to be baptized. Philip immediately baptized him after ensuring that he believed in Jesus. There were no ‘religious regulations’ regarding baptism. Indeed, one of the characteristics of the early church was a spontaneous life led by the Holy Spirit. These are the three things we need to observe regarding Philip’s Spirit-led evangelism.

We now turn to the conversion of Saul, who previously persecuted the church (Acts 9:1–19). Verse 1 states, “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest.” We need to realize that Saul was not a criminal or a murderer in the general sense. Saul, a Pharisee, according to his own confession, was “…as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Philippians 3:6). So Saul was a very devoutly religious person. The question now is: why can a devoutly religious person be so cruel in persecuting the church? To understand this, we need to look back and examine the origin of religion and what religion actually is.

Let us look at Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve fell into sin by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, they realized/knew that they were naked, and therefore they felt ashamed. They felt or considered nakedness to be something “evil” and shameful. This is the result of eating the fruit of that Tree of Knowledge. Adam and Eve possessed KNOWLEDGE that they previously did not have.

In fact, ‘nakedness’ is not “evil” and does not have to produce shame, because God Himself placed Adam and Eve naked in the Garden of Eden. But Adam and Eve were placed by God in the Garden of Eden in a condition of NOT KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL (Genesis 3:22). The problem or sickness of Adam and Eve was that they possessed the knowledge of good and evil. As long as they did not have the knowledge of good and evil, their nakedness was not a problem and did not produce shame. The glory of Elohim “covered” them so that they did not feel ashamed. Sin caused them to lose the glory of Elohim and to feel ashamed of their nakedness. For sin causes humanity to fall short of the glory of Elohim (Romans 3:23).

Because of their shame, Adam and Eve made an effort of their own, namely sewing fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. This effort by Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness is the first RELIGIOUS EFFORT made by humanity. Subsequently, all the descendants of Adam and Eve would make religious efforts according to their knowledge of good and evil. THEREFORE, THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF RELIGION IS HUMAN EFFORT TO COVER ONE’S NAKEDNESS BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE GLORY OF ELOHIM DUE TO SIN. Every nation, tribe, or race without exception has this tendency. The tendency to be religious exists because human beings ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Atheism is also a religion—that is, a religion that does not acknowledge God.

Thus, religion is a human effort based on one’s knowledge of good and evil. In fact, the more religious a person is, the more arrogant he tends to become, because he relies on his own knowledge and effort. He will feel that he is the most correct, and will regard those who hold different views as people who are astray. And indeed, according to the Law of Moses, deception must be eradicated completely.

What religious people often fail to realize is that ‘faith’ is very different from ‘religion’. That is why Saul (who became Paul) acknowledged that when he persecuted the church, “…I did it all ignorantly, in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13). Even though Saul was very religious, he was outside of faith, and therefore he persecuted the church.

We will continue the story of Saul, but at this point we will discuss the authority Saul had to persecute the church (Acts 9:1–19). Notice verse 14: “And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” The phrase ‘authority’ is translated from the Greek term ‘exousia’, which means ‘authority’. It was this authority that gave Saul the right to judge, in the sense of declaring someone heretical and passing sentence upon them.

The Jewish religious court indeed had authority to judge the nation of Israel, not only in religious matters, but also to a certain extent in political and social matters. We know that Judaism originated from the covenant between Yahweh and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, with Moses as the mediator. And Jesus acknowledged the existence of ‘authority’ to judge within the Mosaic Covenant.

Let us look at Matthew 23:1–12: “Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore do whatever they tell you and observe it… But you are not to be called Rabbi… you are all brothers… and call no man your father… neither be called leaders, for you have one Leader, the Messiah…’”

When Jesus spoke to ‘the crowds’, He commanded them to obey and practice the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees, because they possessed “Moses’ seat.” “Moses’ seat” here speaks of ‘authority’. However, authority in the Old Testament was only symbolic. In the New Testament (the church or the people of the Kingdom), there is no “Moses’ seat,” nor any authority of one member over another. That is why, among the people of the Kingdom (the church), there must be no judging of one another. To judge means to declare guilt and to pass sentence. In the church, one may point out wrongdoing, rebuke, and exhort (2 Timothy 4:2), but one must not pass sentence, because in the church there is no authority of “Moses’ seat.” Peter did not judge Ananias and Sapphira. Peter merely pointed out their wrongdoing, and then the Holy Spirit passed judgment on Ananias and Sapphira.

Let us try to apply this truth to the Christian world, since it is common in Christianity to hear the phrase “do not judge,” especially directed toward denominational leaders. Judging and pointing out wrongdoing/rebuking are two very different things. Pointing out wrongdoing and rebuking are actually commanded within the context of the church.

A servant of God who does not have “Moses’ seat” or authority cannot judge. He can only point out wrongdoing and rebuke. But servants of God who possess “Moses’ seat” or authority are the ones who can judge, in the sense of declaring someone’s wrongdoing and passing sentence upon them.

We know that the church has split into tens of thousands of denominations because of fierce wolves who caused certain leaders to exalt themselves and draw disciples after themselves. Therefore, such leaders possess “Moses’ seat” or authority over the disciples they have drawn to themselves or their followers (Acts 20:28–30). These leaders—whether pastors or whatever they are called—have the right to declare the wrongdoing of their members and to pass judgment, even to the point of dismissing their representatives if necessary. They are the ones who have the power to judge. Perhaps the phrase “do not judge” in Christianity has been popularized by such people, so that their own wrongdoing would not be exposed. However, the people of the Kingdom cannot judge, and they entrust judgment over His church to the Lord Jesus at His coming.

We continue the story of Saul, namely his conversion that caused him to be temporarily blind. Acts 9:8 states, “Saul got up from the ground, and when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing….” Saul’s blindness was physical, but the Bible repeatedly uses physical blindness as a picture of spiritual blindness.

A passage that clearly describes spiritual blindness is found in John 12:40: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.” The context of this verse speaks of the leaders of Judaism (the Sanhedrin) who crucified Jesus even though Jesus had performed so many miracles ‘before their very eyes’ (12:37). The Pharisees and scribes had physical eyes and could clearly see the miracles Jesus performed, but they could not believe because Elohim had blinded their spiritual eyes.

Likewise Saul, although he was a Pharisee and blameless in keeping the Law, was spiritually blind—just like his teacher Gamaliel, who was highly respected by the people. The Father’s act of blinding Saul’s eyes after Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” has a deep meaning that we will discuss later.

Let us look at the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:17–18: “For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked… and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” The church in Laodicea consisted of believers who had been born again (saints) and had the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, for that is the New Testament definition of the church. The church is not unbelievers. Yet they had spiritual blindness, so that they said, “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.” Why is this so?

Let us take the example of Balaam, who could not see the Angel of the LORD with a drawn sword in His hand, ready to kill him, while his donkey had already seen and turned aside from the road (Numbers 22). Why could Balaam no longer see? Certainly because of money, wages, or bribery, which blinded him (Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 16:19).

Certainly one of the causes of the Laodicean church’s blindness was money, wages, or bribery. In the New Testament, Balaam is referred to as “the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,” “the error of Balaam for pay,” and “the teaching of Balaam” (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11; Revelation 2:14). Thus, in the New Testament, Balaam represents those who minister yet love wages, and even formulate teachings that support a love of wages in ministry.

The seven churches in Revelation 2–3 portray churches that have deviated because of three false teachings: the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Let us apply these three false teachings to Christianity today, especially the teaching of Balaam. In general, Christianity has accepted the teaching of Balaam. Why? Christianity consists of “ministers” and congregations—priests and laity in Catholicism, pastors and congregations in Protestantism. Church ministers feel entitled to receive wages for ministry, and therefore they draw money from the congregation, whether through offerings, tithing teachings, firstfruits, faith pledges, or other means. Serving God in Christianity has become a profession, so those who minister are entitled to regular salaries and other offerings.

Let us look at the examples of Peter, Paul, John, and the other apostles. Did they draw church money for their personal needs and ministry? Did they teach doctrines to extract church funds through tithes, firstfruits, or faith pledges? The problem is that in Christianity, drawing church money has ‘become doctrine and is no longer questioned’. If it were merely a practice, only a few people would do it; but once it becomes doctrine, it is practiced by many and justified.

Do denominational leaders in Christianity not know the Bible? Not at all. Almost all of them hold theological degrees and are respected by many, especially their followers. The question is whether they ‘see or not’. By His grace, the people of the Kingdom can see what the teaching of Balaam truly is.

We are still discussing Saul, specifically Jesus’ words to him: “…Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul answered, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:4–5). From these verses we clearly see that Jesus does not distinguish Himself from the church. In fact, Saul was not persecuting Jesus; he was merely acting on his belief that the church was a heretical “sect” within Judaism and had to be eradicated. It turns out that Jesus and the church are one. Whoever persecutes the church persecutes Jesus.

To understand why Jesus identifies Himself with the church, we must discuss one important point in Paul’s theology, namely the ‘Body of Christ’. The term Body of Christ is used only by Paul; Peter and John do not use it. To explain the Body of Christ, we must understand the New Testament trilogy—that the communities produced by Peter’s ministry differ from those produced by Paul’s or John’s ministry. Many Bible teachers do not distinguish between the communities resulting from Peter’s ministry, Paul’s ministry, and John’s ministry.

Peter and his team primarily ministered to Jews, while Paul and his team ministered to the Gentiles, as well as Jews who believed through his ministry. Paul emphasized that ‘in Christ’ there is neither Jew nor Gentile. Meanwhile, the apostle John ministered to the seven churches in Asia Minor that had deviated because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, the Nicolaitans, and Balaam, and he called out the overcomers (Revelation 2–3).

Consider 1 Corinthians 11:16: “But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, ‘we’ have no such practice, nor do the ‘churches of Elohim’” (ILT). Also 1 Corinthians 15:9: “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the ‘church of Elohim’” (ILT). In 1 Corinthians 11:16, Paul clearly distinguishes his community (we) from Peter’s community, which he calls the ‘churches of Elohim’. He then states that he persecuted Peter’s community, the church of Elohim.

What about John’s community? Consider 1 John 1:3: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with ‘us’; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” From John’s statement it is clear that he and his team ‘no longer had fellowship (koinonia)’ with the seven churches in Asia Minor.

The Greek term ‘koinonia’ does not merely mean gathering for worship. It does not merely mean unity of mind; it goes deeper—it means being one spirit with the Holy Spirit. The early church (Peter’s community) ‘devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship (koinonia)’ (Acts 2:42). Their level of ‘koinonia’ was such that “all who believed were together and had all things in common” (Acts 2:44).

Thus, John’s community represents the community of overcomers throughout the church age. The overcomers are not famous or powerful figures in Christianity, but simple people who do not participate in the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

The differences between the communities of Peter, Paul, and John do not mean that there are three different churches in the New Testament. Rather, we must understand these differences to more clearly grasp the truth about the ‘Body of Christ’.

Let us continue our discussion of the Body of Christ. We have emphasized that there are three communities in the New Testament writings: the communities of Peter, Paul, and John. To further understand these three New Testament ministries—Peter, Paul, and John—we must understand the principle of the ‘Trilogy’, which is discussed elsewhere in this ‘Kingdom Theology’ series. For now, we will focus on the meaning of the ‘Body of Christ’ as Paul intended.

What is a ‘Body’ or an ‘Organism’? To understand an organism correctly, we must understand the difference between an organism and an organization. According to the Indonesian dictionary, an organism is a systematic arrangement of various parts of a living body for a particular purpose. As a noun in biology, an organism is a living being. Thus, an organism refers to the interconnectedness of living body parts—such as feet, hands, and other parts—so that a specific purpose of the living being is achieved.

An organization, on the other hand, is defined as a unity or arrangement consisting of parts (people) in an association for a particular purpose. Another definition is a cooperative group of people formed to achieve a common goal. Thus, it is clear that an organization is the relationship between people within a structure, whereas an organism is the relationship between body parts within a living being.

Next, we must understand what kind of authority operates in an organism and what kind of authority operates in an organization. This is crucial, because neither an organism nor an organization can function without some form of governing authority.

Authority in an organizational context is human authority, which within a structure is called a ‘chain of command’. In an organizational structure, the chain of command connects one person to another. This chain determines who leads whom and who is responsible to whom. The person at the top of the organizational structure possesses the highest human authority.

Meanwhile, authority in the context of an organism is called the authority of life, or the life-authority of that being. It is the life of the being that governs the relationship between the feet and the hands. If there is no longer life within that being, then there is no longer any authority regulating the relationship between the hands and the feet; in fact, there is no movement of the hands and feet at all—namely, death.

Next, we must understand what Paul meant by the term ‘Christ’. Let us look at the Epistle to the Colossians, which explains the meaning of this term. Colossians 3:4 states, “… Christ, our life …” (ILT). Colossians 1:27 says, “… Christ in you ….” Paul emphasizes that Christ is our life (‘zoē’), and that Christ dwells within us. This means that Christ is the kind of life belonging to Elohim (zoē) that exists within our inner being. That is why Jesus emphasized, “I came that they may have life (zoē),” and Paul also said, “For to me, to live is Christ” (John 10:10; Galatians 2:20).

Now it is time for us to combine the two terms used by Paul, namely BODY and CHRIST. We must always remember that Paul emphasized that the church IS the Body of Christ. Paul did not say that the church is LIKE the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is an ORGANISM, in which there is a HEAD (Jesus) and MEMBERS OF THE BODY. The Head and the Body are not separated, BECAUSE THEY ARE UNITED BY THE AUTHORITY OF LIFE. Every member of the Body must move by the authority of Life. There must be no other authority within the church. Every member of the church moves by the authority of Life. The early church was an organism; that is why every member of the church was DIRECTLY COMMANDED BY THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT (THE HOLY SPIRIT).

Such is the meaning of the BODY OF CHRIST. That is why, when Saul persecuted the church, he was also persecuting Jesus, because Jesus and the church are ONE ORGANISM IN THE TRUE SENSE. Today, the church has been divided into tens of thousands of denominations. The church and denominations are very different. Why? BECAUSE THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH IS THE AUTHORITY OF LIFE, WHEREAS THE AUTHORITY OF DENOMINATIONS IS THE AUTHORITY OF LEADERS (HUMANS).

Let us continue our discussion of the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1–18). Verses 4–5 state, “… Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? Saul answered, Who are You, Lord? ….” Here we see that Saul immediately addressed the voice he heard—Jesus—as LORD. This designation of LORD is very important for Saul’s subsequent spiritual journey.

Let us see what the term ‘Lord’ means in the original text. The Greek term ‘kurios’ actually means ‘the supreme authority’, or ‘the sole ruler’. This means that if someone calls Jesus LORD, he acknowledges that only Jesus determines everything in his life. Not only that, but he will obey every leading of Jesus Christ in his life. Therefore, the confession that Jesus is Lord is not merely verbal. Indeed, it is very possible for someone to confess Jesus with his lips, yet have his life governed by something else. This is precisely what we will discuss next.

Consider Matthew 7:21–23, which says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’ Then I will declare to them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” There are several things we need to observe from these verses.

First, those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord’ will not necessarily enter the kingdom of heaven. This does not mean that one does not need to confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord. Rather, confessing Jesus as Lord is only “half the matter,” because one must confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in the heart in order to be saved (Romans 10:9). If someone truly believes in his heart, that faith will surely bear fruit in concrete actions.

Second, the requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven is doing the will of the Father. This does not mean that salvation depends on works. Salvation clearly depends solely on faith. However, it means that faith without works is dead and does not save (James 2:14–26).

Third, acts or ministries such as prophesying in the name of the Lord, casting out demons in the name of the Lord, and performing many miracles in the name of the Lord do not automatically guarantee that a person will enter the kingdom of heaven.

Fourth, the term ‘lawlessness’ in the above passage is translated from the Greek term ‘anomia’, which means the absence of law. It refers to not obeying the applicable law—in this case, the ‘law of the kingdom of heaven’. The law of the kingdom of heaven speaks of the authority of Jesus Christ as King above all kings.

The matter of AUTHORITY in the context of the kingdom of heaven is extremely important. That is why Jesus is called LORD, because He possesses the HIGHEST AUTHORITY. Jesus affirmed that all authority has been given to Him, and this is the reason why He commanded us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18–20).

In his conversion, Saul had already called Jesus LORD, and throughout his spiritual journey, Saul learned how to obey the authority of Jesus without condition. Saul, who became Paul, referred to himself as a ‘prisoner of the Spirit’, meaning that he was completely led by the Holy Spirit. Paul was a free man, and no human authority above him could regulate his movements. In his missionary journey, he followed entirely the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, every member of the early church was directly led by the Holy Spirit. In this way, the early church acknowledged the authority of Jesus as LORD.

We are still discussing Matthew 7:21–23, a passage that is rarely examined in detail within Christianity, especially verse 23, which states: “Then I will declare to them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” The term ‘you’ in this verse refers to those who prophesied in the name of the Lord, cast out demons in the name of the Lord, and performed many miracles in the name of the Lord. When Jesus declares this plainly, He rejects them. The moment when Jesus speaks plainly refers to the time of His coming (commonly called the Second Coming) as the righteous Judge. The crucial question from this verse is: who are the ‘you’ who commit ‘lawlessness’ (anomia) referred to here? Are they born-again Christians with remarkable ministries, as seen in the passage, or not?

The Greek term ‘anomia’ is also used in the parable of the ‘weeds among the wheat’ (Matthew 13). We can identify who the ‘you’ in Matthew 7:23 refers to by comparing the use of the same term (‘anomia’) in that parable. What is clear is that the ‘you’ in Matthew 7:23 call Jesus LORD, and Jesus does not deny that they performed prophetic ministry, cast out demons, and performed many miracles IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. What Jesus takes issue with is that they practiced ‘anomia’—lawlessness.

Let us look at the parable of the weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13). In this parable, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. The Lord Jesus is the one who sowed the good seed, and the wheat represents the children of the kingdom. The devil is the one who sowed the evil seed, and the weeds represent the children of the evil one.

We must understand that the devil sowed the evil seed ‘in the field belonging to the Master in heaven’, so that both the weeds and the wheat are IN THE MASTER’S FIELD. At the early stage, weeds and wheat are very similar, making it impossible to distinguish between them. That is why the Master forbade His servants from pulling out the weeds before the time of harvest, lest the wheat also be uprooted.

The meaning of this parable describes what the kingdom of heaven is like, since it is preceded by the phrase, ‘the kingdom of heaven is like’. Initially, only Jesus sowed the good seed—the children of the kingdom. When the church was born on the day of Pentecost, only good seed was sown. But later, the devil sowed evil seed into the church, resulting in the church being divided into thousands of denominations as it is today—what we call the Christian world (Acts 20:28–30; the fierce wolves are the devil). Therefore, we can conclude that originally the church consisted only of “wheat seed,” but later developed into the Christian world in which there are both “weed seed” and “wheat seed.” Within the Christian world, there are “weeds,” namely those who practice ‘lawlessness’ (‘anomia’) (Matthew 13:41), which is the same as the ‘workers of lawlessness’ (anomia) in Matthew 7:23.

Furthermore, verse 41 also states that at the time of harvest, everything that causes stumbling will be gathered. We should note the term ‘stumbling’ (Greek: ‘skandalon’) in verse 41, which is also used in Revelation 2:14: “… among you are some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block (skandalon) before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.” Thus, this matter of causing stumbling refers to false teaching (Balaam) that the devil sowed into the church, leading God’s people to idolatry and immorality. In fact, there are three false teachings sown by the devil into the church, as written in Revelation 2–3: the teaching of Jezebel (usurping the authority of Life in the church), the teaching of the Nicolaitans (subjugating the laity, dividing the church into two classes—Catholic: priest-laity; Protestant: pastor-congregation), and the teaching of Balaam (justifying commerce within the church).

Such is the condition of the kingdom of heaven, in which there are both “weeds” and “wheat.” But at the time of harvest, the weeds and the wheat will be separated, and at that time Jesus will plainly reveal which are “wheat” and which are “weeds.” Jesus will also plainly speak to those who prophesied in the name of the Lord, cast out demons in the name of the Lord, and performed many miracles in the name of the Lord—and reject them.

Thus, the ‘you’ in Matthew 7:23 ARE the “weeds” in Matthew 13:41. Those who are rejected by Jesus from participating in the manifestation of the kingdom of heaven on earth at His coming are born-again Christians who nevertheless practice lawlessness (‘anomia’ = not following the rules/laws of the kingdom of heaven).

What are the rules or laws in the kingdom of heaven? Since Jesus is **LORD**, the rule in His kingdom is that Jesus Himself must directly govern all members of His church. The early church was an organism, in which every member was directly governed by the authority of Life, which is Jesus (I am the life = zoē). However, within the Christian world today, there are authorities other than the authority of Jesus—namely, the authority of denominational leaders (organizational authority). Those who serve the Lord Jesus but do not submit directly to the authority of Jesus, instead submitting to “other authorities,” are those who tend to be rejected at His coming from participating in the kingdom of heaven fully manifested on earth.

Let us continue the story of Saul’s conversion and now consider what Jesus said concerning Saul’s future life. Acts 9:16 states, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” Saul (Paul) was fully aware that his future involved suffering for the sake of Jesus’ name. In Acts 20:22–23, he declares, “… as a prisoner of the Spirit … I do not know what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.” Yet Paul was determined not to consider his life of any value to himself, as long as he could finish the race and complete the ministry entrusted to him by Jesus. Let us look at several passages related to suffering as taught by Paul.

First, Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for Him.” Here Paul firmly states that believing in Christ is a gift of grace, and likewise, suffering for Him is also a gift of grace.

Second, 2 Timothy 2:3 says, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” And 2 Timothy 3:12 states, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Paul realized that persecution would surely come if one desired to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Such persecution can come from anywhere, and to strengthen Timothy, Paul urged him to share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ.

Third, Romans 8:17 says, “… we are heirs … provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” By ‘being glorified’, Paul means that at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the Second Coming), we will be glorified together with Christ, in the sense of receiving resurrection bodies (glorified bodies), through which we will reign with Christ to liberate creation from its bondage to decay (Romans 8:19–21). However, Paul emphasizes here that if we are to share in glory with Christ at His coming, then now we must also share in the sufferings of Christ in our service.

Fourth, Acts 14:22 states, “… it is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of Elohim” (ILT). Paul exhorted and strengthened the disciples in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch to continue in the faith, because entering the kingdom of heaven requires enduring many hardships.

Paul’s teaching on suffering does not mean that there is an additional requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven—namely, faith plus suffering. Entrance into the kingdom of heaven, or participation in the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth, depends solely on God’s choice and His grace. However, if we are chosen to share in the glory with Christ that will be revealed in the future, then we will automatically also share in the sufferings of Christ. The choice of grace and the suffering that accompanies it cannot be separated. Indeed, the present suffering we experience together with Christ only strengthens our future participation in the glory of His kingdom that will be fully manifested on earth.

We are still discussing the conversion of Saul and how the Holy Spirit reveals His guidance step by step. Let us consider Acts 9:6, which says, “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The Lord Jesus only instructed Saul to get up and go into the city, without explaining what would happen there. Similarly, when Saul testified about his conversion to King Agrippa in Acts 26:16, he said, “But now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen of Me and of what I will yet reveal to you.” Why is it important to discuss the guidance of the Holy Spirit that comes ‘step by step’?

Alright, let us observe the movement of the early church as recorded in the Book of Acts. We know that there are 28 chapters in this book, and there are about 70 expressions such as ‘the Spirit said’, ‘the prompting of the Spirit’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, ‘filled with the Spirit’, and so on. The movement of the early church was clearly and entirely led by the Holy Spirit. One of the characteristics of being led by the Holy Spirit is a ‘spontaneous life’. The early church spontaneously gathered, prayed, evangelized, gave, and so forth. The apostles did not establish ‘religious regulations’, such as having to gather on Sunday, having to give tithes, or having to do this or that, as is commonly found in the world of Christianity.

What causes Christianity, in general, to be very structured in everything—its meeting days, its liturgy, its methods of offerings, and so on? Meanwhile, for those who read the New Testament with a clear mind, they certainly cannot find such ‘religious regulations’ as are commonly present in Christianity. In worship gatherings, Paul gave only one rule, which we may call the ‘mutual rule’, namely ‘mutual edification’, by which each person brings something, such as a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a gift of tongues, and its interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:26).

This may not seem very important to discuss, but Acts 20:28–30 explains something to us that is almost never discussed by leaders in Christianity, namely the attack of savage wolves (the devil) against church leaders. Because of these attacks by savage wolves, some leaders DRAW AWAY the Lord’s disciples with FALSE TEACHINGS in order to make them THEIR FOLLOWERS. These leaders need RELIGIOUS REGULATIONS in order to BIND their followers.

Religious regulations that are common in Christianity include the requirement to worship on Sunday and the PULLING OF MONEY from followers through various false teachings such as tithes, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, and various other monetary offerings. Leaders who have been attacked by savage wolves will certainly try to justify their false teachings. But one thing is certain: the leaders of the early church never practiced or taught what is now commonly practiced by leaders in Christianity.

Because of the attacks of savage wolves, leaders no longer became SERVANTS, but MANAGERS, who manage the movement of the church, especially its followers. These managers make plans, organize, lead, and establish control systems over the movement of their followers. Once again, Paul and the other apostles were not church MANAGERS; rather, they were SERVANTS of the Lord and of His church. That is why the apostles never made plans or organizational systems like managers do. The division of tasks to distribute money to church members in need was not like the task of managers in Christianity (Acts 6). This division of tasks was merely a way for the apostles to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.

Therefore, if the church is led by the Holy Spirit, no religious regulations are needed at all. The Holy Spirit will DIRECTLY lead each member of the church ‘step by step’, as happened with Saul (Paul). But because of the attacks of savage wolves, church leaders began to act as managers and to regulate the church, and thus they felt the need to create religious regulations. Every denomination in Christianity has its own religious regulations. However, the people of the Kingdom do not draw followers, nor do they become followers of anyone, except as they learn to be led by the Holy Spirit ‘step by step’.

After Saul was baptized and became a disciple, Acts 9:31 states, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” This verse affirms that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria increased in number through the help and comfort of the Holy Spirit. We have mentioned that Peter’s community (church) was different from Paul’s community. Now we will discuss the movement or expansion of the church as recorded in the Book of Acts.

In the Greek text, this book is titled ‘Praxeis’ (Acts), a term commonly used in Greek literature to describe the achievements of a particular figure. It appears that this book is divided into two parts: the achievements of Peter (chapters 1–12) and the achievements of Paul (chapters 13–28). The church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria represents the achievements of Peter and his team, including other peoples such as the Samaritans and also Cornelius (chapter 10). Meanwhile, the movement of the church to the “ends of the earth” (Rome) represents the achievements of Paul and his team. Thus, the witnesses of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, fulfilled Acts 1:8, which states, “…you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

If we look only at this book, it may seem that the movement of the church was carried out only by Peter and his team, and by Paul and his team. This is because many Christians, including Bible teachers, do not see the principle of Trilogy that we will briefly discuss below, namely that God has spoken three times through Peter, Paul, and John. In particular, if we understand the movement of the church through John and his team, we will see that the movement of the early

church cannot be equated with the movement of Christianity. In other words, the movement of Christianity is not a “natural continuation” of the movement of the early church. Something has happened to the church, and we will see it clearly only if we understand the movement of the church through the apostle John and his team. Let us look at this Trilogy principle.

In the dictionary, a trilogy means a group of three plays, novels, operas, etc., to be performed or read in succession, each complete in itself but having a common subject. Thus, a trilogy refers to a group of three works that are presented or read sequentially, each complete, yet sharing a common theme. If we apply this term to our discussion of the ministries of Peter, Paul, and John, then the meaning of trilogy is ‘a group of ministries consisting of three—namely the ministry of Peter, the ministry of Paul, and the ministry of John—where these ministries occur successively, beginning with Peter’s ministry, followed by Paul’s, and finally John’s’. Each of these three ministries is complete in itself, yet they all share a common theme. What is the common theme of their ministries? As we have seen, the theme of all three is the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN or the KINGDOM OF ELOHIM, where Jesus Christ is King above all kings, and His chosen people are kings.

Is the concept of a trilogy found in the Bible? Although the term ‘trilogy’ is not written in the Bible, the concept of a trilogy is found extensively in Scripture. Let us first look at Proverbs 22:20, which reads, “Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge?” We will compare the Indonesian translation with the English translations. The King James Version reads, “Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsel and knowledge?” Young’s Literal Translation reads, “Have I not written to thee three times…?” The Jerusalem Bible reads, “Have I not written for you thirty chapters…?” The phrase ‘excellent things’ in Proverbs 22:20 comes from the Hebrew word ‘shalosh’, which according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (#7991, 7969) means a triple, or a triangle, or threefold, or the third rank, or three. Essentially, the root meaning of ‘shalosh’ is three. A slight change in the vowels of this Hebrew word makes it mean thirty, as in The Jerusalem Bible’s translation. However, Young’s Literal Translation is more accurate in accordance with the root meaning of the Hebrew word. And if we combine the translations of Young and the King James Version, it means that speaking three times in counsel and knowledge is something very good (excellent). Thus, the concept of trilogy is directly revealed in Proverbs 22:20.

We are still discussing the movement of the church in the Book of Acts. We know that the movement of the church in Acts records only the movement through Peter and Paul. But by understanding the Trilogy principle we have briefly discussed, we know that the movement of the early church recorded in Acts is explained or continued through the ministry of the apostle John. If someone does not understand John’s writings related to the movement of the church, then he will certainly view Christianity as a “natural continuation” of the movement of the early church. That is why almost all denominational leaders call their denomination the church. They make no distinction at all between denominations and the early church. The teaching of the ‘visible and invisible church’ initiated by Martin Luther supports this error (compare post-Reformation church doctrine in Berkhof’s ‘Systematic Theology’, pp. 560–561).

Therefore, let us begin to discuss the writings of the apostle John to understand that the movement of the early church is not the same as the movement of Christianity, meaning that the movement of Christianity is NOT A NATURAL CONTINUATION of the early church. Consider 1 John 1:3, which states, “That which WE have seen and heard we proclaim also to YOU, so that YOU too may have FELLOWSHIP with US….” The First Epistle of John is a general letter addressed to the seven churches in Asia Minor, which had been contaminated by three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. The apostle John and his team no longer had fellowship (‘koinonia’) with them, because these three false teachings led the church into idolatry (Revelation 2–3). Meanwhile, the early church had a strong characteristic, namely fellowship/koinonia (Acts 2:42).

In truth, the church is a gathering of believers with close ‘koinonia’. Without ‘koinonia’, a gathering of believers can no longer be called a church. The church is like a collection of “living stones” arranged neatly into the Temple of Elohim. If those “living stones” are scattered, then it is not a church. Thus, denominations are collections of “living stones” that are scattered, where each group of “living stones” follows its own leader. In other words, the early church has been broken into thousands of denominations. Can we still call denominations the church? Paul already prophesied the division of the church because leaders would be attacked by savage wolves, causing each leader to seek his own followers (Acts 20:28–30).

Notice that the Lord calls the overcomers in each church in Asia Minor (Revelation 2–3). The overcomers are those who receive His grace, so that they do not take part in the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. These overcomers are the ones who continue the movement of the early church. In every age, God has His overcomers. It must be remembered that these overcomers are not the “great people” in Christianity, because generally the great and famous figures in Christianity take part in the three false teachings. Therefore, we now see that the movement of the early church is not directly continued by Christianity, but by His overcomers who represent the early church.

We now enter chapter 10 and discuss how the Jewish people viewed other nations in relation to the proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom. Consider verse 28, which says, “And he said to them, ‘You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.’”

The story in chapter 10 speaks of how the gospel of the Kingdom was received and opened to the Gentiles. It seems that the Jewish people misunderstood Yahweh’s choice, thus considering other nations unclean or defiled.

Let us observe how Yahweh established His covenant with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai. Exodus 19:5–6 states, “…you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation….” Here we see three important things related to the Mosaic Covenant. First, Israel would become Yahweh’s treasured possession. Second, Israel would become a kingdom of priests, meaning the entire nation would become kings and priests. What is the function of being a priest? Since Yahweh says, “All the earth is Mine,” Israel was expected to function as priests to the other nations. That is, Israel would stand before Yahweh on behalf of other nations, and Israel would bless other nations on behalf of Yahweh. As mediators, the task of priests is to bring other nations before Yahweh and to bring Yahweh to other nations. That is the task of priests. Third, Israel would become a holy nation, meaning set apart for Yahweh’s own purposes and goals.

Likewise, we see God’s promise to Abraham, the forefather of Israel: “Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ” (Galatians 3:16). Specifically, the offspring of Abraham refers to Christ Jesus, who would become a blessing to all the families of the earth. But Abraham’s physical descendants, the nation of Israel, would also become a blessing to the nations, as we see in the Mosaic Covenant above, where Israel was planned to be priests to the other nations. Acts 13:47 also confirms this: “…I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (LAI).

Perhaps Israel’s misunderstanding that they were appointed to be priests and a blessing to other nations was caused by the incident of the golden calf at Mount Sinai. When Israel worshiped idols, Moses cried out, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me,” and we know that only the tribe of Levi came to Moses (Exodus 32:26). Thereafter, we see that God chose only the tribe of Levi to be priests, not for the other nations, but only for the other tribes of Israel. Thus, the failure of the priesthood of the entire nation of Israel occurred at Mount Sinai. Even Peter himself had to receive a special revelation in the form of a vision concerning unclean animals (verses 10–16). But then Peter understood that he should not call any person unclean.

We continue our discussion of the Jewish misunderstanding that regarded other nations as unclean and impure. Now we will see how Peter was given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 16:19: “I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Here we see that after Peter received revelation about who Jesus is, Jesus gave Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, meaning that Peter would become the one who opens the way for people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Peter used this “key” for the Jewish people in his sermon on the day of Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, three thousand people repented, were baptized, and were called disciples, because they were learning about the Kingdom of Heaven (Acts 2:41–42). Then Peter also used this key to open the way for the Gentiles to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in the case of Cornelius, which we are currently discussing (Acts 10).

However, we must understand why Peter was entrusted with the keys of the kingdom of heaven by the Lord Jesus. In the tradition of the Catholic Church, Peter is regarded as the first Pope, the direct successor of Jesus in the leadership of the Church. Thus, to this day, the Pope holds the highest authority in the Catholic Church.

Let us consider Matthew 16:18, which serves as the theological basis for the Catholic Church’s belief that Peter is the leader of the Church. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” At first glance, this verse seems to suggest that Jesus would build His church upon the ‘person’ of Peter. However, the Greek term for ‘Peter’ in this verse is ‘petros’, while the Greek term for ‘rock’ is ‘petra’. The meaning of ‘petros’ is ‘a stone’, referring to Peter as an individual, one of the twelve apostles. Meanwhile, ‘petra’ does not refer to Peter as a person, but can be understood either literally (rock) or figuratively, namely as referring to the ‘revelation given to Peter’ that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim (Matthew 16:16). Therefore, Jesus would build His church not on Peter as a person, but on the foundation of the REVELATION CONCERNING THE PERSON OF JESUS.

We have repeatedly emphasized in this series of writings that among the people of the kingdom there is no one who possesses authority except Jesus Himself (Matthew 23:1–12). Indeed, in the Catholic Church the Pope holds the highest authority, and in Protestant churches the senior pastor or shepherd of the congregation holds the highest authority. This represents the fall of the early church into tens of thousands of denominations, including the Catholic denomination. This is the teaching of Jezebel, who usurped the authority of her husband (King Ahab) in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. The Christian world (both Catholic and Protestant) has justified this usurpation of authority, because it has already become a ‘doctrine’, no longer merely a ‘practice’ carried out by a few leaders. Instead, all leaders in the Christian world have accepted and taught this doctrine of Jezebel.

In truth, whoever belongs to the people of God and, by His grace, receives a revelation of Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of Elohim—and therefore receives a revelation of the Messianic kingdom (the kingdom of heaven)—to that person the Lord Jesus also gives the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’, to open the way for those who believe in the gospel of the kingdom.

Let us look at the main points of Peter’s sermon to Cornelius and those gathered with him (Acts 10:34–43). First, Elohim shows no partiality (v. 34). Second, Jesus Christ is Lord of all (v. 36). Third, there are witnesses that Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead (vv. 39–40). Fourth, Jesus is appointed as judge of the living and the dead (v. 42). Fifth, whoever believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. Peter’s sermon was interrupted because the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and those with him.

We will not discuss all the points of Peter’s sermon, but will focus specifically on the second and fourth points. It is emphasized that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. What does it mean that Jesus is Lord over all people? Clearly, it means that Jesus has authority over all people. The Greek term ‘kurios’ (Lord) means sole ruler or holder of supreme authority.

Before Jesus gave what is commonly called the Great Commission to disciple ALL NATIONS, He spoke about HIS AUTHORITY over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18–20). There is a conjunction, ‘therefore’ (Greek, ‘oun’), which links Jesus’ authority and the command to disciple all nations

(verses 18 and 19). This means that the basis for Jesus’ command to disciple all nations is that He possesses authority over heaven and earth.

If Jesus did not have authority over heaven and earth, there would be no basis for commanding that all nations be discipled. Do we see here that salvation, or making all nations His disciples, DEPENDS on Jesus’ authority? Salvation does not depend on human response, because all humans are dead in sin, and it is impossible for the dead to respond to anything. Jesus Himself clearly stated that no one can come to Him unless the Father has granted it by grace (John 6:44).

In John 12:32, Jesus declared, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” Being lifted up from the earth means dying, rising again, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, and therefore possessing authority over heaven and earth. Thus, when Jesus commanded His disciples to disciple all nations, He Himself would draw all nations to Him. Jesus did not intend to command the disciples to disciple all nations and then leave the outcome dependent on the response of the nations. If that were the case, His command would have no authority. Jesus commanded that all nations become His disciples, yet in reality many nations have not believed in Jesus. If that were truly the case, it would prove that Jesus does not have authority over heaven and earth (over all things). But that is not so, my brother. The conclusion here is that when Jesus commanded that ALL nations be discipled, ALL nations will come to Jesus and become His disciples.

The next point, the fourth, is that Jesus is appointed as judge of the living and the dead. Generally, Christians—including their teachers in the Christian world—understand judgment merely as evaluating someone and pronouncing a verdict upon them, namely that those who do not believe in Jesus are cast into hell forever. This doctrine of eternal hell contains many errors. First, it changes the wages of sin, which were originally ‘death’ (Romans 6:23), into eternal hell in the sense of endless torment. Second, it fails to understand the authority of Jesus and that salvation depends on Jesus’ authority, not on the response of humans who are dead in sin. Third, it fails to understand the positive meaning of judgment, which is that people may come to know the truth (Isaiah 26:9). There are certainly many other ‘blunders’ in the doctrine of eternal hell, but for now this will suffice.

We have emphasized that Peter was given the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’, in the sense that Peter opened the way for other nations to receive the revelation of the word concerning the kingdom of heaven. Peter used these ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ in the case of Cornelius. However, this caused a dispute when Peter arrived in Jerusalem (Acts 11:1–18). After Peter explained everything, verse 18 states, “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified Elohim, saying, ‘Then Elohim has also granted repentance to the Gentiles leading to life.’” The phrase ‘repentance leading to life’ is translated from the Greek expression ‘metanoia eis zoe’. The preposition ‘eis’ (into) indicates a point to be reached or attained. Thus, repentance enables a person to reach or receive ‘zoe’—the kind of life lived by Elohim.

Peter received the keys of the kingdom of heaven in the sense of ‘opening the way’ so that the Gentiles might receive ‘zoe’. Jesus said in John 14:6, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life (zoe).” This personal revelation of Jesus was proclaimed by Peter (the WAY), by Paul (the LIFE = zoe), and by John (the TRUTH). At this time, we will discuss only the revelation of ‘zoe’ proclaimed by Paul, because Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles. The revelation concerning how the Gentiles are united with the Jews was given especially to Paul. Therefore, we will examine his writings to understand this.

Consider Ephesians 3:3–6: “that by revelation He made known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already. By reading this, you may understand my insight into the mystery of Christ… that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same body through the gospel.” This is the revelation given to Paul concerning the uniting of Jews and Gentiles in Christ. At least three points must be noted from this passage in order to understand the revelation given to Paul.

First, the mystery of CHRIST. When Paul uses the term CHRIST, he means: Christ is our life (zoe) (Colossians 3:4). Furthermore, Christ within us is the riches of glory for the Gentiles—“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Moreover, Christ is the kingdom of heaven within us—“the kingdom of Christ is within you” (Ephesians 5:5; Luke 17:21, entos = within).

Second, Christ is corporate: there is Christ the HEAD (Jesus Christ), and there is Christ the BODY (all members of the church—believing Jews and believing Gentiles).

Third, the believing Gentiles become fellow heirs together with believing Jews. The inheritance of the Body of Christ is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which will be given at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the second coming). The giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and also in the house of Cornelius, was only a down payment or guarantee (Ephesians 1:14, ‘arrabon’ = a down payment guaranteeing that the full amount will be given later).

Thus, believing Gentiles are joined with believing Jews. Next, we will discuss in more detail the inheritance of the Body of Christ, because in the Christian world it is commonly accepted that by believing in Jesus we go to heaven, which is understood as ‘a beautiful place far away’.

Let us continue our discussion of the inheritance of the Body of Christ. We have emphasized that the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Body of Christ, which began at Pentecost, is still only a down payment (Ephesians 1:14). The Father has promised to give the full payment later, namely the outpouring or giving of the Holy Spirit IN FULL, as Jesus received when He was baptized by John the Baptist. That is why Jesus promised believers that they would do greater works than He did (John 14:12). The reason believers can do greater works is because Jesus goes to the Father. Jesus’ going to the Father means dying, rising again, and sitting at the right hand of the Father. This is the basis for the giving of the Holy Spirit in Peter’s sermon that we have already discussed (Acts 2:33).

When does the giving or outpouring of the Holy Spirit IN FULL occur? This takes place at the coming of Jesus (commonly called the second coming). In Revelation 14:14–16, this full outpouring of the Holy Spirit is described as the HARVEST OF THE END TIMES, when Jesus harvests His church that has already matured (the firstfruits of the church, James 1:18). Not all members of the Body of Christ will be harvested at His coming, because not all members of the Body of Christ have matured. The end-times harvest reaps only those members of the Body of Christ who have matured.

This event of the ‘end-times harvest’ is explained by Paul in Romans chapter 8, where the sons of Elohim are harvested and revealed to all creation in order to free creation from its bondage to corruption (Romans 8:19–21). Romans chapter 8 explains ‘glorification by faith’, which is the climax of our salvation, in which the “firstfruits” of the church are harvested. Let us quote only a few verses to explain this. Romans 8:10 says, “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness” (ILT). Romans 8:17 says, “… co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Romans 8:23 says, “… we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption as sons, the redemption of our body” (ILT). Here, glorification by faith is described as ‘the redemption of our body’, that is, the putting off of this sinful body and its replacement with a glorious body like that which Jesus has, because we are co-heirs with Him.

When, where, how, and for what purpose are we harvested or glorified together with the Lord Jesus? Romans 8:19–21 explains: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

When and where does this ‘glorification by faith’ occur? Certainly when the kingdom of heaven—of which we are already citizens—is fully revealed on earth at His coming (the second coming). How does glorification by faith occur? When our physical bodies are replaced with glorious bodies like that which Jesus possesses. For God’s chosen people who have died before Jesus’ coming, they will wait for the resurrection of the saints at His coming. What is the purpose of our being glorified together with the Lord Jesus on earth? To liberate all creation from the bondage of corruption and bring it into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim.

Through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim, this old earth (the First Earth) will move toward the New Earth, and there will also be a New Heaven. When Elohim creates the New Heaven and the New Earth, it does not mean that the first heaven and earth are totally destroyed and replaced. In theology, the term is not ‘creatio ex nihilo’, but ‘creatio ex vetere’. That is, the New Heaven and New Earth are the first heaven and earth that have undergone a ‘radical transformation’ through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim. This kind of ministry of the children of Elohim is what Jesus meant when He said, ‘you will do greater works than I have done’. This is the inheritance of the Body of Christ for us who believe.

We will say a little more about the inheritance of the Body of Christ, consisting of believing Jews and Gentiles. We have emphasized that the inheritance of the Body of Christ is the outpouring or giving of the Holy Spirit ‘in full’, which will occur at the coming of Jesus (the second coming). We have explained that not all Christians who have believed in Jesus and been born again will receive this inheritance at His coming. However, it seems necessary to explain this again through the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1–23, to make it clearer why not all members of the Body of Christ will receive their inheritance at His coming.

The parable of the sower speaks about the response of people to whom the “seed” of the word of the kingdom of heaven is sown, or the “seed” of Jesus as Life (zoe). The seed of ‘zoe’ that falls along the path is certainly not born-again Christians, because the devil (“the birds”) devours it completely (Matthew 13:4). But the seed of ‘zoe’ that falls on rocky ground and among thorns represents born-again Christians, because they receive the seed of ‘zoe’, yet do not grow and bear fruit as they should (Matthew 13:5–7). Those sown on good soil are born-again Christians who, in due time, produce mature fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. These are the ones harvested by Jesus and who receive the inheritance of the Body of Christ at His coming. But we must always remember that fruitful Christians are those who receive grace to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:11–17).

Let us take a closer look at this parable. There are several lessons we can draw from the parable of the sower. First, Jesus—and certainly His apostles as well—proclaimed the word concerning the kingdom of heaven. Of course, Jesus also spoke about the church, but the focus of all His words was the word of the kingdom of heaven. Second, from this parable it is evident that a person’s response determines whether the word of the kingdom of heaven that is sown will bear fruit or not. But once again, we must not conclude that everything depends on human response, for everything depends on His grace. Thus, in truth, everything depends on the will of the Father in heaven—whether the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven to someone or not (Luke 12:32). As for the human heart that has fallen into sin, it has been severely corrupted, and no one seeks God (Romans 3:11). If someone understands the word of the kingdom of heaven, it is because the Father is at work in that person’s heart.

The third lesson we need to see in this parable concerns ‘fruit’. In the Christian world, we often hear about a Christian’s ‘fruit’, namely the number of souls won, one’s character, or even material blessings obtained through one’s ‘ministry’. None of these is the ‘fruit’ meant by hearing and understanding the word of the kingdom of heaven.

The fruit that is meant is what is referred to in James 1:18, namely becoming part of the “firstfruits” of creation. The firstfruits, in the context of the New Testament, are the chosen ones who therefore mature earlier and are ready to be harvested by the Lord Jesus to join Him in establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth, so that the earth moves toward becoming a new earth. Indeed, through His death and resurrection, Jesus sowed Himself as Life (‘zoe’) into His chosen people; therefore, Jesus will obtain fruit—people who will be with Him to carry out the Father’s will on earth.

Therefore, the ‘full’ outpouring of the Holy Spirit as the inheritance of the Body of Christ (the Jewish nation and the other nations) will only be received by the ‘firstfruits’ of the church. And all of this is solely the decision of the Father in heaven.

We have discussed how Peter used the ‘keys of the kingdom of heaven’ to open the way for the Gentiles in the case of Cornelius, a man of Italian nationality. Yet even so, the disciples who were scattered because of the persecution that arose after the death of Stephen continued to preach the gospel only to the Jews (Acts 11:19). This proves how strong their understanding was regarding the distinction between Jews and Gentiles.

However, Acts 11:20 emphasizes, “…there were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who came to Antioch and began speaking also to the Greeks, proclaiming the good news that Jesus is Lord.” The men of Cyprus and Cyrene referred to in this verse were Jews who had been scattered as far as Cyprus and Cyrene due to the persecution that arose after Stephen was martyred.

Luke records that the hand of the Lord was with their preaching, so that a great number of Greeks believed. This confirmed the Lord’s favor upon their evangelism and also declared the will and plan of God for the Gentiles. Subsequently, Barnabas was sent by the apostles in Jerusalem to strengthen the church in Antioch, and he also brought Saul of Tarsus to teach the church in Antioch (Acts 11:22–26). It was in the church at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians, which means followers of Christ.

If we return to Acts 1:8, which states, “…you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth,” then the church in Antioch functioned as a “mission center,” through which, by Paul, the good news of the kingdom of heaven reached the ends of the earth—namely Rome, which at that time could be regarded as “the ends of the earth.” Thus, the early church fulfilled its calling as witnesses of Christ.

It appears that the designation ‘Christian’ in the church at Antioch did not merely mean follower of Christ, but carried a deeper significance. We know that there were differences between the churches established by Peter and his team and those that would later be established by Paul and his team. Consider again 1 Corinthians 11:16: “But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God” (ILT). Thus, Paul clearly distinguishes between the churches pioneered by him (we) and the churches pioneered by Peter and his team (the churches of God).

There is a striking difference between the churches pioneered by Paul and those pioneered by Peter. Consider Acts 21:20–21: “…They said to Paul, ‘Brother, you see how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law. But they have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to forsake Moses…’” The churches pioneered by Peter and his team (Jewish believers in Jesus) did indeed still observe certain regulations of the Law, though certainly not the sacrificial laws that had to be carried out by the Levitical priests in the Temple.

By contrast, Paul, who received the revelation of the unity of Jews and Gentiles into one Body of Christ, no longer practiced the regulations of the Law. Consider Ephesians 2:15: “by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that He might create in Himself the two into one new man, thus making peace.” Here Paul firmly states that through the death of Jesus, the Law—which was the “dividing wall” between Jews and Gentiles—has been abolished, thus creating one new man composed of Jews and Gentiles.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why, by the prompting of the Spirit, the disciples in Tyre advised Paul not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:3–4). Because of the differences in task and revelation received, if Paul were to go to Jerusalem, unnecessary conflict could arise between him and the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.

We enter into the story in chapter 12, where James is killed by King Herod. And because Herod knew that this action pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter, intending to bring him before the people. But the church prayed earnestly for him, and the Lord delivered him through the help of an angel.

In this case, the church suffered persecution from the political world (King Herod). But we must remember that Jesus was actually killed by the Jewish Religious Council—the religious world. Pilate, who represented the political world, had actually wanted to release Jesus. But the Jewish Religious Council insisted, and even incited the crowd to choose Barabbas, a murderer, to be released, and Jesus was crucified.

Throughout church history, we can see that persecution of God’s people can come from the political world, but also from within the religious world. Why is the church persecuted by both the political and the religious worlds? Indeed, it is written that all who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). But there is one common element between the political and religious worlds that enables them to persecute the church, namely the presence of human power (authority).

The church cannot persecute anyone—not only because the church teaches the love of Christ, but because within the church there is no human authority. The church is an organism, the Body of Christ, in which only one authority operates: the authority of the Life of that organism. Within the church there is only one authority, namely the authority of the Life of Christ (zoe). The apostles, elders, and deacons who became leaders in the early church did not have authority over the members of the church. They were merely “joints and ligaments” that hold the Body together, so that all the members hold fast to the Head and the Body receives its divine growth (Colossians 2:19).

If a church member possesses human authority, then he can judge—in the sense of evaluating someone’s condition—and pass a verdict on that member. Peter did not have authority over Ananias and Sapphira. Peter merely became a “channel” of the Holy Spirit, through whom the Holy Spirit evaluated the condition of Ananias and Sapphira’s hearts and passed judgment upon them. The political world and the religious world possess ‘human authority’; therefore, political or religious leaders who hold such authority can evaluate a person’s condition and pass judgment upon others, in whatever form that judgment may take. All members of the church can only point out wrongdoing, but cannot pass judgment, because they do not possess human authority.

Jesus firmly told His disciples that they are all brothers, meaning that there must be no “seat of Moses” among them (Matthew 23:1–12). No one is to be called leader, father, or rabbi, because there is only one leader of the church—the Messiah—who leads each member of the church directly through His Life (zoe). This does not mean that there are no apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers in the church, but that none of them has authority over the other members. All are brothers. This is the church built by Jesus, and it is profoundly different from the political world and the religious world.

Let us look at the ‘prostitute woman’ mentioned in Revelation 17:5–6, who is drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. This means that this prostitute woman persecutes the saints and the witnesses of Jesus. Who is this prostitute woman? Since Adam is a type of Christ Jesus, Eve is a type of the church as the bride of Adam (Romans 5:14). Because the book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ—and therefore of His church—expressed in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1), this prostitute woman is the church, but with certain characteristics.

The characteristic of this prostitute woman is ‘Babylon the Great’. Babylon was a historical city built by Nimrod. Since in the book of Revelation Babylon becomes a symbol, the Babylon attached to the prostitute woman signifies a church in which the authority of “Nimrod” exists. Thus, the Christian world (Catholic and Protestant) constitutes human kingdoms in which the authority of various “Nimrods” operates.

Does the Christian world persecute the saints and the witnesses of Jesus? Those who study Christianity understand that the Christian world (especially Catholicism) has been drunk with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. Of course, not only Catholicism—the Catholic–Protestant wars in Germany alone lasted 30 years and claimed an enormous number of victims, not to mention other events. Indeed, the religious world inevitably persecutes the saints, because it possesses human authority. However, the church built by Jesus does not possess human authority, and therefore there will be no persecution of the saints by fellow members of the church.

We enter into chapter 13 and see how Barnabas and Saul were sent out from the church in Antioch (Acts 13:2). The sending of Barnabas and Saul was not a program devised by the church in Antioch. Barnabas and Saul were commanded solely by the Holy Spirit to carry out a special task. This special task is written in Acts 14:27: “…that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.”

This special task is commonly called ‘mission’, and those who carry it out are called ‘apostles’; therefore, Paul’s journeys are called ‘missionary journeys’ or ‘apostolic ministry’. The special task carried out by Paul and his team was to ‘open the door of faith to the Gentiles’, in the sense of pioneering churches and appointing elders to shepherd the churches they established. In each city there were elders (plural) who shepherded the church, and each church pioneered by Paul was named according to the city in which it was located—for example, the church in Corinth, the church in Thessalonica, the church in Philippi, and so on. This differs from the churches pioneered by Peter and his team, which were called “the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). Because Peter and his team specifically served the Jews, and Paul and his team were set apart for the Gentiles, the churches pioneered by Peter were bounded by a nation—namely, the Jewish nation—and were called ‘the church of God’. But the churches pioneered by Paul were bounded by a locality (a city) consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, because there was no longer any distinction.

We need to distinguish between apostolic ministry and the general ministry of the church. Generally, in apostolic gatherings only the apostle speaks (one-way), whereas church gatherings are arranged in such a way (usually around a table) that every member of the church can build one another up by offering a psalm, teaching, a revelation from God, a tongue, or an interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 14:26).

Not all church members receive an apostolic calling. We see this in the church at Antioch, where only Barnabas and Saul were given a ‘special task’ (an apostolic task). In his movements, Paul did not make his own plans. Everything he did was according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. He even referred to himself as a ‘prisoner of the Spirit’ and did not know what would happen from city to city (Acts 20:22–23).

Once again we see in the early church that both apostolic ministry and general church ministry were directly governed by the Holy Spirit. The authority of the Holy Spirit over every church member is clearly evident. This is the main characteristic of the early church. No one attempted to seize authority over church members.

But when the attack of savage wolves came upon the elders, some elders began to draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves through various false teachings (Acts 20:28–30). The Christian world as we know it has experienced the attack of savage wolves, where the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted. False teaching here implies that there is an original, true teaching. For example, church leaders are only to ‘equip’ the Lord’s disciples, who in turn build up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11–12). Meanwhile, false teaching not only ‘equips’ the Lord’s disciples but also ‘draws’ the Lord’s disciples to themselves—in other words, not only winning souls but also seeking ‘followers’. Furthermore, the original teaching on giving is according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the willingness of each member. But false teaching “forces” the Lord’s disciples through false doctrines of tithing, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, and so forth.

In the Christian world, in each locality (denomination) there is generally one person who ‘rules’, whether he is called the senior pastor, senior elder, or by any other title. Generally, the authority of these ‘rulers’ extends not only to directing the movement of the church (read: its followers), but also to owning all church assets collected from the followers’ money. This condition is completely different from that of the early church. Therefore, ministry and church gatherings, as well as apostolic ministry and gatherings, have become almost indistinguishable in the Christian world.

We continue discussing chapter 13 by looking at how Paul and Barnabas confronted a sorcerer and false prophet, Bar-Jesus or Elymas, a Jew (verse 6). When Paul and Barnabas were proclaiming the word of God to the proconsul of the island of Cyprus, Elymas tried to hinder Paul’s preaching. By the wisdom of the Lord, Paul rebuked him, thus, “…you son of the devil, you who are full of all deceit and wickedness, an enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?” (13:10).

Elymas, this false prophet and sorcerer, was rebuked by Paul as a “son of the devil.” We do not need to immediately judge that Elymas, a Jew, had no connection at all with the Jewish religion. For Jesus also rebuked the Jewish religious leaders by saying that their father was the devil (John 8:44). Even the designation “false prophet” given to him proves that he was someone connected to the Jewish religion. It was just that he practiced sorcery and deception toward the governor of the island for purposes that clearly benefited himself.

Let us now directly apply this case to the Christian world. For the books of the New Testament also frequently mention false teachers, false prophets, false brothers, false motives, false circumcision, and false miracles. We will not focus too much on what kind of ‘falsehood’ they spread, but rather on their “magical power” by which they are able to deceive many people. Therefore, specifically, it is this ‘magical power’ within the context of Christianity that we will discuss now.

Let us look at Revelation 18:23: “…by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.” Young’s Literal Translation renders the term ‘deceived’ as ‘led astray’. Here, ‘astray’ means ‘to go in the wrong direction’ or ‘to have the wrong result’. Thus, ‘led astray’ means being LED in the wrong direction and also producing the wrong outcome. This verse speaks about LEADERSHIP, but leadership that causes those who are led to walk in a deviating (erroneous) direction.

In this verse it is also emphasized that this deviant leadership is connected with ‘sorcery’. That is, the deviation in leadership is caused by the leader using sorcery, whether consciously or unconsciously. The Greek term for ‘sorcery’ here is PHARMAKEIA, whose other occurrence is found only in Galatians 5:20. The term ‘pharmakeia’ comes from ‘pharmakeus’, which means ‘medication’ (pharmacy). Strong defines it as ‘the use of medicine, drugs, or spells’. One meaning of ‘spells’ here is ‘words that are thought to have magic power’ or ‘a quality that a person has that makes him or her so attractive’. Thus, ‘pharmakeus’, meaning ‘medication’, refers to the use of drugs in such a way that a person is made to “fly,” or is not fully conscious, thereby making the person who speaks to him appear extremely attractive.

The context of Revelation 18:23 is the symbol of the woman (the church, Revelation 17), which we have discussed extensively. The leadership of this woman in Revelation 17 is very ‘attractive’ and causes many people to follow her. It is said that this woman sits on “many waters,” where the waters symbolize many peoples (Revelation 17:15). Thus, through the leadership of the woman (the church) of Revelation 17, many of God’s people are attracted and follow her, as if under a spell or as if they had drunk a drug that makes them not fully conscious.

Why are so many of God’s people attracted and enchanted by the leadership of the woman in Revelation 17? According to the Epistle of Jude, the false teachers “…pervert the grace of our Elohim into sensuality…” (verse 4, ILT). That is, these leaders teach the GRACE OF ELOHIM but direct it toward FLESHLY MATTERS. Even when quoting very spiritual verses, they direct them toward the flesh. For example, a verse they often quote is, “…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). They say that this abundance means abundance in spiritual life, physical life, health, prosperity, freedom from problems, disasters, and so on. Yet this verse speaks about ‘Life’ (zoe), where the abundance of ‘zoe’ life means an abundance of knowing God (John 17:3), an abundance of understanding and obeying His commandments (John 12:50), an abundance of love, joy, peace, patience, and so on—the fruits of the Spirit—because the fruits of the Spirit are contained in ‘Life’. John 10:10 does not speak at all about physical matters. There are many other verses used by these church leaders (Revelation 17), for example regarding tithes, firstfruits (money), wealth through sowing, and so on. All verses are used by the leaders of the church of Revelation 17 to be DIRECTED TOWARD FLESHLY THINGS.

Who would not be attracted when preached to that if you follow God you will be rich, successful, prosperous, free from problems, free from sickness, become the head and not the tail, and so on? Many of God’s people are not aware that they HAVE BEEN ENCHANTED. God’s people are “flying” and no longer fully conscious.

One sign that they have been enchanted by their leader is this: when the Lord Jesus is insulted, they remain calm; but when their pastor is criticized, they immediately attack with verses, especially the verse “DO NOT JUDGE.” God’s people who defend their pastor WITHOUT SOUND REASON are clearly a sign of being “not conscious” and already under a spell. However, these “sorcerers” in the church will later face the judgment of the Lord Jesus at His coming, just as the church (Revelation 17–18) faces God’s judgment.

Let us continue our discussion in chapter 13, and now we will see how Paul delivered his sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (13:16–41). At this time we are not discussing the content of Paul’s sermon, but we will look at the result of his sermon: “…and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (13:48). In order to believe the gospel, a person must first be appointed. And because they believe, they receive eternal life, where the Greek expression for eternal life is ‘zoe aionios’. We know that ‘zoe’ is the kind of life lived by Elohim, and ‘aionios’ is an adjective that explains a noun (aion). Many Bible translations translate the noun ‘aion’ as ‘eternal’, in the sense of everlasting.

Actually, ‘aion’ means ‘time’, which has a beginning and an end. Thus, the Greek expression ‘zoe aionios’ means a kind of divine life (zoe) that is placed into the dimension of time, and everything that enters the dimension of time needs to grow. That is why ‘zoe’ life also needs to grow within

our inner being, so that we may know Elohim (John 17:3). The fact that ‘zoe’ must grow is stated by Jesus in John 10:10: “…I came that they may have life (zoe), and have it abundantly (grow to the fullest).” Therefore, believing in Jesus means receiving the kind of life of Elohim, which must grow to the fullest and bear fruit.

In the Christian world we often hear the expression, “believe in Jesus, go to heaven.” Such an expression does not exist in the books of the New Testament. What is correct is ‘believe in Jesus, receive eternal life (zoe)’. In the Gospel of John there are many expressions: believe in Jesus, receive eternal life (zoe). The question is whether the ‘zoe’ life that exists within the inner being of all Christians (the born again) grows to the fullest—in the sense of bearing fruit—or not. That is another matter.

The parable of the sower explains this to us (Matthew 13:1–23). The seed of the word of the kingdom of heaven that falls by the roadside does not represent born-again Christians, because the word is immediately stolen by the devil and does not have time to grow. But the seed of the word of the kingdom of heaven that falls on rocky ground and among thorns represents born-again Christians; yet, for certain reasons, in their growth the seed of the word of the kingdom of heaven is hindered and does not bear fruit. Only what is sown on good soil bears fruit—some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold. Therefore, not all born-again Christians bear fruit for the kingdom of heaven.

That is why the expression “believe in Jesus, go to heaven” is very misleading. What is correct is: believe in Jesus, receive ‘zoe’ life; and whether this ‘zoe’ life grows for the kingdom of heaven or not is another matter. When the Lord Jesus returns (commonly called the second coming) to establish His kingdom on this earth, only those who bear fruit for the kingdom of heaven will appear with Jesus to be glorified before all creation (Romans 8:19–21). And the purpose of His coming is to set creation free from its bondage to decay and bring it into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim.

Thus, the meaning of the designation ‘disciples’ for those who believe in Jesus in the book of Acts becomes clear. They are called disciples because they are learning the word of the kingdom of heaven, so that they may bear fruit for the glory of the kingdom of heaven.

Now we will discuss Paul’s sermon in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:16–41). Paul begins with the story of the ancestors of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), how Yahweh made the people of Israel grow in number while they lived in Egypt. Paul recounts the history of Israel by emphasizing the mighty deeds of Yahweh toward His people. In Egypt, Yahweh delivered His people with an uplifted arm. For forty years in the wilderness, Yahweh patiently endured their behavior. Then Yahweh destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and distributed the land to them as their inheritance. Yahweh also gave judges to deliver Israel from their surrounding enemies until the time of the prophet Samuel. When Israel asked for a king, Yahweh gave them Saul to reign, and then David, a man after Yahweh’s own heart, who did all His will.

Then Paul explains about the descendant of David, namely Jesus as the Savior of Israel, and about John the Baptist who preceded Him to proclaim repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. After explaining the death and proving the resurrection of Jesus, Paul states the key point of his sermon: “And by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses” (verse 39).

The key point emphasized by Paul is not only that a person can be justified by faith alone, which justification cannot be obtained through the law of Moses, but Paul also emphasizes complete salvation by faith, namely ‘deliverance from all sins’. This complete salvation is explained in detail by Paul in his letter to the church in Rome. In the Christian world, generally, salvation is explained only as justification by faith and sanctification by faith, while forgetting one important aspect of complete salvation, namely glorification by faith, in which we receive a glorious body like that possessed by Jesus.

If a preacher of salvation speaks only about justification by faith and sanctification by faith, what about our physical bodies? For even though a person has been justified and sanctified by faith, his physical body remains dead because of sin (Romans 8:10). The issue of the death of the physical body is resolved by glorification by faith. Glorification by faith occurs when believers receive glorious bodies and are revealed to all creation to free all creation from its bondage to decay into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim (Romans 8:19–21). This is the time when the children of Elohim are glorified together with Christ Jesus at His return (commonly called the second coming).

However, what is not well understood by most Christians is that this glorification by faith is not automatically received by everyone who has been justified and sanctified by faith. Why is that? There are several things to note here. First, the church has fallen because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, and the Lord calls His overcomers to represent His church (Revelation 2–3). His overcomers are those who receive grace not only to be called, but also chosen and faithful (Revelation 17:14). Second, James 1:18 emphasizes our understanding of the “firstfruits” of creation, where some are appointed to mature earlier (to become firstfruits) of creation, while others will mature later. Third, glorification by faith is our inheritance (Romans 8:17), but if a Christian has not yet reached maturity, that person cannot yet receive his inheritance (Galatians 4:1). Fourth, the parables in Matthew 24–25, related to the coming of the Son of Man, prove that not all Christians will be accepted into the glory of the next age after this age. Thus is the complete salvation preached by Paul: deliverance from all sins, which ultimately results in us being glorified together with Christ at His coming.

Let us continue our discussion in chapter 13. After the service, Paul and Barnabas exhorted those who believed in Paul’s message. Acts 13:43 states: “…they kept urging them to continue in the grace of Elohim” (ILT). After Paul emphasized that only by faith alone can a person be saved—namely complete salvation (justification by faith, sanctification by faith, glorification by faith)—he exhorted the believers to CONTINUE IN THE GRACE OF ELOHIM. How do we continue in the grace or favor of Elohim? This is what we will discuss.

The church in Galatia did not continue in grace, because they tried to grow in the Lord by PERFORMING WORKS OF THE FLESH. That is why Paul emphasized, “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). Many Christians think that works of the flesh are ONLY evil deeds. They do not realize that religious works—namely, following religious regulations—can also very easily be done in the flesh. The term ‘flesh’ (Greek: ‘sarx’) means the whole human being who has fallen into sin. We must always remember that Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of GOOD and evil. And the first GOOD act according to Adam and Eve was making fig leaves to cover their nakedness. THIS IS THE FIRST RELIGIOUSLY GOOD DEED OF THE FIRST HUMAN BEINGS. Since then, the descendants of Adam and Eve have liked to do good by following RELIGIOUS RULES. Human beings love religion and religious regulations. Saul is an example of a man who loved religion very much (Judaism), and because of his love for Judaism, he persecuted and killed members of the early church.

Are we aware that the transformation from the early church into the Christian world involved the emergence of RELIGIOUS RULES MADE BY CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS? Must attend Sunday services, must follow certain rituals or creeds, must pay tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, and other religious rules. In the early church THERE WERE NO RELIGIOUS RULES AT ALL EXCEPT FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Everything happened spontaneously under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The early church gave, met, prayed, evangelized, and carried out mission work—all according to the Spirit’s leading. When the church was attacked by fierce wolves, and some elders (leaders of the early church) DREW the Lord’s disciples after themselves, this is where they began to create religious rules that, of course, benefited them. Why MUST Sunday services, MUST pay tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, MUST this and MUST that? The answer is simple: all of this benefits Christian religious leaders.

Church members are actually led out of grace, because they are “forced” to carry out all those religious rules outside of faith. Why outside of faith and grace? Because the commands MUST… MUST… MUST cause church members not to act according to the LEADING OF THE SPIRIT. This is what Paul calls: YOU HAVE BEGUN IN THE SPIRIT BUT ARE FINISHING IN THE FLESH. Flesh here means GOOD RELIGIOUS WORKS.

Does this mean that Christians who remain in grace do nothing? Not at all. Rather, Christians who remain in grace do whatever they do ACCORDING TO THEIR FAITH. What, then, is faith? Faith comes from hearing the word of God. But a person who is dead in sin cannot possibly hear the word of God unless the Father in heaven grants grace to hear. If someone receives grace to hear the word of God, then the saving power of Elohim will enter into his inner being (Romans 1:16). This power of Elohim is the energy of Christ that enables a person to believe in God, to do the will of the Father, and to become a witness of Christ who boldly proclaims the word of God.

Living faith is the power of Elohim or the energy of Christ that drives a person to obey God. It is impossible for someone to have living faith and yet have no acts of obedience to God. James says that faith without works is dead faith (James 2:17). Before we continue James’s explanation concerning works, let us read Paul’s explanation of the Gospel in Romans 1:17.

In Romans 1:17 it is written, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written: ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (LAI). The phrase ‘from faith to faith’ comes from the Greek expression EK PISTEOS EIS PISTIN. This Greek expression cannot be translated simply as ‘faith’, because there is an important understanding within it that we must pay attention to. Let us quote Marvin Vincent’s commentary in his Word Studies: “the idea is that of progress in faith itself… faith is a progressive principle” (p. 14, Vol. 3). Thus, the important understanding in the Greek expression above is the idea of progress. Faith is something that grows. Faith is not “static,” but continually moves toward its perfection. Faith that does not grow and make progress is dead faith, and this is not the saving faith that Paul refers to.

If so, what makes faith progressive? What makes faith grow? James affirms, “…faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect” (James 2:22). It is emphasized here that faith is made perfect by works. The works referred to here are works that are born of faith, because James says, “…I will show you my faith by my works” (2:18). Therefore, it is not works apart from faith, but works that spring from faith that will perfect faith, so that faith grows toward its perfection. In this way, Paul’s and James’s explanations of faith complement one another.

Indeed, Paul also emphasizes that faith cannot be separated from obedience. Romans 1:5 and Romans 16:26 explain the connection between faith and obedience. In both verses it is said that Paul received the grace of apostleship so that the nations might be led to the ‘obedience of faith’ (ILT version).

Therefore, we can conclude that faith produces obedience, and in turn, obedience perfects faith. Thus, faith grows and progresses. This is biblical faith. This is saving faith. That is why James says that Abraham was justified by his works. This does not at all contradict Paul’s explanation of faith, because the ‘works’ referred to by James are works that are born of faith.

Thus, the exhortation of Paul and Barnabas to remain in grace means to continue to preserve faith, in the sense of ALWAYS ACTING IN FAITH. For we are justified, sanctified, and glorified solely by faith alone. If a Christian always acts in faith, then he always abides in the grace of God. Once again, Christians must not act “blindly” by following religious rules made by Christian religious leaders. Christians must act according to their faith.

We now enter chapter 14 and discuss the miracles that accompanied the early church, especially in Paul’s missionary journeys. Acts 14:3 states, “…And the Lord bore witness to the word of His grace, granting them power to perform signs and wonders.” It is clear from this verse that the role of miracles is to confirm the message of His grace, that is, the message of the Gospel.

What if, in the proclamation of the Gospel, there are no miracles such as those recorded in the book of Acts? Does that mean the preacher of the Gospel has failed in his task? Let us look at several cases where miracles occurred, yet there was no repentance.

First, in Acts 14:8–19, there is the miracle of a lame man being healed while Paul was preaching in Lystra. The people in Lystra misunderstood the miracle, so that they considered Paul and Barnabas to be gods who had come down in human form. The people of Lystra did not understand the word of God that Paul was preaching. In this case, the miracle that should have confirmed the Gospel message instead led them to want to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.

Second, the case where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Some of the Jews who witnessed it with their own eyes did not repent and confess Jesus as the Messiah, but instead went to the Pharisees (who later killed Jesus) and reported what Jesus had done (John 11:46).

Third, the case where Jesus performed the miracle of feeding five thousand people with only five loaves and two fish (John 6:1–66). Actually, the miracle of the five loaves and two fish was intended only to strengthen the message that Jesus is the bread of life. This miracle of physical bread was merely a sign pointing to the bread of life, who is Jesus Himself. However, the people did not believe and did not understand this message, and even some of His disciples withdrew after hearing that Jesus is the bread of life who came down from heaven (verse 66).

The three cases above do not mean that miracles have no significance in the proclamation of the word of God. In the case where Paul rebuked Elymas the sorcerer and caused him to become blind, the governor of the island believed in the Lord (Acts 13:12). Certainly, there are many cases where miracles lead people to believe the Gospel. However, we must understand that a person believes the Gospel because of the grace of God that ‘opens the eyes of his heart’, not because he sees a miracle with his physical eyes. Note John 12:37–40: “Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him… Therefore they could not believe… He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts….” Thus, everything depends on His grace—whether God chooses to open the eyes of a person’s heart or not. Of course, God has His own purposes for blinding the eyes of the Jewish religious leaders, so that they crucified Jesus.

Therefore, we must place miracles in their proper place in the proclamation of the Gospel. The proclamation of the Gospel without miracles does not mean that it is not accompanied by the “hand of the Lord” or that it has failed. On the contrary, Gospel proclamation with miracles does not necessarily produce true repentance in those who hear it. What is most important is His grace, which opens the eyes of a person’s heart, so that he repents and believes in the Lord Jesus.

We are still discussing chapter 14 and looking at the work of an apostle (missionary work) in proclaiming the word of the kingdom of heaven from city to city. Note Acts 14:23: “In every church they appointed elders for them, and after praying and fasting, they committed them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.” After the apostles established a church in a city, the next task was to appoint elders to shepherd the church in that city. This appointment does not mean that the apostles had ‘authority’ over the church, but that they were merely instruments in the hands of the Holy Spirit to do so. That is why Paul said to the elders in Ephesus, “…the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church…” (Acts 20:28). The authority of the early church was the authority of the Holy Spirit, because all members of the church followed the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day.

There are two Greek terms translated as ‘overseer’, ‘elder’, or ‘bishop’, namely ‘presbuteros’ and ‘episkopos’. Presbuteros refers to one who is old and mature, while episkopos comes from two root words: epi, meaning ‘over’, and skopos, meaning ‘to see’. Thus, episkopos means ‘to see from above’, that is, someone who can “see from above” spiritually, so that he can guard the flock from attacks by savage wolves.

These two Greek terms refer to the same person, because they are used interchangeably in Titus 1:5–7. Note Titus 1:5–7: “I left you in Crete for this reason… that you might appoint elders (presbuteros) in every town… for an overseer (episkopos), as God’s steward, must be blameless….” Episkopos and presbuteros are two terms for the same person. Therefore, the leaders of the early church were spiritually mature elders who could “see from above” when the church was attacked by savage wolves. The leaders of the early church were always plural—more than one—and there was no term such as “senior elder” who had human authority over the others.

History records that a man named Ignatius (around AD 117) is regarded as the first to teach a distinction between elders (presbuteros) and bishops (episkopos). Ignatius was a church leader in Antioch (Syria) who died as a martyr under Emperor Trajan. In The History of Christianity – Lion Handbook, p. 83, it is written: “He (Ignatius) argued strongly that there should be one ‘bishop’ in charge of each congregation, in order to prevent splits in the church and to ensure that correct beliefs were preserved.” Although Ignatius was a great leader and died as a martyr, through this teaching the church fell into HUMAN AUTHORITY (HIERARCHY).

Let us look at some of his teachings contained in the letters he wrote while traveling to Rome to die as a martyr. In The Apostolic Fathers (1956) by J. B. Lightfoot, it is written:

Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord himself (p. 65).

Therefore as the Lord did nothing without the Father (being united with Him), either by Himself or by the Apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and the presbyters (p. 70).

…submitting yourselves to your bishop and presbytery, ye may be sanctified in all things (p. 64).

Be obedient to the bishop… (p. 72).

…he that doeth aught without the bishop and presbytery and deacons, this man is not clean in his conscience (p. 74).

Do ye all follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, and the presbytery as the Apostles (p. 84).

…he that doeth aught without the knowledge of the bishop rendereth service to the devil (p. 84).

Although Ignatius was a great leader, he was attacked by savage wolves, which caused the church to fall into a SYSTEM OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT (Acts 20:28–30). After this teaching was widely accepted, among the bishops in each city there arose one who exalted himself and called himself an Archbishop. Among the Archbishops, competition arose over who had greater authority, giving rise to Cardinals. Among the Cardinals, competition arose again over who had the greatest authority, resulting in the Pope. After this, the church fell into human government, and in history this period is called the Dark Ages, and this is the Catholic Church.

We now enter chapter 15, where the council in Jerusalem is recorded. The background of this council was that some people (especially from the Pharisee party) who had believed in Jesus came to Antioch and taught that “…the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the Law of Moses” (verse 5). This issue was very important because it concerned salvation, which can only be obtained through faith and by His grace alone. Of course, Paul and Barnabas opposed this view, and therefore they came to Jerusalem to discuss it with the apostles and the elders.

Let us first look at the views expressed in this council. First, Peter’s view was very firm that Elohim makes no distinction at all between Jewish believers and believers from other nations, because Elohim gave the same Holy Spirit to both Jewish believers and non-Jewish believers (verses 8–9). The conclusion of Peter’s view is that salvation is obtained solely by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 11).

Second, Paul and Barnabas supported and confirmed Peter’s view by recounting all the miracles that Elohim had done among the Gentiles through their ministry (verse 12). Through all the miracles that Elohim performed among the Gentiles, it was clear that Elohim makes no distinction between Jewish believers and believers from other nations.

Third, it seems that James’s opinion concluded the council, namely that believers from the Gentiles should not be troubled, and therefore he gave four regulations related to food: to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood (verse 20).

Luke records the conclusion of this council as follows: “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” (15:28). Why did Luke not write simply ‘the decision of the Holy Spirit’? Because in the early church all members were ‘directly led’ by the Holy Spirit. That some members failed to hear the “whisper” of the Holy Spirit is another matter. Even Paul once failed to hear the “whisper” of the Holy Spirit through the disciples in Tyre, who told him not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:3–4). Nevertheless, Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Spirit,” meaning that he was led solely by the Holy Spirit in his life (Acts 20:22). It seems that when Luke recorded the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us, this decision represented a “middle way” taken by James.

For in Paul’s later writings, it is evident that Paul did not emphasize food restrictions for believers. Indeed, in their journeys from city to city, Paul and Silas delivered the letter containing “the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us to the churches to be observed” (16:4). Nevertheless, we see that the decision of the Jerusalem Council was a “temporary” decision for the Gentiles concerning the issue at hand.

We have further seen that Paul emphasized the differences between the churches pioneered by Peter and his team and the churches pioneered by himself (1 Corinthians 11:16). Paul also referred to himself as an apostle to the uncircumcised, while Peter and his team were apostles to the circumcised (Galatians 2:9).

We continue our discussion in chapter 15, where James made a “middle-ground” decision for Gentile believers. As for believers from a Jewish background, they indeed continued to keep the Law of Moses, as it is written: “Brothers, you see how many thousands of Jews have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law” (Acts 21:20). However, we must always remember the difference between the Petrine community and the Pauline community.

It appears that the Jews were very closely attached to the Law of Moses. They formulated as many as 613 religious regulations, which they believed were revelations received by Moses on Mount Sinai. But we must understand that Judaism was merely a symbol, a prophecy, and a shadow, whereas the reality, the substance, and the fulfillment have come through Jesus. That is why in John 4, Jesus emphasized that worship is no longer about rules such as “this mountain” or “that mountain.” Since the fulfillment of the Law has taken place, worship must be in spirit and in truth (reality). There is only one rule of worship: to be led by the Holy Spirit. This is how the early church conducted its worship. There were no religious regulations whatsoever, other than living daily life under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They gathered, evangelized, gave, prayed spontaneously, and whatever they did was based entirely on the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In Colossians 2:17, Paul firmly states that the fulfillment of all the regulations of the Law is Christ within, who must become the guide of the believer’s life. That is why Paul declares that ‘to live is Christ’. Let us look at the Christian world that has become institutional Christianity, filled with so many religious regulations. Each denomination has its own set of religious rules.

The reason there are so many religious regulations in Christianity is because Christian religious leaders draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves. They seek followers, and therefore they need certain religious rules to “bind” their followers. If a leader merely equips the Lord’s disciples according to Ephesians 4, without drawing them to himself, then such a leader has no need to create any rules. He only equips the disciples to grow in faith, so that they may act in faith and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives.

Because of religious regulations in Christianity, worship has become very outward and external. This actually denies the power of worship in spirit and truth as taught by Jesus. Consider 2 Timothy 3:5: “having a form of godliness but denying its power; and from such people turn away” (ILT). The term ‘godliness’ comes from the Greek word EUSEBEIA, which means ‘worship (devotion)’. The word ‘form’ (Greek: MORPHOSIS) can mean outward appearance. Thus, this verse means merely ‘taking on or wearing the appearance of worship while rejecting its power’.

After the church fragmented into thousands of denominations, Christian leaders began to draw God’s people to buildings, organizational programs, rituals, religious events, and offerings—whether tithes, firstfruits (money), faith pledges, or whatever they may be called—so that God’s people no longer focused on following the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day, but instead focused on leaders who provided many programs and regulations.

Many believers feel that they have worshiped once they attend a certain building on Sunday, perform certain rituals, give certain offerings, and follow certain rules according to their leaders’ directions. Leaders have ‘restricted’ worship to buildings, programs, and religious activities alone. Such actions produce people who only ‘appear’ to worship, while the power of worship brought by the Holy Spirit is rejected. Boldness in proclaiming the Word in daily life is ‘robbed’ by such religious activities. They appear godly outwardly, but the power of the Spirit that energized the early church continues to fade. Paul warns us to avoid this.

How can we avoid this? It is simple: we must be freed from the “bondage” of religious activities and regulations built around leaders. God’s chosen people will surely take this simple step and begin to learn to be led only by the Holy Spirit day by day—learning to hear only the Spirit’s voice, following the Lamb wherever He goes. By taking this simple step, God’s chosen people begin to experience the power of true worship. No longer enslaved by a religious spirit, they are free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. God’s chosen people will experience how the Holy Spirit energizes them, enabling them to boldly proclaim the Word of God in their daily lives.

We continue our discussion in chapter 16, where previously there was a dispute between Paul and Barnabas concerning John called Mark (15:35–41). It appears that the congregation leaned more toward Paul, as they commended Paul and Silas to the grace of the Lord (verse 40). Barnabas and Mark certainly carried out their ministry well on the island of Cyprus, but their ministry is no longer recorded in the book of Acts.

Let us examine the case where Paul instructed Timothy to be circumcised before taking him along on his missionary journey (16:3). Paul did this because of the Jewish-background believers in Timothy’s region (Derbe and Lystra). As we know, for the ‘Pauline community’, being circumcised or not was not an issue. Paul himself stated, “For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but a new creation” (Galatians 6:15). However, we see that Paul was “forced” to do this because of pressure and influence from Jewish believers.

For the Jews, there were at least three things that distinguished them from other nations: circumcision, keeping the Sabbath, and dietary laws (Leviticus 11). They considered those who did not observe these things as **“unclean.”** We further see that Jewish religious regulations (the Old Testament dispensation) became an **obstacle** to the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles in the New Testament dispensation. Even during his missionary journeys, Paul was often persecuted or disturbed by Jews (Judaism) and by false brothers—believers of Jewish background who neither understood nor preached the pure Gospel to the Gentiles. After the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Roman army (AD 70), and thus the influence of Judaism over the church diminished, the preaching of the Gospel to the Gentiles to build the ‘Pauline community’ could proceed as it should.

In fact, the issue we have discussed above is often not merely about the presence or absence of religious regulations (Jewish teachings) in the preaching of the Gospel in the New Testament dispensation. Rather, it goes deeper—it is about ‘trying to please people’. Let us take one example where Paul rebuked Peter regarding this issue. In Galatians 2:11–14, Paul rebuked Peter because he was drawn into the matter of trying to please people, specifically the group associated with James. Previously, Peter ate together with the uncircumcised brothers, but when the group from James arrived, Peter tried to please them by withdrawing from the uncircumcised believers. Even Barnabas was led astray in this matter. We can imagine how even Peter or Barnabas could stumble over the issue of trying to please people.

In a Christian world filled with religious regulations—which, as we have discussed, contradict Jesus’ teaching to worship in spirit and truth—we see that the problem is not merely about religious rules or differences in interpretation. Rather, it goes deeper: the issue of trying to please people. Generally, Bible teachers who try to please people tend to add religious regulations here and there in order to please others—and ultimately themselves. But Paul firmly states, “If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

We continue our discussion in chapter 16, which covers Paul’s second missionary journey. Consider Acts 16:6–7: “They passed through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.”

Here we see that the movement of Paul and his team was entirely led by the Holy Spirit. In this passage, the Holy Spirit forbade them from preaching the Gospel in Asia and instead led them to southeastern Europe, where the city of Philippi became the first city they evangelized.

Cases like these—where the Holy Spirit directly leads missionary movements and church movements—are common and indeed how things should be. In the book of Acts, there are approximately seventy instances where expressions such as ‘the Holy Spirit led’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, ‘the Holy Spirit whispered’, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, and so on appear. When we read Acts, the most striking feature is the authority of the Holy Spirit in governing both the church and mission. There were no religious rules, leaders’ programs, creeds, rituals, or anything man-made. There was no human authority in the early church. Jesus had already forbidden His disciples from acting as hierarchical authorities, meaning there was no “seat of Moses” in the church (Matthew 23:1–12). Leaders functioned as “ligaments and joints” that hold and unite the Body, with each part holding fast to the Head, so that the Body receives its divine growth (Colossians 2:19). Indeed, the church is an organism (the Body of Christ), and the authority that operates within it is the authority of that organism—the authority of the Spirit who gives life in Christ.

Consider these verses related to being led by the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of Elohim, these are the sons of Elohim” (ILT). Galatians 5:18: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.” Galatians 5:25: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” These verses emphasize that the mark of being children of Elohim is being led by the Holy Spirit. If a person’s life is led by the Spirit, then automatically he is not living under religious regulations (the Law). It is impossible to live under religious regulations and at the same time be led by the Holy Spirit. These two are mutually exclusive. A person can live either under religious regulations or be led by the Holy Spirit.

To live by the Spirit means to be led by the Holy Spirit. This is Jesus’ teaching concerning worship (John 4). Worship in spirit and truth is worship led by the Holy Spirit, not regulated or led by religious rules. Why did Jesus emphasize to the Samaritan woman that the time had come when believers would worship in spirit and truth? Because Jesus had fulfilled all the regulations of the Law, and the time had come for believers to be led solely by the Holy Spirit. That is why the apostle John states that you do not need anyone to teach you, because His anointing teaches you all things (1 John 2:20, 27).

Why is the Christian world full of religious regulations? There are rules for every denomination, rules from every Christian leader—whether pastor, senior elder, or whatever title they bear. There are also Old Testament regulations selectively adopted, usually related to money—tithes, firstfruits, faith pledges, and so on. Why is this so? The answer is clear: church leaders have been attacked by “fierce wolves”, drawing the Lord’s disciples to themselves through false teachings (Acts 20:28–30). These Christian leaders create rules to bind their followers. But the people of the Kingdom follow only the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4).

We have discussed that the movement of Paul and his companions was entirely governed by the Holy Spirit. Let us now look at an example of someone led by the Holy Spirit in ministry, particularly in chapter 16. There are several lessons we need to learn.

First, there was confirmation from the Holy Spirit for Paul and his companions when they were about to cross into southeastern Europe (Macedonia), in Paul’s case through a vision (verse 9). Confirmation from the Holy Spirit does not have to come through a vision alone. The Holy Spirit has many ways to confirm His servant for ministry in a particular place. What matters is that there is direct confirmation from the Holy Spirit upon His servant.

This confirmation is not a series of religious regulations that must be carried out, as is commonly found in Christianity when someone joins an organization (a particular stream or denomination). It may resemble a ‘job description’, complete with salary, office hours, and predefined programs set by superiors (managers). If this is the case, then the person cannot be said to be ‘serving’, but rather ‘working’ like an employee in a business corporation—only that the work is related to Christianity.

Second, what happens to a servant of God may be hospitality and acceptance—as in Paul’s case from Lydia (verse 15)—or persecution and imprisonment (verses 16–24). When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, three thousand people repented; but when Stephen preached, he was struck by “three thousand” stones. Both Peter and Stephen were led by the Holy Spirit when they preached, yet different outcomes occurred. However, in Christianity today, it is generally assumed that a preacher—whether preaching in his own place or invited elsewhere—will receive money, whether called a love offering or a salary. Such practices are common and unquestioned because Christianity has become a ‘system’ (kosmos = system), where everything is arranged by religious leaders. And the Christian ‘kosmos’ cannot function without money, because money is the ‘driving force’ of that system. Such things never existed in the book of Acts.

Third, the singing of Paul and Silas in the Philippian prison appears to be on a different level altogether (verse 25). This is not merely because a great earthquake miracle followed their singing. We can compare this with Israel in captivity in Babylon (Psalm 137:4). They were asked to sing, but they could not sing in a foreign land. In reality, Christianity has also fallen into a “Babylonian” condition. The woman in Revelation 17–18 symbolized as ‘Babylon’ is a very fitting picture of Christianity. We will not discuss this now, but what we want to emphasize is that praise in Christianity today is not on the same level as the praise of the early church. Why? Because the early church was not ‘captivated’ by anything except the Holy Spirit alone. Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Spirit” (Acts 20:22).

For those who understand, it is clear that the Christian world is “held captive” by various religious regulations made by its leaders. In such a condition, even though praises are lifted up in a beautiful building, with complete music arrangements and professional MCs, it is still not on the same level as what took place in the early church.

From all the examples we have seen above, one lesson can be drawn: we must be led directly by the Holy Spirit in our daily lives, and in whatever ministry we carry out. This is the meaning of worship in spirit and in truth as taught by Jesus. The people of the Kingdom are those who are free to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever the Holy Spirit desires to lead them.

We continue our discussion in chapter 16, where the Philippian jailer asks how he can be saved. Acts 16:31–32 states: “They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved—you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.” Notice verse 31, where the unit of salvation is the household. This is confirmed through several examples: the family of Noah (Gen. 7:1), the households that took part in the Passover (Exod. 12:3–4), the family of the prostitute Rahab (Josh. 2:18–19), the household of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:9), the household of Cornelius (Acts 11:14), the household of Lydia (16:15), and the household of Crispus (18:8).

Indeed, the unit of salvation is the household, but in order to obtain eternal life (zoe), a person must personally believe in the Lord Jesus. That is why, in verse 32, Paul proclaimed the word of the Lord to everyone in the jailer’s house. Acts 13:48 affirms: “…all who were appointed for eternal life believed” (LAI). The Bible emphasizes that believing in Jesus personally results in receiving eternal life (zoe aionios). We have already discussed the Greek expression ‘zoe aionios’, which refers to the life of Elohim (zoe) that enters into the context of time (aion). This means that the life of Elohim must grow, so that believers may know Elohim and know Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3).

In the first eight chapters of the book of Romans, Paul explains the perfect salvation that believers will receive. Paul uses three terms to describe this perfect salvation: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. Many believers already understand the meaning of justification by faith and sanctification by faith, but glorification by faith is rarely discussed—even in theological schools. Yet, ‘glorification by faith’ is the pinnacle of salvation, where believers receive perfect salvation.

Let us briefly revisit glorification by faith, since we have discussed it elsewhere. We will quote only a few verses to explain this. Romans 8:10 states: “And if Christ is in you, the body is indeed dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness” (ILT). Romans 8:17 states: “…joint heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (ILT). Romans 8:23 states: “…we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (ILT). Here, glorification by faith is explained as ‘the redemption of our body’, namely the putting off of this sinful body and its replacement with a glorified body like the one Jesus has, because we are joint heirs with Him.

When, where, how, and for what purpose are we glorified together with the Lord Jesus? Romans 8:19–21 explains: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of Elohim. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope, that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Elohim” (ILT).

Glorification by faith occurs when the Kingdom of Heaven—of which we are already citizens—is fully revealed on earth at His coming (commonly called the Second Coming of Jesus). What does glorification by faith look like? It is when our physical bodies are replaced with glorified bodies like the one Jesus possesses. For God’s chosen people who have already died before Jesus’ coming, they await the resurrection of the saints at His coming. What is the purpose of being glorified together with the Lord Jesus on earth? It is to liberate all creation from the bondage of corruption and bring it into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim.

Through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim, this old Earth (the First Earth) will move toward the New Earth, and likewise the New Heavens. When Elohim creates the New Heavens and the New Earth, it does not mean that the first heavens and earth are totally destroyed and replaced with something entirely new. In theological terms, this is not ‘creatio ex nihilo’, but ‘creatio ex vetere’. This means that the New Heavens and the New Earth are the first heavens and earth that have undergone a “radical transformation” through the ministry of the glorified children of Elohim.

This is the perfect salvation accomplished by Jesus on the cross. This is also the reason the Father predestined His chosen people. We will not be evacuated to “a heaven far away,” where the only activity is singing forever. Such fairy-tale notions of heaven are not found in the books of the New Testament, even though they are believed by the majority in the Christian world. Rather, His chosen people long for the perfect salvation accomplished by Jesus.

One thing must be emphasized here: glorification by faith is not automatically obtained by all Christians who have experienced justification by faith and sanctification by faith. Glorification by faith is experienced only by the “firstfruits” of the church—those who are not only called, but also chosen and faithful (Rev. 17:14; James 1:14). The “firstfruits” of the church are those who mature earlier and are ready to be harvested at the end of the age. They are presented before all creation to liberate all creation. This is the perfect salvation described by Paul in the book of Romans.

We now enter chapter 17 and observe Paul’s missionary ministry in Thessalonica. Notice verse 3: “He explained and demonstrated that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and said, ‘This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Messiah.’” Paul delivered this sermon in the synagogue (the Jewish house of worship), where their general understanding of the Messiah was that of a leader who would bring Israel to its glory.

The Jewish people hoped that the Messiah would build a kingdom like David’s—a physical kingdom that would free Israel from its physical enemies or surrounding nations that fought against Israel—because they believed the Messiah was the son of David. Indeed, the Messiah is the son of David according to Yahweh’s promise to David (2 Samuel 7). However, they did not understand that the Messiah’s kingdom exists in a higher dimension—the heavenly dimension.

Jesus once questioned the Pharisees about the Messiah in Matthew 22:41–46. When asked whose son the Messiah is, they answered without hesitation, the son of David. Yet Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1, where David calls the Messiah ‘my Lord’. Therefore, Jesus emphasized how the Messiah could be David’s son when David himself calls Him Lord. Jesus was not denying that the Messiah is David’s descendant in a physical sense. Rather, He was emphasizing that the Messiah’s kingdom is “higher” than David’s kingdom, which is why David calls the Messiah his Lord. The Messiah’s kingdom exists in the heavenly dimension. It is the Kingdom of Heaven, which is why Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).

After His resurrection, Jesus said that all authority had been given to Him (Matt. 28:18). In accordance with Old Testament prophecy, the Messiah had to suffer, rise again, and even sit at the right hand of the Father so that He could establish His kingdom on earth. The proclamation that the Messiah had to suffer, die, rise again, and sit at the right hand of the Father in order to establish His kingdom on earth is the central theme of the apostles’ preaching. The New Testament has one main theme—the Kingdom of Heaven—not in the sense of “a heaven far away” where Jesus will someday take us to sing forever, but the Kingdom that will be fully established on earth. That is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth in the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:10). Why must the Kingdom of Heaven come to earth? The answer is clear in the Lord’s Prayer: so that the Father’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

For the Jewish people (Judaism), the concept that the Messiah must suffer is unacceptable. If we look online, the common reason given by Jewish rabbis for why they still cannot accept Jesus as the Messiah is precisely because Jesus was crucified. That is why, to this day, the Jewish people as a nation do not accept Jesus as their Messiah. Yet Paul’s preaching sought to convince the Jews that the Messiah had to suffer, die, and rise again.

We continue our discussion in chapter 17 and look at Paul’s missionary ministry in Berea (Acts 17:10–13). Notice verses 11–12: “Now the Jews in Berea were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed…”

The verses above emphasize that the Jews in Berea were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica for two reasons: first, they received the word with eagerness, and second, they examined the Scriptures to see whether Paul’s teaching aligned with what was written. Because of this attitude of heart, many Jews in Berea came to believe.

Here we see that believing in the word of God is closely related to the condition of one’s heart. This was already emphasized in the parable of the Kingdom of Heaven—the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Let us briefly review it. Jesus, as the sower, and later His disciples, sow the seed of the word of the Kingdom of Heaven, and it receives different responses depending on the type of soil (the human heart) where the seed falls. There are four categories of soil: the path, the rocky ground, the thorny ground, and the good soil.

The soil on the path represents those who hear the word of the Kingdom of Heaven but do not understand it; the evil one snatches it away, and there is no growth at all (v. 19). The rocky ground represents those who hear the word and initially grow because they receive it with joy, but they have no root (v. 21). When trouble or persecution comes because of the word of the Kingdom, they quickly fall away. The thorny ground represents those who hear the word and initially grow, but do not bear fruit because of the worries of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth (v. 22). The good soil represents those who hear and understand the word of the Kingdom of Heaven, and thus bear fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

Although a person’s response or heart condition determines whether they believe and bear fruit, everything ultimately depends on the grace of the Father in heaven. Notice Matthew 13:11: “Jesus replied, ‘The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven has been given to you, but not to them.’” Some are given the grace to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, while others are not. In conclusion, everything depends on the will of the Father in heaven—whether the Father is pleased to give the Kingdom of Heaven to someone or not (Luke 12:32). The human heart, having fallen into sin, is severely corrupted, and no one seeks God (Rom. 3:11). If someone understands the word of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is because the Father has been at work in that person’s heart.

Thus, the Jews in Berea who believed Paul’s message did not do so merely because of their own heart response to God’s word. Rather, the Father was pleased to reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven to them, and therefore they received the word eagerly and examined the Scriptures to test everything. The fact that the Jews in Berea had more noble hearts than those in Thessalonica was entirely due to the Father in heaven being pleased to reveal the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven to them.

We are still discussing chapter 17, and now we will look at Paul’s sermon in Athens, where he proclaimed the good news about Jesus and His resurrection (v. 18). Although in this sermon Paul does not explicitly explain the Kingdom of Heaven, this does not mean that he did not proclaim it. For Jesus, John the Baptist, and the apostles all proclaimed the good news (the Gospel) of the Kingdom of Heaven. As we know, the main theme of the New Testament is the Kingdom of Heaven that will be fully established on earth.

Let us examine some background regarding the Athenians before discussing the points of Paul’s sermon. First, the city of Athens was full of idols (v. 16). The Athenians were even concerned that there might be a god who had not yet been given an altar or worshiped. Therefore, they made an altar to an unknown god, which Paul used as an introduction in his sermon.

Second, the Athenians tended to enjoy philosophical thinking. There were Epicurean philosophers, followers of Epicurus (341–270 BC), whose philosophy was materialistic and denied the Creator and His providence over the world. The Epicureans sought physical pleasure, especially in eating and drinking, and Paul refers to them in Philippians 3:18–19 and 1 Corinthians 15:32. There were also Stoics, followers of Zeno (340–265 BC), whose philosophy was pantheistic, believing that everything was predetermined and that all events were expressions of “divine will.” Therefore, humans should accept and submit to their fate. Paul also refers to them in Philippians 4:11 by using the expression “contentment,” a term commonly used by the Stoics.

Third, there were poems known to the Athenians stating that we are of the offspring of Elohim (v. 28). These poems likely refer to Aratus (around 270 BC) and Cleanthes (around 300 BC), both of whom addressed such words to Zeus or Jupiter, whom they regarded as the highest god. Paul used these poems to support his sermon.

With this background, let us now enter into the points of Paul’s sermon. First, Paul begins with the matter of creation. Paul affirms that there is Elohim who created the heavens and the earth, and He does not dwell in temples made by human hands. Elohim began by creating one man, Adam, so that all nations and humankind might fill the earth. And Elohim desires that human beings seek Him and, hopefully, find Him. Then Paul reveals a truth: that human beings are the offspring of Elohim, and therefore they live in Him, move in Him, and have their being in Him.

Second, Paul emphasizes that all people must repent, especially those who regard the being of Elohim as something like gold, silver, or stone—an image formed by human art and skill.

Third, Elohim will judge the world with justice at the appointed time by a Man whom He has designated, namely Jesus, and He has given proof of this by raising Him from the dead. Through this sermon, some people came to believe.

Here we see that the climax of Paul’s sermon focuses on the authority of Jesus to be the righteous Judge of the whole world. In the Christian world in general, we rarely hear about the righteous judgment of the world by Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus will come (commonly referred to as the second coming) primarily to judge His church first, and afterward, together with His overcomers, Jesus will judge the world.

We now enter chapter 18 and discuss Paul’s ministry in Corinth, especially verses 5–6, which state: “…where he testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. But when they opposed him and blasphemed… ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’” We see that the Jews, as a nation, to this day have not accepted Jesus as their Messiah. They still hope that the Messiah will come and establish a physical kingdom of Israel like the kingdom of David, and of course build a physical Temple (the Third Temple) in Jerusalem. Will the hope of Israel as a nation (to build a physical kingdom and a physical Temple, with a ‘physical’ Messiah like David whom they await) be fulfilled or not?

Before answering this question, we need to understand that all Israel will surely be saved, as written in Romans 11:26–27: “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.’”

There are several points we need to reflect on from Romans 11:26–27 above. First, all Israel will be saved. The Greek term translated as ‘all’ is ‘pas’, meaning ‘all, the whole, every kind of’. It appears 1,244 times in the New Testament and carries the meaning ‘all, whole, whatever, whoever, everything’, and it is never translated as ‘part’ in the New Testament. This means that all Israel, in the true sense, will certainly be saved.

Second, Israel is saved by the Deliverer who comes from Zion. The Greek expression translated by LAI as ‘Deliverer’ actually means ‘the One who sets free’ and is preceded by the definite article. Thus, the One who sets Israel free is ‘a specific person’ who comes from Zion. We all certainly agree that this specific One who delivers Israel and comes from Zion is the Messiah, namely the Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, although Israel to this day, as a nation, does not accept Jesus as their Messiah, the preceding verse (verse 25) gives us the answer: “…Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” Thus, all Israel will be saved by Jesus Christ ‘after’ the Gentiles have come in. According to the context, the expression ‘the Gentiles have come in’ means that in the present time only a ‘remnant of Israel’ is saved (Romans 11:5), and likewise only a certain number from among the Gentiles are saved. When that certain number of Gentiles has come in (been saved) in this present age, then all Israel will also be saved.

Fourth, the Messiah will save Israel through a Covenant. The Covenant referred to is certainly not the Old Covenant, in which the removal of sin was only symbolized by the blood of animals. Rather, our verse above (verse 27) clearly states that the Lord removes Israel’s sins. Thus, the Messiah will save all Israel through a Covenant, namely the New Covenant (NC).

Next, let us consider the ‘New Jerusalem’ in Revelation 20:9–10. The New Jerusalem here is a symbol, consistent with the fundamental nature of the book of Revelation (1:1; Greek ‘semaino’, from the root ‘sema’, meaning symbol). The symbol of a ‘city’ in Revelation represents a system of government. Meanwhile, the symbol of the ‘New Jerusalem’ is the ‘Bride of the Lamb’, because when the angel was about to show the Bride of the Lamb to the apostle John, what was shown to him was the holy city, the New Jerusalem. If so, who is this ‘Bride of the Lamb’? Consider the basic nature of the Covenant between Yahweh and Israel in Jeremiah 31:32: “…although I was a husband to them, declares Yahweh” (ILT). Thus, the basic nature of the Covenant between Yahweh and Israel is like a covenant between husband and wife. Based on the Covenant, Israel is the “wife” of Yahweh. Therefore, the Bride of the Lamb, in a special sense, speaks of the nation of Israel as the “bride” of Yahweh.

That is why the kingdom of Israel will surely be restored, but through the context of the New Covenant—not as a physical kingdom like the kingdom of David with its physical Temple, in the context of the Old Covenant. Through the Messiah, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, the kingdom of Israel will be restored in the dispensation of the ‘New Heavens and New Earth’. There will no longer be a physical Temple in the dispensation of the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21:22).

So, returning to our question above: Will the hope of Israel as a nation (to build a physical kingdom and a physical Temple, with a “physical” Messiah like David whom they await) be fulfilled or not? The answer is clear: it will not be fulfilled. However, Israel will be saved in its entirety, and the ‘spiritual’ kingdom of Israel will be established on this earth in the age of the New Heavens and New Earth.

We are still discussing Paul’s ministry in Corinth (18:1–17). Pay attention to verses 12–13: “…the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, ‘This man persuades people to worship Elohim contrary to the Torah’” (ILT). These Jews certainly misunderstood, because Paul did not persuade people to worship Elohim contrary to the Torah. The real problem was that the Jews misunderstood the purpose for which Yahweh gave the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Torah given by Yahweh at Mount Sinai was not intended so that the Jewish people might be justified before Yahweh ‘by doing the works of the Law’.

Consider 1 Timothy 1:4: “…which promote controversies rather than the stewardship of Elohim that is in faith” (ILT). The Greek term translated as ‘stewardship’ here is ‘oikonomia’. The term ‘oikonomia’ comes from the root words ‘oikos’ (household) and ‘nemo’ (to distribute or provide food or rules/laws). In English, ‘oikonomia’ is translated as management, stewardship, dispensation, and economy. Thus, ‘oikonomia’ means a way in which Elohim manages His household (His people) and distributes or administers His laws within a particular period of time. But what we must always remember is that this management of Elohim ‘is in faith’.

In this writing we will discuss only two periods of time: the period in which Elohim managed the Jewish nation (the Old Covenant), and the period in which Elohim manages His church (the New Covenant). The meaning of Elohim’s management that is in faith is that all saints, whether in the context of the Old Covenant or the New Covenant, are justified by faith. Even from the time of Abel onward, all saints are justified by faith (Hebrews 11).

If so, what is the purpose of Elohim giving His laws in each specific period of time? Elohim’s purpose is clear: the saints in each period of time must express their faith through the law applicable in their time. In the context of Israel, Yahweh determined that the saints of the Old Covenant era must ‘express their faith through the Law of Moses’. The saints in the Old Covenant era were ‘still justified by faith’, but the faith they possessed had to be manifested through obedience to the Law.

Justification by faith is grace (Romans 4:16). A saint cannot “create” faith within himself. Only Jesus can create faith within the saints and bring that faith to its perfection (Hebrews 12:2). Therefore, if someone understands the meaning of ‘oikonomia’ that is in faith, he will understand that the measure of grace in the Old Covenant and the New Covenant is the same. Many Christians (including Bible teachers) compare or contrast the Law and Grace. Those who do so fail to understand the ‘oikonomia’ of Elohim that is in faith.

Now we enter the context of the church (the New Covenant). All Christians generally understand that we are justified solely by faith. But what law did Elohim give to the church so that the church might express its faith? If we examine the priesthood of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, we can clearly see the difference between the law applicable in the Old Covenant context and that in the New Covenant context (Hebrews 7). The priesthood of the Old Covenant is clearly the ‘Aaronic order’, and the law governing the Old Covenant priesthood is the Torah. But the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek (New Covenant) is governed by the law of Life (‘zoe’) (Hebrews 7:16).

The law applicable in the New Covenant is the law of the Life of Christ (zoe), or the law of love, as Jesus declared on His final night, or the law of the Spirit, in accordance with New Covenant worship—worship in spirit and truth. Those who teach the law of tithing, firstfruits (money), and other religious regulations do not understand at all the ‘oikonomia’ of Elohim that is in faith. Indeed, the primary corruption of the Christian world lies in its priestly regulations, because the priestly system in Christianity is neither the order of Aaron nor the order of Melchizedek. Religious leaders in Christianity generally create religious rules according to their own purposes. But the people of the Kingdom express their faith according to the law applicable to the priesthood of Melchizedek.

We are still discussing chapter 18, where after Paul completed his second missionary journey, he immediately departed and traveled throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples (verse 23). What we will now discuss is the matter of ‘strengthening’ the hearts of all the disciples, which is one aspect of Paul’s ministry. The term ‘strengthening’ is translated from the Greek verb ‘episterizo’, which appears only four times in the book of Acts.

There is another Greek term, ‘oikodomeo’ (to build), which is used forty times in the New Testament but often refers to building something physical, especially in the Gospels. However, when this term is used in the book of Acts, its meaning becomes mutual encouragement among the disciples. Furthermore, there is another Greek term with a similar meaning to ‘episterizo’, namely ‘sterizo’, which is used thirteen times in the New Testament, but it is also used to refer to a ‘place’, such as in the parable of the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham (Luke 16:26). Therefore, the term ‘sterizo’ can still have a physical connotation.

However, ‘episterizo’ comes from two root words: ‘epi’, meaning ‘above’, and ‘sterizo’, meaning ‘to build or strengthen’. Thus, the meaning of ‘episterizo’ always refers to strengthening the “above” dimension of a person—that is, strengthening the spiritual dimension of a disciple. Paul did not strengthen the hearts of disciples in the way motivational speakers often do in Christian pulpits, where they encourage congregations to achieve physical things such as success, prosperity, physical healing, and other outward matters.

Consider Paul’s inward-focused proclamation of the gospel as written in Colossians 1:27–28: “…Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, admonishing every person and teaching every person with all wisdom…” (ILT). Paul’s proclamation focused on ‘Christ who dwells within a person’, even though his ministry was accompanied by various outward signs and miracles as confirmations granted to him by Elohim. Once again, Paul never proclaimed physical healing, economic restoration, or other outward matters, as we often see when someone holds a “revival meeting” in the Christian world.

Why did the disciples need to be strengthened in their spirit? Acts 14:22 states: “There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (LAI). Paul strengthened the disciples because ahead of them lay many SUFFERINGS that had to be endured in order to enter the kingdom of heaven (the kingdom in the heavenly dimension). But Christian motivators generally strengthen people because ahead of them lies WORLDLY SUCCESS (physical in nature). This is the difference between Paul, the proclaimer of the kingdom of heaven, and Christian motivators in the Christian world.

Now we will discuss the ministry of Apollos in Ephesus in Acts 18:24–26. Verse 25 states: “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. With great fervor he spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Apollos’s understanding of ‘the way of the Lord’ was not yet complete, because he knew only the baptism of John, even though he also taught about Jesus. Why was it incomplete?

To see the deficiency in Apollos’s message, we need to understand the role of John the Baptist as the one who prepared the way for Jesus (Matthew 3:3). Although John the Baptist proclaimed the same message as the Lord Jesus—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”—John himself clearly stated, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who comes after me is mightier than I… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11).

Let us first look at Luke 16:16 to further understand the role of John the Baptist: “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of Elohim is preached, and everyone presses into it” (ILT). The Law and the Prophets here refer to the Old Covenant. And we know that the Old Covenant consists only of symbols, prophecies, and shadows. From this verse it is clear that John the Baptist represents the “closure” of the ministry of symbols, prophecies, and shadows in the Old Covenant. The reality of the shadows and symbols in the Old Covenant is Jesus. That is why Jesus declared, “I am the Truth” (aletheia = Reality). Likewise, Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament.

We know that all prophecies, types, and symbols in the Old Testament point to the person of the Lord Jesus as the Messiah, and certainly also to the Messianic Kingdom (the Kingdom of Heaven). In fact, Jesus Himself is the Kingdom of Heaven manifested on earth (Luke 17:20–24). Verses 22–24 in Luke 17 prove that the Kingdom of Elohim is Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore, even though John the Baptist proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven, he himself was NOT INCLUDED IN IT (Matthew 11:11).

John the Baptist proclaimed, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” with the purpose of preparing the way for Jesus, who is the manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. If someone from the people of Israel repented, John baptized him merely as a sign of repentance, not as a sign that the person had received Jesus as the Messiah. And those who repented and were baptized by John were not the people of the Kingdom of Heaven. A person must believe in Jesus as the Messiah to become a citizen of the Kingdom, and then he will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for it is Jesus who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

Through all the explanations above, it is not surprising that there were disciples whom Paul encountered in Ephesus—where Apollos had ministered—who had not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1–6). After the disciples were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, they received the Holy Spirit and became people of the Kingdom.

Now we will discuss Paul’s ministry in Ephesus in chapter 19. Verse 10 states, “This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Paul preached the gospel and sought to persuade people about the Kingdom of Elohim (verse 8). Because some were hardened and refused to be persuaded, Paul separated the disciples and taught them daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus for two years.

Although Paul did not determine the movement of his mission from city to city by himself, the Holy Spirit led him to strategic cities such as Ephesus and Corinth. In Corinth, Paul stayed for one and a half years (18:11). Everything was arranged by the Holy Spirit in such a way that even though Paul spoke in the lecture hall of Tyrannus, all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord. Certainly, the Lord confirmed His word in various ways. We will discuss three things that confirmed the word of the Lord preached by Paul during his time in Ephesus.

First, God performed extraordinary miracles in Ephesus, so that people brought handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched Paul and laid them on the sick, and their diseases left them and evil spirits came out (19:11–12).

Second, God “used” some Jewish exorcists who invoked the name of the Lord Jesus to heal those who were demon-possessed. There were seven sons of a Jewish high priest who attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus, but the evil spirits overpowered them. Through this event, the name of the Lord Jesus became widely known (19:17).

Third, there was a riot involving Demetrius and his craftsmen who made silver shrines of the goddess Artemis, while Paul firmly declared that what is made by human hands is not a god (19:26). Through this riot, the name of the Lord Jesus became even more widely known. God’s confirmation does not always take the form of healing, casting out demons, or various miracles. God’s confirmation can also take the form of riots, or like Stephen, who was stoned to death. If the true gospel is preached, there will certainly be genuine repentance, OR a riot. Wherever Paul preached the gospel of the Kingdom, something always happened—either repentance or a riot. Acts 17:6 states, “…These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

We see that Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was very successful, because through it all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord. However, it is very unfortunate that in only about thirteen years, at the end of Paul’s ministry, it turned out that “…all who are in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). Phygelus and Hermogenes were certainly church leaders. If we compare this with 2 Timothy 1:8, which says, “…do not be ashamed of me, His prisoner…,” then perhaps Phygelus and Hermogenes were among those who were ashamed of Paul as a prisoner and led others to turn away from him.

Or perhaps it was because of the attack of savage wolves, as Paul had declared to the elders in Ephesus in Acts 20:28–30, where some leaders would draw disciples after themselves in order to make them their followers. Through Paul’s imprisonment, Phygelus and Hermogenes gained the opportunity to draw followers by “removing” Paul.

Whatever the reason, the churches in Asia Minor had deviated from the truth, as also stated in Revelation 2–3, where the church in Ephesus in particular had left its first love. All this was caused by the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

We now enter chapter 20 and discuss Paul’s prophecy or warning to the leaders of the church in Ephesus: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the assembly of Elohim which He acquired through His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among yourselves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (verses 28–30, ILT).

This portion of God’s word is very important for us as the church, especially for leaders. However, if a leader does not understand the basic nature of the church that the Lord Jesus is building, he will not understand this passage. When Jesus spoke to Saul, who was persecuting the church on his way to Damascus, Jesus did not say, “Why are you persecuting the church?” but rather, “…Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). In fact, Saul was not persecuting Jesus; he was persecuting the church, which he considered heretical. Do we realize that Jesus and the church cannot be separated? Jesus and the church are ONE “PERSON,” namely the “PERSON” of Christ. Jesus as Christ is the Head, and the church is the Body of Christ. The Head and the Body are one—ONE ORGANISM.

Leaders in Christianity generally do not understand the difference between an ORGANISM and an ORGANIZATION. They think that an organization is merely a tool to make pastoral care better and more effective. But in fact, the difference between an organism and an organization is like the difference between heaven and earth. The difference lies in AUTHORITY. The authority of an organization is HUMAN—its highest leader, whether called a senior pastor, a senior elder, or anything else. But the authority of an organism is the LIFE of the organism itself. When Jesus said, “I am the Life” (zoe), it means that Jesus as Life directly exercises authority over every member of the Body, just as in any organism (living being). Jesus never delegated His authority. The expression delegated authority exists only in the context of organizations. In an organism, there is no concept of delegated authority. ALL MEMBERS OF AN ORGANISM ARE DIRECTLY GOVERNED BY THE LIFE OF THE ORGANISM ITSELF.

Let us try to compare organism leadership with organizational leadership to better understand what church leadership should be like. We will use one term to compare the two: ‘essence’. Essence, according to the Indonesian Dictionary, means the nature, core, or fundamental thing. What is the nature, core, or fundamental element in organism leadership and organizational leadership?

We will be helped by two Bible verses. First, Acts 20:30, which we mentioned above: “Even from among yourselves some will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Second, Ephesians 4:11–12: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the Body of Christ.” These two verses speak about leadership with two very different outcomes. The first produces division in the Body, while the second builds up the Body of Christ. The essence of the first leadership that tears apart the Body is DRAWING DISCIPLES TO FOLLOW THE LEADER. The essence of the second leadership that builds up the Body of Christ is EQUIPPING. This is the difference in essence.

Leadership that DRAWS DISCIPLES is organizational leadership, whereas leadership that EQUIPS THE SAINTS is organism leadership. This understanding may seem trivial, but in Christianity it is almost not understood. My theology lecturer once said that the church is an organism that needs to be organized. Although he was a synod leader, a senior pastor with thousands of members, a theology lecturer at various seminaries, and held a Doctor of Theology degree, he did not understand what we are discussing here. It seems that such an understanding is common in Christianity. In fact, the basic nature of the church is an organism and does not need to be organized at all.

Let us continue our previous discussion, where we firmly stated that the church is an organism and does not need to be organized, because the life of the organism governs all the members of the body. The church as an organism is described in detail in the book of Acts. There are approximately seventy expressions such as ‘the Spirit whispered’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, ‘the Holy Spirit said’, ‘filled with the Spirit’, and so on, in its 28 chapters. In this book, believers are called ‘disciples’ because they are learning the central theme of the New Testament books—the Kingdom of Heaven—and are also learning to be led solely by the Holy Spirit in daily life.

Paul called himself a ‘prisoner of the Spirit’. In his missionary work, Paul did not make plans, organizational structures, leadership systems (except by example), or control systems, as is typical of leaders (read: managers) in Christianity. Paul simply followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. That is why the life of the early church moved spontaneously, just as the members of an organism move spontaneously according to the leading of the organism’s life. They spontaneously gathered, gave, prayed, and held ‘revival meetings’, as Peter and his companions did. There were no “human hands” directing the movement of the early church, even though there were leaders in the church. Everything was directed by the Holy Spirit.

Now we will compare the growth of an organism and the growth of an organization to better understand the church as an organism. Consider Colossians 2:19: “…and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the growth that is from God.” The expression “joints and ligaments” in an organism refers to leaders who function to support and hold the Body together. All members of the organism hold fast to the Head. Furthermore, the phrase ‘grows with the growth that is from God’ is translated from the Greek expression ‘auxanō ho auxēsis ho Theos’, which means ‘may increase with the increase of God’. What does ‘the increase of God’ mean here? It means that the life of God (zoe) grows within the church (the organism). The church increasingly knows the true Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent, as the life of zoe grows, because the function of the life of zoe is to know Elohim (John 17:3). This is the true growth of the church—growing in the true knowledge of Elohim.

But organizational growth is very different. When studying the course ‘church growth’, we were required to use a textbook titled Understanding Church Growth written by Donald McGavran, who is regarded as the “father of church growth.” Although McGavran held a Ph.D. from Columbia University, he also did not understand what we are discussing here. Understanding that the church is an organism that does not need to be organized at all is not a matter of impressive academic titles. If someone receives grace from God, he will certainly understand it. McGavran’s book would be more accurately titled Understanding Denomination Growth rather than Understanding Church Growth, because what it actually discusses is the growth of church organizations (denominations), not the growth of the church (organism). Unfortunately, in

Christianity, leaders have become accustomed to calling denominations the church. This is due to the doctrine of the ‘visible and invisible church’ initiated by Martin Luther.

We are still discussing Paul’s prophecy or warning to the leaders of the church in Ephesus. Now we will pay attention to the expression “savage wolves” used by Luke to describe Satan’s attack on church leaders in Ephesus: “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among yourselves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (verses 29–30, ILT).

Let us note several points from these verses. First, the savage wolves (the devil) do not attack the church directly, but its leaders—specifically, the elders (plural). Second, leaders who are attacked by the “savage wolves” will speak misleading things. What is meant by “misleading things” here are false teachings, and this does not mean something completely different from the original teaching. The apostle John identifies these false teachings as the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3).

Third, the purpose of leaders who are attacked by savage wolves in creating false teachings is clear: to draw the Lord’s disciples to become their followers. Disciples who originally followed only the leading of the Holy Spirit day by day then become followers of certain leaders, so that the church is divided into factions, as in the church in Corinth, which said, I follow Paul, I follow Apollos, I follow Cephas, or even I follow Christ (1 Corinthians 1:12). Paul rebuked all this firmly, because such behavior causes the church to be torn apart, just as when savage wolves attack their prey.

We have seen above the result of the attack of savage wolves on church leaders, namely that the church is divided into factions, or what we call denominations. But there is one thing that is often overlooked in discussing this attack: the matter of the system (Greek: kosmos). Because of the attack of savage wolves, church leaders build a kosmos (system, also translated as ‘world’) through the three false teachings mentioned above—Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans.

Let us now examine the writings of the apostle John to understand the meaning of the term ‘kosmos’ (system, world). In fact, the term ‘kosmos’ appears 186 times in the New Testament, 78 times in the Gospel of John and 24 times in his epistles, so that more than half of its occurrences are found in the writings of the Apostle John. The frequent appearance of this term in John’s writings certainly carries a special meaning in Johannine theology.

We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used in a sentence. If the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (ESV), we clearly understand that the meaning of ‘world’ here refers to all humanity on the face of the earth. However, if the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15, which says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them,” then the meaning of ‘world’ here is not all people on earth. Here, ‘world’ refers to a ‘system’ whose values contradict God’s values.

In a dictionary, a system is a group of elements that work together according to certain rules or values. Economy, politics, society, and even religion can become systems. Let us look at John 15:18-25. In the ESV, this pericope is titled ‘The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples’. If we read the entire passage, we can understand who is meant by ‘world’ here. Verse 25 says, “But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’” It is clear that ‘world’ here refers to the Jewish religious system or Judaism, specifically the teachings of Judaism and their Torah. They were the ones who killed Jesus and hated and persecuted His followers.

It is clear that the ruler of the ‘cosmos’ is a fierce wolf (Satan). Consider John 12:31: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Also, Revelation 12:9 states, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray—he was hurled to the earth…” Therefore, we can understand that Satan (the fierce wolf) is the ruler of the world in terms of the religious system, and Satan is also the one who deceives the religious world.

Christianity has become a ‘cosmos’ (system) through three false teachings. In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, these three heresies that infiltrated the church are clearly outlined. The teachings of Nicolas and Jezebel, in which hierarchy enters the church and leaders usurp the authority of Jesus as the head of the church, split the church into the laity and priests, or congregation and pastors. The teaching of Balaam involved trade. Isn’t the Christian world full of trade, just like in Jesus’ time when the Temple was full of commerce?

Thus, this fierce wolf attacks church leaders so that they teach these three false doctrines to build a ‘system’ of Christianity. Let us take an example of how this Christian system works. Christianity consists of denominations, theological schools, and synods. These three function together as a ‘system.’ It is undeniable that this system is driven by money. Christianity as a system cannot operate without money. This contrasts with the early church, which was ENTIRELY Spirit-led. All members of the early church only needed money to meet daily needs. That is why Paul said, “Food and clothing are sufficient.” However, a leader in the Christian system needs many things, such as building costs, ministry expenses, salaries for workers, and so on, beyond their personal needs. All of this is justified in the Christian world because the three false teachings validate it. Such conditions did not exist in the early church before the attacks of the fierce wolf.

Our conclusion regarding the attack of the ‘fierce wolf’ is that Satan attacks church leaders to teach the three false doctrines so that God’s disciples follow the leaders, and more than that, the leaders build a ‘system’ that enslaves God’s people with many religious rules. Under the Christian system, God’s people can no longer worship in spirit and truth because they can no longer follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever He wills. This is the attack of the ‘fierce wolf’ that tears the church apart and brings God’s people into religious slavery.

We are still discussing chapter 20, where we examine several things in Paul’s words to the elders in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-35). We know that God appointed Paul as an example for believers (1 Timothy 1:16). Specifically, we will see examples of how someone serving God should live. Let us consider several examples given by Paul:

First, Paul emphasized that the elders should observe how he lived among them (verses 18-20). Here Paul gives an example through his life among them—how he humbly served God and never neglected what was beneficial to the believers, even though he faced many trials from the Jews who tried to kill him.

Second, Paul prioritized reaching the finish line, meaning completing the ministry assigned by Jesus, even disregarding his own life (verse 24). Clearly, Paul was not commissioned by humans, any human institution, or anything other than Jesus Christ Himself. In the early church, this could be done by every member because each lived daily under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit. But in the Christian world, one cannot follow the Spirit wherever He leads because Christianity has become a ‘system’ that enslaves God’s people, preventing them from freely following the Spirit.

Third, Paul’s message was clear: the gospel of God’s grace, which is the kingdom of God (verses 24-25). Paul always taught and convinced people about the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ, even in Rome, from morning until evening (Acts 28:23).

Fourth, in his ministry, Paul never sought silver, gold, or clothing from anyone (verse 33). He worked as a ‘tentmaker’ to meet his own needs and those of his companions. Did this mean Paul never received assistance from others or the church? Of course, Paul occasionally received support—from friends, the church in Philippi, and even from Governor Publius when his ship was stranded on Malta. He received help as the Spirit directed, but he never received a regular salary from a specific church or routine support from anyone because he did not work for humans. Paul worked for Jesus, and Jesus alone was responsible for his needs and those of his companions.

This differs from the Christian world as a ‘system.’ If someone “serves” in the Christian world, they simply follow what leaders have arranged. In a ‘system,’ duties, accountability, salary, working hours, etc., are all determined by leaders. This is no longer truly serving Jesus but working like a doctor or any employee. Yet this is the condition of Christianity as a system. There are many other examples in Paul’s life, and we cannot easily follow them. However, through these examples, we can already imagine how one should serve Jesus.

We now move to chapter 21, where Paul intended to go to Jerusalem on his return journey after his third mission. When he reached Tyre and visited the disciples there, “…through the Spirit’s prompting, the disciples urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem” (21:4). Yet Paul ignored this ‘prompting of the Spirit’ and continued toward Jerusalem. Later, we will discuss possible reasons why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem. But for now, we emphasize that listening to and obeying the ‘Spirit’s prompting’ was normal in the early church.

As we know, the phrases ‘Spirit’s prompting,’ ‘Holy Spirit forbade,’ ‘full of the Holy Spirit,’ and similar expressions appear about 70 times in Acts. This shows the full authority of the Holy Spirit over the early church. No other authority directed the early church. All members were led directly by the Holy Spirit—Peter, John, Paul, the apostles, and the elders. The early church was purely an organism, where the life authority of the organism, Christ’s life (‘zoe’), directed the church’s movement.

The Holy Spirit could use any member to speak to other members and sometimes directed the early church through angels, visions, dreams, etc. In any case, all members were led directly by the Holy Spirit.

Here we see that Paul failed to hear the ‘Spirit’s prompting’ through the disciples. In a sense, this failure could happen. Every church member is called a disciple, meaning they are learning to hear the ‘Spirit’s prompting’ in daily life. Failure is part of learning and should not be seen as extraordinary. Clearly, no member had authority over another, unlike in the Christian world, where leaders act as “managers/bosses” of the church, making plans, organizing, directing, and controlling the congregation like a company. Since the “church” belonged to them, not as Jesus would establish it, it is natural for leaders to control everything.

Let us examine Paul’s failure again, where the Holy Spirit reminds Paul through the prophet Agabus and disciples in Caesarea not to go to Jerusalem (21:8-14). Yet Paul refused, and the disciples submitted, saying, ‘May the Lord’s will be done.’ One reason Paul may have ignored the advice was his desire to die as a martyr in Jerusalem (21:13). As a Jew, Jerusalem held spiritual significance as the city chosen by Yahweh to place His name. Yet Yahweh did not intend for Paul to die as a martyr there.

Next, we will discuss possible reasons why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem. To understand this, we need to look at the Trilogy principle in the New Testament. Without this principle, we might confuse Peter’s ministry with his team, Paul’s ministry with his team, and John’s ministry with his team.

Before continuing, there is an important term appearing only once in the New Testament, the Greek word ‘orthotomeo’ (verb) in 2 Timothy 2:15: “…rightly dividing the word of truth” (KJV). The phrase ‘rightly dividing’ comes from the Greek ‘orthotomeo,’ meaning ‘to cut straight.’ That is, to cut or discern accurately. Therefore, ‘orthotomeo’ means to accurately discern (or “cut”) the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 is Paul’s advice to Timothy, so that as a preacher of the Gospel (word of truth) or servant of God, he can rightly discern the word of truth.

Let us discuss the ‘trilogy’ concept. In English, a trilogy means ‘a group of three plays, novels, operas, etc., to be performed or read in succession, each complete in itself but having a common subject.’ In short, a trilogy is three consecutive stories, each with the same theme. Does this concept exist in the Bible? Although the term ‘trilogy’ is not written in the Bible, the concept is found frequently. Consider Proverbs 22:20: “Have I not written to you excellent things in counsel and knowledge” (ESV). The phrase ‘excellent things’ comes from the Hebrew word ‘shalosh,’ meaning ‘three.’ The Young’s Literal Translation says, “Have I not written to thee three times…” Combining Young’s and KJV translations, speaking three times in counsel and knowledge is highly significant. Thus, the Trilogy Principle is revealed in Proverbs 22:20.

Applying this principle to the New Testament, there are three ministries: Peter and his team, Paul and his team, and John and his team—each complete, sequential, and sharing a common theme: the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.

We continue our discussion of why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem in chapter 21. We have addressed the Trilogy Principle and rightly discerning the word of truth (‘orthotomeo’), but one more term must be discussed: the Greek ‘oikonomia’ in 1 Timothy 1:4: “…the stewardship of God in faith” (KJV). The term ‘stewardship’ comes from Greek ‘oikonomia,’ derived from ‘oikos’ (household) and ‘nemo’ (dispense laws or rules). Thus, God’s ‘oikonomia’ is how He manages His people during a specific period by giving His laws. In English translations, ‘oikonomia’ is rendered as ‘dispensation,’ ‘administration,’ ‘management,’ or ‘economy.’

We have emphasized that the New Testament explains Peter and his team’s ministry to the Jews, Paul and his team’s ministry to the Gentiles, and John and his team’s ministry to the churches that had fallen (the seven churches in Asia Minor). How can we “discern correctly” (“ortothomeo”) the ministries of the three? Clearly, the ministry of Peter and his team was directed toward the Jewish people, where God organized Israel by giving the Law of Moses. However, the ministry of Paul and his team, directed toward the Gentiles, was organized by God not through the Law of Moses, but through the Law of Christ, or the Law of the Spirit, or the Law of Life, or the Law of Love.

Indeed, the ministry of Peter and his team offered the New Covenant to the Jews, because the New Covenant ratified by the blood of Jesus was primarily directed toward the Jewish people (Jeremiah 31:31). For Jews who were already bound by the Old Covenant with Yahweh, and who then believed in and accepted Jesus as the Messiah, they did not completely abandon the Law of Moses. Notice Acts 21:20: “… Then they said to Paul: ‘Brother, see, thousands of Jews have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law of Moses.’” Of course, being zealous for the Law of Moses did not mean they served in the Temple, because the Law of Moses established that only the Levites could serve in the Temple. They also no longer observed the laws regarding animal sacrifices, for Jesus had fulfilled them. However, some rituals of the Law of Moses were still practiced, such as the laws of vows, circumcision, and others (21:21-24).

Meanwhile, God revealed to Paul understanding that was different from what Peter and his team received, regarding the Gentiles. In Galatians 5:2, Paul emphasizes, “Behold, I, Paul, say to you, if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” Paul meant that anyone who seeks righteousness through the Law of Moses will live outside of grace. One will be separated from Christ if they rely on the Law of Moses for righteousness. Likewise, Ephesians 2:15 states: “For by His death He has abolished the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man from the two, making peace.” This means that through Christ’s death, there is no longer a dividing wall between Jew and Gentile; both become one new man in Him. That is why, in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile (Galatians 3:28).

However, the understandings received by Paul and his team could not be understood or accepted by Peter’s group, whose ministry was directed toward the Jews. If Paul went to Jerusalem, conflict would arise that really need not happen. Perhaps this is why the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Jerusalem. This does not mean that the gospel received by Peter’s group contradicted the gospel received by Paul. Rather, each revelation complements the other and progresses according to the principle of the Trilogy.

Before Paul and his companions arrived in Jerusalem, when they were in Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus came and foretold that Paul would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:11). Again, Paul was advised by the brethren there not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul insisted on going, saying he was ready to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

After Paul arrived in Jerusalem and explained what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry, James’ group raised the issue of whether Paul was teaching Jews in the diaspora to abandon the Law of Moses. Here, Paul faced a dilemma—a difficult and confusing situation. On one hand, Paul, as a Jew, was fully entitled to observe the vow rituals, as he had done in Cenchrea (Acts 18:18), but the revelation he received regarding the mystery of Christ, through which Christ’s death abolished the Law of Moses and made Jews and Gentiles one new man, created a dilemma for him (Ephesians 2:11-22). It was not easy for Paul to explain this, perhaps one reason the Holy Spirit had forbidden him to go to Jerusalem.

Next, James’ group suggested that Paul take part in a vow ritual with several others to demonstrate that he still observed the Law of Moses and did not teach Jews in the diaspora to abandon it (Acts 21:21-24). In reality, according to the revelation he had received regarding the mystery of Christ, Paul did teach that ‘in Christ’ there is no Jew or Gentile (Galatians 3:28). Nevertheless, Paul agreed to take part in the vow ritual to purify himself and show that he still observed the Law of Moses and did not teach Jews in the diaspora to abandon it.

However, we know that when this vow ritual was nearly complete, Jews from Asia accused Paul of opposing the Law of Moses, causing a riot in Jerusalem and capturing him. In fact, they planned to kill Paul if the commander had not intervened.

When Paul was allowed by the commander to speak to the crowd, they only heard part of his explanation (Acts 22:22). Naturally, the crowd that did not accept Jesus as the Messiah could not understand Paul’s explanation, even though he recounted his extraordinary conversion. Truly, the Jews who still could not accept Jesus as the Messiah were part of God the Father’s own divine arrangement. Just as the Jewish religious leaders would not accept Jesus as the Messiah, even though He performed many miracles before them (John 12:37-41). All of this was orchestrated by the Father’s wisdom. In the end, when the Gentiles are fully included, all Israel will accept Jesus as the Messiah and be saved (Romans 11:25-27).

The next story is Paul’s testimony before the Jewish Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (Acts 23:1-10). By God’s wisdom, Paul testified that he was a Pharisee who hoped in the resurrection of the dead. We know that the Sanhedrin members from the Sadducees did not believe in resurrection or angels, so Paul’s words caused a great uproar, forcing the session to be suspended.

Even though Paul’s difficulties in Jerusalem arose because he did not heed the whispers of the Holy Spirit through the disciples, God still strengthened him (Acts 23:11): “… Be courageous, for as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.” Indeed, Paul had planned to visit Rome after Jerusalem (Acts 19:21). So, Paul’s plan to visit Rome was fulfilled despite his difficulties in Jerusalem.

However, Paul’s journey to Rome in chains was not smooth. He had to be transferred to Caesarea due to a plot by the Jews to kill him. He also faced trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin under Felix. Two years later, when Festus succeeded Felix, Paul remained in custody. He also faced trial before Festus and had to appeal to the Emperor (Acts 25:11). On the journey to Rome, Paul experienced a shipwreck and was stranded on the island of Malta. Yet through these trials, Paul finally arrived in Rome as ordained by God.

As a conclusion to this section, let us consider Paul’s testimony regarding his conversion before King Agrippa: “Now rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of what you have seen and of what I will reveal to you” (Acts 26:16). Here we see how God led His servant Paul. God did not reveal His entire will to Paul at once. He guided Paul step by step. When God appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, He only instructed him to go there, promising to reveal further instructions later (Acts 22:10). Even before Paul began his first mission, more than a decade had passed since his conversion.

Yet, by obeying God step by step, Paul could declare at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day…” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Paul received the crown of righteousness from the Lord, the righteous Judge, whose justice is evident in rewarding His obedient servant who followed Him step by step.

Now, let us consider Paul’s conversation with Felix in Acts 24:24-26: “… But when Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’” Paul’s conversations with Felix were frequent during the two years of Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea, not because Felix sought the truth, but because he hoped Paul would offer him money for release.

What we should note in this conversation is the matter of ‘self-control’ and the ‘coming judgment’. When Felix heard this, he became afraid. This is understandable because Felix had a Jewish wife named Drusilla, the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, previously married to Azizus of Emesa. Felix, as a Roman governor, persuaded Drusilla to leave Azizus and marry him. Felix (Marcus Antonius) was a greedy man who cared little about justice, so it is understandable that he feared hearing about the ‘coming judgment’.

However, in the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, the ‘coming judgment’ is a critical point that must be proclaimed. Jesus, after teaching about the ‘deceptions’ His followers would face, concluded the Sermon on the Mount by emphasizing judgment (Matthew 7:21-27). 2 Corinthians 5:10 also states: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” We must view God’s judgment in two aspects: punishment (what one sows, one reaps) and restoration, as in Isaiah 26:9: “… When You judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”

Consider the judgment in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day… we prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and did many wonders in Your name… Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” Here, judgment depends on whether someone does the Father’s will, not merely on acts of prophecy, exorcism, or miracles in His name. Followers of Jesus who are rejected from reigning with Him when the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested on earth (the Millennium) are those who committed ‘lawlessness’, meaning they did not do the Father’s will.

The Greek term translated as ‘lawlessness’ is ‘anomia’, meaning ‘absence of law’. These followers of Jesus performed ministry in His name but violated the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. The term ‘anomia’ also appears in the parable of the tares among the wheat: “… all evildoers (‘anomia’) in His kingdom” (Matthew 13:41). These followers were already in the kingdom of heaven, yet during their earthly ministry, they did not do the Father’s will and violated the Kingdom’s Law, hence they were rejected from reigning on earth at Christ’s second coming.

Thus, anyone preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven, as Paul did, must proclaim the ‘coming judgment’, whether the listener believes in Jesus or not, as with Felix. Even though acceptance of the kingdom is by grace and the Father’s favor (Luke 12:32), sin must still be addressed. The coming judgment reveals the truth.

We conclude with Paul’s conversation with the Jews in Rome (Acts 28:17-29). The Jews in Rome understood the gospel of the kingdom as a ‘sect’ facing opposition everywhere (v. 22). They allowed Paul to explain this ‘sect’, which was actually the gospel of the kingdom, concerning the Messiah’s kingdom promised by Yahweh to the Jews.

Acts 28:23 states: “And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified about the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning until evening” (ILT). The Jewish Scriptures, the Tanakh, consist of the Torah (five books of Moses), Nebiim (the Prophets), and Ketubim (the Writings), which we call the Old Testament. Paul explained the kingdom of heaven from their Scriptures, convincing them that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

Even though Paul taught about the Messiah’s kingdom from morning to evening based on their Scriptures, not all were convinced. Some still did not believe. Yet it was prophesied in the OT that the Jewish people as a nation would not accept Jesus as Messiah until a full number of Gentiles came in (John 12:37-41; Romans 11:25-26; Isaiah 6:10). Once the Gentiles were included, all Israel would be saved, meaning they would accept Jesus as their Messiah.

For two years, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ to all who came to his lodging. Around 63 AD, Paul was released, resumed ministry, and wrote 1 Timothy and Titus. Later, he was imprisoned a second time in Rome and wrote 2 Timothy before dying a martyr under Emperor Nero in 67 AD. Amen.

Thirty years ago, my wife and I, along with some dear believing friends were drawn together by the Lord to find a simpler way of walking together in Him. At the time I believed that this would be the beginning of a great change for many of God's people around the world. We met and made friends from all over the world who were also excited about the freedom that meeting in homes instead of dedicated buildings could allow. It was a very exciting time.

For us it was not just about the building but the need for every member of the body of Christ to serve God and others in the capacity that He had in mind for them. The majority of traditional church practices did not seem to encourage this at the time.

The movement did not take off as I had expected. Many house churches did not continue for very long. Our fellowship continued for about 15 years. We made many mistakes, but basically the people in our area could not see the point. In fact, the mega church model actually exploded in this same time period.

It was a helpful time in that we "got the church system out of our system." Now we know that we can honor Christ where ever we are. We must simply remember that we are called to serve one another in love. Jesus set the example in word and deed. I am encouraged to see that a new generation of Christians are being challenged to meet in a more biblical setting. I am eager to encourage them as I have the opportunity to do so.

At the same time, I hope to continue to show that following Jesus is still the primary goal.

Summary: The Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ and His Church, conveyed through symbolic language.

Call to action: By His grace, we are able to live out the function of the Church as priests according to the order of Melchizedek, and as kings in everyday life.

We are entering a new theme, namely, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven in the Book of Revelation’. This means that we will discuss the theme of the Kingdom of Heaven as it is revealed in the Book of Revelation. This does not mean that we will look only at the Book of Revelation without quoting or paying attention to other books in the Bible. For the principle of hermeneutics affirms that only Scripture should interpret Scripture. Therefore, we will continue to consider the entire ‘line of thought’ of the Bible in understanding the Book of Revelation.

There are several things that need to be affirmed before we enter the Book of Revelation. First, the Book of Revelation is a revelation conveyed in symbolic language. Revelation 1:1 states, “The Revelation of JESUS Christ, which Elohim gave to Him… He made it known to His servant John” (ILT). The term ‘made it known’ here is translated from the Greek term ‘semaino’, derived from the root word ‘sema’, which means ‘sign/symbol’. Therefore, we must be careful not to interpret the Book of Revelation ‘literally’.

Second, the Book of Revelation is a book that is ‘positive’ in nature, in the sense that it is ‘restorative’. This is because the Book of Revelation reveals the PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, as stated in the verse above. Thus, every calamity, plague, or any form of ‘destruction’ is merely a means or an event with the purpose of revealing the person of Jesus. We must focus on the revelation of the person of Jesus, and not on the frightening stories written in this book. Those frightening stories and expressions must be interpreted symbolically, in accordance with the symbolic language of the Book of Revelation. John 3:17 affirms, “For Elohim did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him” (ILT).

Third, the fulfillment of the Book of Revelation is inward in nature, because this book reveals a person, namely the person of Jesus Christ. In the history of interpretation, there are two main approaches to interpreting this book: historical interpretation and futuristic interpretation. Historical interpretation was very dominant before 1800 AD. Martin Luther interpreted the Antichrist as the Pope in the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, futuristic interpretation began to emerge from the 1800s until around 1995. This futuristic interpretation gave rise to teachings such as the rapture, the second coming of Jesus, a literal lake of fire understood as a literal hell, and so on. We do not completely reject either the historical or the futuristic approaches, but our inward interpretation is primarily based on Galatians 2:20 and Romans 8:19–21.

Fourth, since the revelation of the Book of Revelation is the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ, it is therefore also the revelation of the church as the Body of Christ, and the revelation of the Kingdom of Heaven, because that is the purpose of Jesus’ coming into the world—to establish His Kingdom on earth. There are two symbols in the Book of Revelation that we must pay attention to, namely the golden lampstands (chapter 1) and the throne—the throne of Elohim, the throne of the Lamb, and also thrones (chapters 20–22). We know that the golden lampstands are symbols of the church, and the throne is certainly a symbol of the kingdom. Thus, in broad terms, the Book of Revelation reveals to us a journey from the church to the kingdom, from lampstands to the throne.

We have affirmed that the Book of Revelation reveals the person of Jesus Christ, His church, and certainly His Kingdom. Let us consider Revelation 1:9 to gain an understanding related to the kingdom. Revelation 1:9 states, “I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and the kingdom and the perseverance of JESUS Christ, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of Elohim and the testimony of JESUS Christ” (ILT).

In this verse, the Apostle John refers to the recipients of his writing as companions. Here, companion has the same meaning as fellowship (koinonia), which is the main theme in John’s letters. However, in 1 John 1:3, the Apostle John writes to his recipients ‘so that’ they may have fellowship with him. This means that only if they receive the word he proclaims will there be fellowship with the Apostle John; if they reject it, there will be no fellowship. Here, there is an interesting fact that we need to observe.

The First Epistle of John is a general letter written to the churches in Asia Minor (the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3). We know that the seven churches in Asia Minor had fallen because of three false teachings: the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. That is why the Lord calls for the overcomers in each of the seven churches. Thus, in the First Epistle of John, the Apostle John writes to fallen churches. That is why John proclaims the word of God so that there may be fellowship among them.

This is different from the recipients of the Book of Revelation, where the Apostle John calls them companions. Specifically, the Apostle John calls them companions in the kingdom. This means that the Book of Revelation is specifically addressed to members of the church who have indeed received the proclamation of the Apostle John’s word and have had fellowship with him. The recipients of the Book of Revelation are companions of the Apostle John. The Apostle John proclaimed his visions on the island of Patmos not in order to establish fellowship among them, as was the case in the First Epistle of John to the fallen churches. Thus, both the Apostle John and the recipients of the Book of Revelation are in fellowship, and all are in the kingdom. Therefore, there is a difference between being in the church (being a church member) and being in the kingdom, as intended by the verse above.

Generally, such an understanding is difficult to grasp in the Christian world. At least, there are several reasons for this difficulty. First, it is almost never preached that the church has fallen because of three false teachings, and that the Lord always calls His overcomers in every age of the church. Second, at the coming of the Lord Jesus, there will be a sifting or sorting, as emphasized in the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven. This sifting means that there are church members who are accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven, but there are also those who are not. Third, there are expressions such as ‘believe in Jesus, go to heaven’, which are widely accepted in the Christian world. Heaven is understood as a pleasant place. Actually, the Bible says, “believe in Jesus, and you will receive eternal life (zoe).” Whether Christians grow in life (zoe) or not is another matter. The point is that in the Christian world, people tend to equate being in the church (being a church member) with being in the kingdom, whereas the Apostle John does not equate the two.

Let us continue our discussion of Revelation 1:9, this time focusing on the phrase, “because of the word of Elohim.” Let us quote Revelation 1:9 once again: “I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and the kingdom and the perseverance of JESUS Christ, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of Elohim and the testimony of JESUS Christ” (ILT).

In this verse, the Apostle John states the reason he was on the island of Patmos, where he was exiled or isolated. Generally, people believe that the Apostle John was exiled to the island of Patmos by the Roman emperor. However, Irenaeus, regarded as an early Church Father and a young man mentored by Polycarp (60–155 AD), stated that the writing of the Book of Revelation occurred during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81–96 AD). And Emperor Domitian did not persecute Christianity on a wide scale.

Nevertheless, let us examine all of John’s writings to understand the phrase “because of the word of Elohim.” Let us observe the fact that all of John’s writings have a major theme: the rejection of Jesus and His disciples by the religious world (especially its leaders). First, the opening of the Gospel of John already states that Jesus was rejected by His own people (John 1:11). Second, an analysis of the Gospel of John can be made based on the rejection by the leaders of Judaism (the Temple). Chapters 1–8 describe Jesus’ ministry while He was ‘in the Temple’ and then His departure from it (8:59). Chapters 9–12 describe Jesus’ ministry ‘outside the Temple’ before He withdrew from the crowds (12:36). After an evaluation of why Jesus was rejected by Judaism (12:37–43), chapters 13–21 describe Jesus’ ministry to His disciples and His death on the cross. Thus, the entire Gospel of John has the theme of the rejection of Jesus and His disciples by the religious world. John 15:18–25 affirms that the world hates Jesus and His disciples. The ‘world’ here is the religious world, because they possess the Law (15:25).

Third, the First Epistle of John was written to fallen churches (the religious world at that time), so that there might be fellowship with the Apostle John. This means that, in general, fellowship no longer existed. Fourth, 3 John 1:9 records a man named Diotrephes, who sought to be preeminent in the church and did not receive the Apostle John and his team. Based on these facts, it is reasonable to interpret that the Apostle John was on the island of Patmos primarily BECAUSE HE WAS EXCLUDED BY A DEGRADED RELIGIOUS WORLD. Thus, the meaning of the phrase ‘because of the word of Elohim’ is that the Apostle John was on the island of Patmos primarily because the word of Elohim he proclaimed was not accepted by the fallen churches at that time, although it is also possible that Emperor Domitian did exile John to the island of Patmos.

Let us apply this to our present context. His chosen people certainly understand clearly that the church has fallen and fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations. Given the current condition of the Christian world, the majority—or the masses—will certainly reject the word of Elohim, especially concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, the Book of Revelation becomes a book that is ‘hidden’ from the masses.

Let us continue our discussion by looking at Revelation 1:6, which states, “and has made us kings and priests to Elohim and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (ILT). This verse affirms that Jesus Christ made us kings and priests after He washed our sins with His blood (verse 5).

His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven were intended to make us kings and priests. The question for us now is: can Jesus Christ fail in making us kings and priests? Let us look at the case of Peter and his brother Andrew, when Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Did Peter and Andrew fail to become fishers of men? Indeed, Peter failed at times, and Andrew as a human being also failed at times, but Jesus never failed. On the day of Pentecost, in a single sermon, Peter and the other disciples “caught” 3,000 souls. The failures of Peter and the other disciples were part of the process Jesus used to make them fishers of men.

Let us look at another case in Genesis 1:26–28. Here, Elohim intended to create humans in His image and likeness. Many people assume that when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, they were already in His image and likeness. In fact, Adam and Eve were still in a state of innocence—not yet sinful, but also not yet holy, in the sense of not yet partaking of the nature of Elohim. Adam and Eve were being processed in the Garden of Eden through the presence of two trees: the tree of knowledge (a symbol of the kind of life of ‘death’), and the tree of life (a symbol of the kind of life of Elohim = ‘zoe’). And the fall was part of the process that Elohim used so that humans could become in His image and likeness. The one who designed the fall and caused all humanity to enter the realm of death was not human desire, but the will of Elohim Himself (Romans 8:20–21). Yet, in the end, all creation will be liberated and enter into the freedom of the glory of the children of Elohim. The plan and will of the Father to make all humanity in His image and likeness will not fail.

The church, according to the Epistle of Peter, is a royal priesthood, meaning that all members of the church are priests and kings (1 Peter 2:9). If we look at the Christian world, there is a division of church members into clergy–laity (Catholicism) and pastor–congregation (Protestantism). Spiritual matters are handled by priests or pastors, while secular matters are handled by the laity or congregation. This division of the church into two groups is not a trivial matter, because it results from false teaching, which in the Book of Revelation is called the teaching of the ‘Nicolaitans’. The Latin sense of ‘niko’ means ‘to conquer’, while ‘laos’ refers to the common people (laity). Through this false teaching of the Nicolaitans, hierarchy or human governmental systems entered the church. The church is no longer the Body of Christ (an organism), but has become a “Body of Christ” governed by human administration. The authority of the church, which was originally the authority of Life (‘zoe’), is now mixed with the authority of denominational leaders. In such a condition, it is no longer possible for church members to function as priests and kings.

But has Jesus failed to make us kings and priests? Certainly not, because Jesus has members of His church who are outside the system of human governance and who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4).

We have discussed that Jesus is making us kings and priests after He cleansed our sins by His blood (Revelation 1:5–6). We need to remember that the Book of Revelation is the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ within His church, within His Kingdom, and also within His overcomers. Indeed, making His church able to function as priests and kings is the central and primary theme of the Book of Revelation. Through symbolic language, we see throughout the Book of Revelation how the old heaven and earth are “destroyed” and become a new heaven and a new earth. We know that the ‘new heaven and new earth’ are symbols of restored humanity, particularly His overcomers.

Now we will discuss the purpose of Jesus Christ in forming us to become kings and priests. Let us consider Revelation 5:8–10: “…the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb… and they sang a new song, saying… You have purchased us for Elohim from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and You have made us kings and priests to our Elohim, and we shall reign on the earth” (ILT). It is clear from this passage that the ‘four living creatures and the twenty-four elders’ are symbols of kings and priests. For it is emphasized in the passage above that Jesus Christ purchased them and made them kings and priests, and even explains the purpose of making them kings and priests—namely, to reign on the earth. This is fulfilled when the Lord Jesus comes ‘in and through’ His overcomers and establishes His Kingdom for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).

Let us look at the Book of Romans to compare the purpose of the coming of the Lord Jesus ‘in and through’ His overcomers. Salvation in the Book of Romans (chapters 1–8) is explained systematically by Paul through three expressions: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. In the Christian world, the event of glorification by faith (Romans 8:19–21) is almost never preached. Yet, this event is precisely the climax of salvation.

If this glorification by faith is not preached and understood, then erroneous concepts about the coming of the Lord Jesus will arise. It is commonly accepted that the Lord Jesus will “rapture” us to heaven, to a pleasant place where people do nothing but sing and ceases His work, allowing the earth and the people in it to enter hell forever. Such a concept arises from a failure to understand the work of salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus.

Consider Romans 8:19–21. It is emphasized there that all creation eagerly awaits the revealing of the sons of Elohim (the overcoming church), where ultimately all creation will enter into the freedom of the glory of the sons of Elohim. Thus, the overcoming church will function as kings and priests, reigning on the earth with glorified bodies to liberate all creation.

Let us first try to apply the matter of becoming kings and priests within the Christian world. In Christianity today, denominations are the kingdoms of their leaders; some even say, “We are like the tribe of Levi,” and therefore have the right to receive tithes from the congregation (the priesthood according to the order of Aaron). Meanwhile, Jesus makes His overcomers to function as priests according to the order of Melchizedek, just as Jesus Himself is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7).

Regarding kings, Jesus firmly said that no one among you should be called a leader (Matthew 23:8–12). His overcomers only equip the disciples of the Lord, as did the leaders of the early church, without drawing them to themselves (Acts 20:29–30; Ephesians 4:11–12), much less drawing money from the disciples of the Lord through various teachings such as tithes, firstfruits (money), and faith pledges. His overcomers do not possess any authority over the disciples of the Lord, as denominational leaders do. His overcomers are formed by Jesus to be kings over their own hearts. They are being trained to rule their own minds, emotions, and wills. But in His time, His overcomers will become kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek and will liberate creation from the bondage of sin.

Let us move on to the coming of the Lord Jesus recorded in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Yes, amen.” We know that the Lord Jesus will come again to establish His kingdom on the earth. There is a phrase we will now discuss, namely, ‘He is coming with the clouds’.

To understand this phrase, we need to have a correct understanding of the Lord’s coming, because in Christianity it is common to speak of “the second coming of the Lord Jesus.” In fact, in the Bible there is no expression “the second coming of the Lord.” Behind the expression “second time” lies an understanding as though Jesus Christ will come again in the form of a male physical body, just as in His first coming.

Let us briefly look at six Greek terms related to the Lord’s coming.

The first term is PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the New Testament and comes from the verb ‘paremi’, meaning ‘to be present’. As a noun it means ‘presence’. Parousia never refers to the act of coming or arriving, but rather to the presence of someone who has already come. Its usage in the New Testament is also never related to the physical coming of the Lord. Thus, ‘parousia’ means presence. Where two or three are gathered in His name, there the Lord is. That is His presence. That is His coming.

The second Greek term is APOKALUPSIS. This term comes from the verb ‘apokalupto’, meaning ‘to uncover’ or ‘to reveal’, emphasizing a revelation. It refers to the unveiling of someone who was previously concealed.

The third Greek term is EPIPHANEIA. This term appears six times in the New Testament. It comes from a verb meaning ‘to bring to light’ or ‘to make visible’. As a noun it means ‘manifestation’. This term is used to express the glory and splendor manifested by the Lord’s coming.

The fourth Greek term is PHANEROO, which means to make manifest or visible. However, this does not mean a presence visible to the physical eye, but rather a perception.

The fifth Greek term is ERCHOMAI. This term is used to indicate the actual act of coming. It is not the same as parousia, which means the presence of someone who has already come. Erchomai is used in our verse above, Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming (AN ACTUAL ACT OF COMING) with the clouds…”

The sixth Greek term is HEKO. This word emphasizes coming to a particular place. It appears in Revelation 2:25: “But hold fast what you have until I COME.”

From these six Greek terms translated as coming, we can understand that the Lord’s coming does not necessarily have to be a physical coming, as implied by the phrase “the second coming of the Lord.” In fact, the Lord’s coming occurred on the Day of Pentecost (the outpouring of the Holy Spirit). For Jesus promised His disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18). Jesus spoke this promise of coming again to His disciples on the last night. If Jesus were to come later “a second time,” then His promise to the disciples would not have been fulfilled, since all His disciples had already died. But the truth is that Jesus came back to His disciples in the person of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Thus, His promise to come again was fulfilled.

Furthermore, throughout the Bible, when the term “cloud” is singular, it always refers to ‘the cloud of God’s glory’ or to the person of God Himself. But when it is plural (“clouds”), it refers to ‘the witnesses of God’ (the saints). Therefore, the expression “He is coming with the clouds” means that Jesus Christ will come ‘in and through’ His witnesses. This is the event of ‘the glorification of the sons of Elohim’ described in Romans 8:19–21.

We are still reflecting on Revelation 1:9 to gain an understanding of ‘fellowship’ with the apostle John. Revelation 1:9 states: “I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of JESUS Christ, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of Elohim and the testimony of JESUS Christ” (ILT).

We know that the book of Revelation is addressed to people who have ‘fellowship’ with the apostle John. For when he sent the letter of 1 John to the seven churches that had fallen because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, he did not greet the recipients as ‘brothers and companions’. Instead, he wrote 1 John so that those who received his message might have fellowship with him (1 John 1:3).

Let us note three things from the verse above regarding ‘fellowship’ with the apostle John. First, we have fellowship with the apostle John ‘in tribulation’. Second, we have fellowship with the apostle John ‘in the kingdom’. Third, we have fellowship with the apostle John in ‘the patience of Jesus Christ’.

We need to understand that what the apostle John means by tribulation is not the kind of tribulation experienced by all fallen humanity. Rather, he means ‘tribulation in the kingdom’, and also ‘tribulation that can only be endured by the patience of Jesus Christ’. In other words, tribulation that arises because we are being processed to take part in the kingdom of heaven.

We must experience tribulation in order to take part in the kingdom of heaven. Acts 14:22 says, “…we must enter the kingdom of Elohim through many tribulations” (ILT). Tribulation in entering the kingdom of heaven may come in the form of difficulties in family life, work, illness, or other kinds of hardship. Indeed, as we see in Revelation 1:9, there will also be tribulation because we receive the word about the kingdom of heaven—a tribulation of being “excluded” from mainstream Christianity.

However, we must be clear that entering the kingdom of heaven is FREE. We pay no price whatsoever to take part in the kingdom of heaven. The primary and sole reason we enter the kingdom of heaven is: “…for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). But the Father in heaven needs to prepare us to enter the kingdom. The preparation or process required to enter the kingdom of heaven is ENTIRELY THE FATHER’S RESPONSIBILITY. When Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “I will make you fishers of men,” whether or not Peter and Andrew would become fishers of men was ENTIRELY JESUS’ RESPONSIBILITY.

By experiencing tribulation as the Father’s process to prepare us to receive the kingdom of heaven, we experience a kind of ‘fellowship’ with the apostle John, and even a ‘fellowship’ with God’s chosen people throughout the church age’. This is truly a fellowship with the people who are called and also chosen—namely, the overcomers who are called, chosen, and faithful (Revelation 17:14). Fellowship with the apostle John is not fellowship with the church that has fallen because of the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3).

We are still speaking about fellowship. It must be emphasized again that the apostle John wrote the book of Revelation to his companions, unlike his letter to the seven churches in Asia Minor, where his purpose was that there might be fellowship with him (1 John 1:3).

The book of Revelation is the apostle John’s writing concerning what he saw (Revelation 1:19). Naturally, if we are in fellowship with a friend, what we “see” will not differ from what he sees. If someone, when reading the book of Revelation, sees the “Antichrist,” “catastrophes,” “the devil,” “the mark 666,” “the lake of fire” as eternal hell, and other “terrifying” matters, then surely his “fellowship” with the apostle John is problematic. Indeed, the book of Revelation does mention the Antichrist, 666, the devil, the lake of fire, and calamities, but all these come to the surface because Jesus Christ reveals Himself to the apostle John. The apostle John saw Jesus Christ, His kingdom, and of course His church, including His overcomers.

Now we will discuss what the apostle John saw in Revelation 1:20: “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” First, the apostle John saw the seven stars, which are the angels of the seven churches. The term “angel” here does not necessarily mean a winged heavenly being. Paul said that the Galatian church received him as an angel of Elohim (Galatians 4:14). The term angel means messenger, and often refers to humans. Thus, the seven stars are the seven messengers of the churches (people). Furthermore, Jesus calls Himself the Morning Star, and He will also grant the Morning Star to His overcomers. Therefore, a star is a symbol of the sons of Elohim. The seven stars are symbols of the seven sons of Elohim.

Second, the apostle John saw seven golden lampstands, which are the seven churches. But we must not hastily interpret that the seven churches are the seven churches in Asia Minor to whom John sent the book of Revelation. To explain this, let us consider Revelation 1:13: “And in the midst of the lampstands was One like a Son of Man…” The original text here should not be translated “like the Son of Man,” as if referring only to Jesus Christ. Rather, it should be translated “like a son of man” (like the form of a human being), meaning it refers to Jesus Christ (Christ the Head) and the sons of Elohim (Christ the Body). Thus, in the midst of the lampstands (the church) are the Lord Jesus and the sons of Elohim.

Let us compare this with Revelation 3:20, where Jesus is outside the door of the church in Laodicea (a church in Asia Minor). Jesus and the sons of Elohim are in the midst of the true church, but Jesus is outside the door of the degenerated church in Asia Minor. Therefore, the seven golden lampstands seen by the apostle John are the true church, and this true church is not the seven churches in Asia Minor. That is why, in each of the messages to the seven churches in Asia Minor, there is always a call to His overcomers, because the seven churches in Asia Minor had degenerated. From this reality, we can understand that ‘what the apostle John saw was Jesus and His overcomers, who are in the midst of the true church’.

In Christianity, it is common for Christians to refer to the church as a denomination. This proves that Christianity does not see the true church. It appears that Christianity has a problem in its fellowship with the apostle John. By His grace, we obtain fellowship with the apostle John and can see as he sees.

We have discussed the vision of the apostle John in Revelation 1:20, where the golden lampstands are the true church and the seven stars are His overcomers, who are the messengers of the churches. We will move on to discuss the seven churches in Asia Minor, but because our theme is ‘the kingdom of heaven’, we must emphasize the distinction between ‘the people of the kingdom of heaven’ and church members, especially the churches in Asia Minor that had degenerated.

In Revelation 1:9, which we have discussed, it is stated that the apostle John wrote his letter as a companion. Clearly, the companions of the apostle John are not all the members of the degenerated churches in Asia Minor. The First Epistle of John is a general letter to the churches in Asia Minor, with the purpose that there might be fellowship for those who receive his message (1 John 1:3). And fellowship with the apostle John is fellowship in the kingdom (Revelation 1:9). Thus, only those who have fellowship with the apostle John are what we call ‘the people of the kingdom’. Once again, we cannot say that all members of the churches in Asia Minor are the people of the kingdom, because the people of the kingdom are church members who have fellowship with the apostle John.

It is hoped that this matter will become increasingly clear as we discuss the churches in Asia Minor one by one. In fact, the word of God to the seven churches in Asia Minor is addressed to the messengers of the churches, symbolized as the seven stars. Then these messengers convey the word of God to the congregation, and whoever has ears will certainly hear the word of God. Therefore, we must be clear that not all church members will hear the word of God delivered by these messengers. Those who receive the grace to hear are the ones who receive the word conveyed by the messengers, and they are called the overcomers.

Perhaps this will be clearer if we directly apply it to Christianity today. We know that Christianity is not the true church, because the true church born on the Day of Pentecost has been fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations, forming what we now know as Christianity. In Christianity, many are called, but few are chosen. To these few who are chosen, the Father in heaven is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven (Luke 12:32). Those who receive the grace to be chosen are called in the Gospel of Luke “the little flock,” as opposed to the “great flock” in Christianity. Indeed, it is this “little flock” that we have referred to above as the people of the kingdom.

We should not immediately judge that the “little flock” consists of famous people or those who are “mightily used by God” in the Christian world. We will understand this more clearly after we discuss one by one the seven churches in Asia Minor, and also examine the things that caused these congregations to decline. Perhaps this “little flock” consists of simple people, but they received grace to listen to the word delivered by the messengers of the churches. Everything is purely by His grace. No one can boast for any reason.

Before we discuss the seven churches in Asia Minor, we need to clearly see the condition of these seven churches. The churches to which the apostle John wrote letters were very different in their condition compared to the churches to which the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter wrote. To see the difference in the condition of these churches, we will use one principle in understanding all the writings of the New Testament, namely the principle of the ‘Trilogy’.

This Trilogy principle is written in Proverbs 22:20–21, as follows: “Have I not written to you THREE TIMES with counsels and knowledge, to make you know the certainty of the words of truth…” (ILT). The principle of ‘speaking three times’ is God’s principle in speaking so that we may know the truth. Indeed, all the writings of the New Testament are God’s way of speaking ‘three times’ to us through His three servants: Peter, Paul, and John. All the books of the New Testament can be grouped into three sections: the group of Peter, Paul, and John. We will not discuss this further here, because we already have written about this elsewhere.

What must be emphasized now is that the churches to which Peter and Paul wrote WERE TRUE CHURCHES. A true church here does not mean that these churches had no problems or theological errors. Rather, they are called true because they HAD FELLOWSHIP WITH PETER AND PAUL. However, the seven churches in Asia Minor DID NOT HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE

APOSTLE JOHN. In fact, the apostle John wrote a general letter to these seven churches so that there might be fellowship with him (1 John 1:3).

Why did the seven churches in Asia Minor not have fellowship with the apostle John? All this began with the presence of “savage wolves,” as Paul had said (Acts 20:29–30). These savage wolves attacked church leaders so that, through false teachings, these leaders drew the Lord’s disciples to themselves. This is what caused the true church to split into tens of thousands of denominations as we see today. Even toward the end of his life, Paul himself was abandoned by all those who were in Asia Minor (2 Timothy 1:15). When Peter and Paul had died as martyrs, and the apostle John began to minister to the seven churches in Asia Minor, the ‘behavior’ of leaders who drew the Lord’s disciples to themselves had been justified and had become a ‘teaching’, namely the false teachings of the Nicolaitans, Balaam, and Jezebel, as we will see later. Thus, because of the attack of savage wolves against church leaders, the apostle John did not have fellowship with the churches in Asia Minor. There were “Diotrephes-like” figures in the declining church who openly rejected an apostle.

By understanding the true ‘condition’ of the seven churches in Asia Minor, we are ready to know the truth of the true church, the truth of the kingdom of heaven, and the person of Jesus Christ Himself, who is the truth. If someone does not see the true ‘condition’ of the seven churches in Asia Minor, then he is not ready to understand the truth. If someone does not see the true ‘condition’ of the Christian world, then he is also not ready to understand the truth of the kingdom of heaven as revealed to the apostle John.

We have emphasized that the churches to which Peter and Paul wrote were true churches—true in the sense that there was still ‘fellowship’ with the apostles, even though there were certainly problems and theological errors here and there. However, the seven churches in Asia Minor were no longer true churches because there was no ‘fellowship’ (koinonia) with the apostle John, and some of their leaders even rejected the apostle John.

Let us begin with the first church mentioned in Revelation 2–3, namely the church in Ephesus. Of course, we will not discuss all the points addressed to the church in Ephesus, but only a few related to the understanding of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ as revealed in the book of Revelation. The important point here is found in Revelation 2:6, as follows: “Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

Because the book of Revelation uses symbolic language, ‘Nicolaitans’, from the Greek ‘Nicolaitai’, means ‘to conquer the laity’ (nikao = to conquer, laos = the people/laity). Thus, ‘Nicolaitans’ refers to the actions of leaders who subjugate church members, causing the church to be divided into two groups: the ‘conquerors’ and the ‘conquered’. This division then continued, and in the Catholic Church, the ‘conquerors’ are called the priestly class, while the ‘conquered’ are called the laity. In Protestant churches, these two groups are commonly called ‘pastors’ and ‘congregation’.

In the church in Ephesus, this ‘Nicolaitan’ practice existed only as a ‘practice’ carried out by some leaders, but it later developed into a ‘teaching/doctrine’ (Greek: didachē) in the church in Pergamum (Revelation 2:15). It is interesting to note that the term ‘Pergamum’, or Greek ‘Pergamos’, means ‘marriage’ or ‘union’. In a church that had “married” the world, the Nicolaitan practice had become a doctrine. For those who study church history, it is clear that the church had “married” the world when the Roman Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity, making it the state religion. The world no longer persecuted the church but had “married” and united with it. Indeed, the church became “large,” but the Lord hates both the teaching and the followers of the Nicolaitans.

Thus, within the worldly church, Nicolaitanism became a doctrine and was generally accepted. In fact, the damage caused by the Nicolaitan teaching undermines the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9) and ultimately also the authority of the church (Matthew 23:1–8). In the worldly church, these conquerors of the laity teach doctrines of leadership that essentially introduce hierarchy and human systems of government. Church authority is no longer the authority of Life, because the church is an organism; rather, in the worldly church, authority lies in the hands of leaders.

However, the people of the kingdom do not partake in the teaching of the Nicolaitans. All members of the people of the kingdom, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom, are formed into ‘kings and priests’ (Revelation 1:6). The people of the kingdom do not conquer, nor are they conquered by leaders.

We move on to the second church, the church in Smyrna. Let us observe the condition of the church in Smyrna: “I know your tribulation and your poverty—but you are rich—and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9). The term ‘Smyrna’ in Greek means ‘myrrh’, and myrrh is a symbol of suffering. Thus, the church in Smyrna is a church that experienced suffering.

There were two causes of suffering for the church in Smyrna. First, suffering at the hands of the Roman Empire at that time. Yet, even though the church in Smyrna was persecuted and became materially poor, the Lord said that they were spiritually rich. Second, they suffered because of ‘slander’ (Greek: ‘blasphemia’ = blasphemy, evil speech) from those who claimed to be Jews but were not. We must understand that the “Jews” referred to here were those within the church in Smyrna. Thus, the suffering of the church in Smyrna came from outside (the Roman Empire) and from inside (those who claimed to be Jews).

We will discuss suffering that comes from within the church, because suffering or challenges from outside are usually easier to face. To understand internal challenges, we need to know the difference between Judaistic worship and the worship of the true church. There are four focal points of Judaistic worship: the Temple, the Law, the priestly system, and the promises of Yahweh. The Jews had to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem, obey the Law written “on stone tablets,” adhere to the priesthood according to Aaron, and receive promises such as the land of Palestine and other material blessings. If we look carefully, the essence of Judaistic worship is “external,” with blessings that are material in nature.

But the worship of the true church is spiritual. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth…” (John 4:23). Worship ‘in spirit’ means worship that follows the ‘leading of the Holy Spirit’ within. And worship ‘in truth’ (Greek: ‘aletheia’ = truth or reality) means worship in reality, not worship in symbols or external forms as in Judaism. Judaistic worship is indeed symbolic or external, but when Jesus came and fulfilled the Law, the worship of the true church must be worship of ‘essence’ or ‘inner reality’.

Let us apply this understanding of worship directly to the Christian world. Does the Christian world worship in spirit and truth? We can answer this easily by observing the priestly system in Christianity. Because of the Nicolaitan teaching we have discussed, it is clear that the priestly system in the Christian world follows neither the order of Aaron (Judaism) nor the order of Melchizedek (the true church). When the priestly system is already mixed up, every religious leader in each denomination can easily create their own “written” rules: one must come to this or that building, must pay tithes, firstfruits (money), and so on. Must… must… and must… Worship in the Christian world becomes very “material,” like Judaism. But the worship of the people of the kingdom is “…to follow the Lamb wherever He goes” (Revelation 14:4). The people of the kingdom can follow Jesus wherever He goes because there is an anointing within that enables them to hear the voice of Jesus (1 John 2:20, 26; John 10:27).

We now come to the third church, the church in Pergamum (Revelation 2:12–17). We have discussed that the term ‘Pergamum’, or Greek ‘Pergamos’, means ‘marriage’ or ‘union’. Here we see that in a church that has “married” the world, not only has Nicolaitanism become a doctrine, but also ‘Balaam’. The teaching of Balaam is a doctrine that justifies the practice of ‘using God’s gifts to receive payment’. In 2 Peter 2:15, the ‘way of Balaam’ is emphasized as loving wages for wrongdoing. The letter of Jude also emphasizes, “…for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam…” (verse 11).

Because the book of Revelation is a prophetic book, we know that the fulfillment of the “Pergamum-type church” occurred when the Roman Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity as the state religion. At that time, everyone who served God received wages from the state treasury. This practice of serving God and receiving wages in this way was unknown in the early church, when the true church had not yet fallen and declined like the churches in Asia Minor.

But ‘Balaam’ had become a doctrine, meaning it was widely accepted and regarded as right in the era of the church in Pergamum. Of course, there are New Testament verses that say “the worker deserves his wages” or, as Paul said, “do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain.” If someone becomes an adherent of the ‘teaching of Balaam’, they will find many verses and proofs from the Bible to support it. But if someone receives grace before Him, they will clearly see the difference between the early church, where there was no teaching of Balaam, and the churches that have accepted the teaching of Balaam. Thus, the issue here is whether or not we receive grace to see.

Let us look at the Christian world today. Has the ‘teaching of Balaam’ been widely accepted in Christianity? Once again, this is a matter of whether someone “sees” or not. Before Jesus came to the Temple of Judaism, all the “ministries” of the priests, Pharisees, and scribes were not considered a problem by anyone. But because Jesus “saw” that there was commerce in the Temple and that the leaders of Judaism were profiting from their ministry, “commotion” began. If Jesus were to “come a second time” into the Christian world, there would certainly be “commotion” again.

Let us consider a faithful witness in the church in Pergamum, namely Antipas (verse 13). In church history, there is no record of a leader named Antipas. Because the book of Revelation uses symbolic language, the Greek meaning of ‘Antipas’ is ‘anti’ = against, and ‘pas’ = all. That is, this faithful witness was “against all.” He was against the church in Pergamum not because he sought trouble, but because he held fast to the Lord’s name and did not deny his faith.

Likewise today, the people of the kingdom are “against” the Christian world not because they seek trouble, but because they refuse to partake in the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans that have been widely accepted.

We now come to the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:18–29). We must emphasize that the book of Revelation is a prophetic book, and therefore the seven churches in Asia Minor depict churches that would appear in the Christian world throughout history. If we observe the first three churches—Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum—there is no promise of the Lord’s coming. But for the next four churches, we find promises regarding His coming: the church in Thyatira (Revelation 2:25), the church in Sardis (Revelation 3:3), the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:11), and the church in Laodicea as the final type, which will certainly exist until the Lord’s coming.

Thus, the fulfillment or type of the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum has already occurred in Christian history and no longer appears because they did not receive a promise concerning His coming. But the next four churches—the types of Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea—will continue to exist until the Lord’s coming. Many Christians believe that these last four churches have also already been fulfilled in the Christian world. Therefore, if we observe the Christian world today, we will see several characteristics of these four churches. Stating that the types of Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum have been fulfilled and no longer appear does not mean that false teachings such as those of the Nicolaitans and Balaam no longer exist in Christianity. We see that the three false teachings—Nicolaitans, Balaam, and Jezebel—strongly color the Christian world today.

Let us discuss the teaching of Jezebel found in the church in Thyatira. Revelation 2:20 states: “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and leads My servants astray, so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” The term ‘Jezebel’ here is certainly symbolic, consistent with the nature of the book of Revelation, and to understand the meaning of this symbol, we need to look at Jezebel’s history.

There are several things we need to note about Jezebel in Israel’s history. First, Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab who worshiped Baal, and in the case of Naboth’s vineyard, she usurping her husband’s authority (1 Kings 21:7–8). Thus, ‘Jezebel’ in the church refers to leaders who usurp the authority of Jesus (the authority of Life) by introducing hierarchy (a human system of government) into the church. Second, Jezebel is a person with a strong will, enabling her to “seduce” not only the nation of Israel but also her husband to worship Baal (1 Kings 21:25). Thus, “Jezebel” in the church refers to leaders who possess “appeal or charisma” so that they can draw the Lord’s disciples to follow their own desires. Third, Jezebel was able to destroy the prophets of the Lord and sustain false prophets by feeding them from her royal table (1 Kings 18:4, 19). Thus, “Jezebel” in the church refers to leaders who “silence” the voices of true prophets and give room/reward to false prophets to speak/teach.

Many people believe that the characteristics of the church in Thyatira are very strikingly manifested in the Catholic Church. The wealth possessed by the Catholic Church and the authority of the Pope are clearly revealed in the symbol of “Jezebel.” However, we should not assume that “Jezebel” does not exist in other denominations, because every denomination certainly has its own “Jezebel.” In such church conditions, the Lord has a kingdom people depicted by the “Elijah” community and His chosen 7,000.

Now we will discuss the type of church in Sardis (Revelation 3:1–6). Let us pay attention to the words of the Spirit to this church: “…I know your works; you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead! Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die… Remember, therefore, how you have received and heard; keep it, and repent…” (3:1–3). To understand the Spirit’s words to the church in Sardis, we need to look back at the preceding church in Thyatira.

We have emphasized that the characteristics of the church in Thyatira were fulfilled in the Catholic Church, and church historians generally refer to the era of the Catholic Church as the “Dark Age of the Church.” This dark age lasted for approximately 1,000 years, beginning in the 6th century until the coming of Martin Luther in 1517. Then, after the era of the church in Thyatira, God raised up the type of church in Sardis, which we call the Protestant churches, as a response to the dark age of the church.

We all acknowledge that Martin Luther was used by God and that the Reformation came from God. Several core truths were restored at that time, namely sola fide, sola gratia, and sola scriptura (by faith alone, by grace alone, and Scripture alone). It cannot be denied that Martin Luther’s Reformation caused thousands of people to return to their original faith, and the Bible began to be opened and studied again. However, after some time, it seems that this Reformation movement was hijacked by political interests. Several nations wanted to free themselves from the power of Rome. In some countries such as England, Germany, and others, the church even became united with the state.

But God continued to reform His church, giving rise to other movements after Martin Luther, such as the Baptists, Presbyterians, Holiness movement, and so on. It can be said that the type of church in Sardis was marked by revival after revival. But because of human interests, revivals that were initially pure and from God later declined and even opposed subsequent movements of God. Thus, the history of revival always follows the same pattern. First, God’s visitation produces spontaneity and genuine fellowship. Then, human interests infiltrate, resulting in what is called the “institutionalization process,” where the institution then rejects subsequent movements of God.

Let us take one example of a revival that still belongs to the type of church in Sardis, namely the revival in America in 1901, known as the Pentecostal movement. We will quote this Pentecostal movement from the book Pentecostalism (1966) by John T. Nichol, page 85, as follows:

“Brother Seymour was recognized as the nominal leader. But we had no pope or hierarchy. We were brethren. We had no human program. God Himself led. We had no priestly class, nor any priestly office. All these things came later, with a departure from the (Pentecostal) movement…. No one knew what was coming, what God would do; everything was spontaneous, governed by the Spirit… We did not have to receive directions/signals from leaders… The meetings were controlled by the Spirit, from the Throne” (end quote).

By observing the pattern of revival in the church of Sardis, we can understand why the Holy Spirit said, “you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” At first there was life because of God’s visitation, then because of human interests, death occurred. But the kingdom people within the type of church in Sardis are described as follows: “Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy” (Revelation 3:4).

We continue our discussion of the kingdom of heaven and now enter into the church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7–13). We have discussed that the type of church in Sardis is the type of “revival after revival,” beginning with Martin Luther and continuing thereafter. In the church in Philadelphia there were also reformations and revivals, but the type of revival in the church in Philadelphia is not the same as in Sardis. Of the seven churches in Asia Minor, only the church in Philadelphia and the church in Smyrna were not rebuked by the Holy Spirit.

However, even though there is no rebuke of the Spirit for the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia, the Lord still calls His overcomers within both churches. This call to His overcomers clearly proves that both the church in Smyrna and the church in Philadelphia fall into the category of “fallen churches.” We must clearly understand that the seven churches in Asia Minor in the time of the apostle John cannot be equated with the churches in the time of the apostles Peter and Paul. There was no call to overcomers in the churches of Peter’s and Paul’s time as we see in the seven churches in Asia Minor.

Let us consider the meaning of the term ‘Philadelphia’. In Greek, the term ‘Philadelphia’ consists of two words: the first means ‘love’, and the second means ‘brother’. Thus, ‘Philadelphia’ means ‘brotherly love’. What is the meaning of ‘brotherly love’? We have discussed that the characteristic of the church in Thyatira is ‘hierarchy’ in the sense of human authority, which was fulfilled in the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, the characteristic of the church in Sardis is ‘revival’, which eventually declined due to human interests, and we know that this was fulfilled in the Protestant churches. But the characteristic of the church in Philadelphia is brotherly love, where all church members are brothers, fulfilling the words of the Lord Jesus to His church: “you are all brothers” (Matthew 23:8). The meaning of ‘you are all brothers’ is that there is no ‘hierarchy’ in the church, and therefore there is no teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Both the Catholic Church and the Protestant churches divide their members into two groups: the priestly class and the clergy/pastors. But in the type of church in Philadelphia, there is no such division, because all church members are brothers. In the history of Christianity, this was fulfilled when, in 1825 in Dublin (the capital of Ireland), several brothers gathered upon the truth of brotherly love. This movement later became known as The Brethren, with John Nelson Darby as its main figure. Then in 1926 in China, there was also a brotherly love movement, commonly called “The Little Flock,” with Watchman Nee as its main figure. In both movements, there were no religious offices or titles whatsoever.

If we consider why the church in Philadelphia received no rebuke from the Spirit, even though it is also categorized as a fallen church, we can understand that the main reason is that the church in Philadelphia did not practice or teach the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord Jesus hates (Revelation 2:6). The kingdom people certainly do not practice Nicolaitan behavior, let alone teach the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. The kingdom people are simple people in the Christian world who have laid aside all offices or religious titles whatsoever.

We come to the last church, the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14–22). Let us look at several characteristics of the church in Laodicea. First, lukewarm (verse 16). Lukewarm means neither hot nor cold. This church continues to carry out its ministry work, but if it does not repent, the Lord will vomit it out (verse 15). Second, pride. Verse 17 states: “For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,’ not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Here the Lord provides the solution: to buy “gold” from the Lord (divine character), to put on “white garments” (the righteousness of the saints), and to apply “eye salve” (the Holy Spirit) to anoint the eyes so that they may see. Third, the Lord, who is already outside the “door” of this church, calls to “dine” (have fellowship) with Him (verse 20).

Such are the characteristics of the church in Laodicea. Since the book of Revelation is prophetic, how is it fulfilled? We must understand that the movement of the four types of churches that will exist until the Lord’s coming is sequential in nature. That is, the type of church in Sardis was born from the type of church in Thyatira. The type of church in Philadelphia was born from the type of church in Sardis, and the type of church in Laodicea was born from the type of church in Philadelphia. The Protestant movement (“Sardis”) was born from “Thyatira” (Catholic). The movements of “The Brethren” and “The Little Flock” (“Philadelphia”) were born from “Sardis” (Protestant). Likewise, the church type “Laodicea” was born from the type “Philadelphia.” By looking at the characteristics of the Laodicean church above, we can understand that the church of “Laodicea” was born because of the decline of the church of “Philadelphia.”

The main characteristic of the church in Laodicea is its pride. Certainly this church is proud because of things it boasts of from the past. We know that the church in Philadelphia was not rebuked by the Lord at all. If we look at the history of the movement of the church type “Philadelphia,” we know how greatly the Lord opened doors for it (Revelation 3:7). Indeed, this movement was greater than the Reformation. Thousands of books were published from this “Philadelphia” movement that opened our understanding of the Bible in ways never revealed by previous movements. However, when the “love” that characterized “Philadelphia” declined, then “pride” inevitably emerged. Thus, the pride of “Laodicea” is corporate pride (church pride), not merely personal pride that may appear in individual Christians.

We have seen that the seven churches in Asia Minor fall into the category of fallen/declining churches, because to all seven churches the Lord always calls His overcomers. We will close our discussion of the seven churches by noting the difference between the order of the church and the order of the kingdom. By the order of the church is meant leaders called apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). But the order of the kingdom is kings and priests.

God forms the kingdom people to be kings and priests (Revelation 1:6). The kingdom people are those who receive grace to function as kings and priests in the coming age after the church age is completed by the coming of the Lord Jesus. The kingdom people will reign together with the Lord Jesus on earth with glorified bodies (Revelation 5:10; 20:4).

After we have seen the condition of the seven churches in Asia Minor (chapters 2–3) that have fallen/declined, in the sense that they no longer had fellowship (‘koinonia’) with the apostle John, and therefore the Lord called His overcomers, the next vision given to the apostle John concerns heaven (Revelation 4:1–2). Let us consider Revelation 4:1–2: “After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven… ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’ At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne.”

Several things are revealed in these verses. First, the apostle John saw an “open door in heaven.” The meaning here is that the apostle John saw the “opening of the door of heaven” such that he began to see what heaven is like. Second, in order to see what heaven is like, the apostle John had to hear the command, “come up here.” And because he heard the command “come up here,” “at once he was in the Spirit.” Thus, the meaning of “come up here” is “to be in the Spirit.” That is, the apostle John did not ascend physically to a certain “place” called “heaven,” but he entered into A HEAVENLY DIMENSION. Elohim dwells in the ‘eternal dimension’, and He created three dimensions: the heavenly dimension, the earthly dimension (space and time), and the dimension under the earth (Revelation 5:3; 10:6). I Timothy 6:16 explains the eternal dimension as follows: “…who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen…”.

Third, after the apostle John was in the Spirit, he saw “a throne set in heaven, and One seated on the throne.” Thus, Elohim, who dwells in the eternal dimension, placed His throne in the heavenly dimension. Elohim Himself does not dwell in heaven; rather, heaven dwells in Elohim, because Elohim is greater than heaven, which He created. Yet He placed His throne in heaven. The throne here is certainly not a physical throne as humans make on earth. The throne symbolizes the authority of a kingdom and also authority to judge. Thus, heaven is in the form of a KINGDOM. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He taught His disciples to pray that the kingdom in the heavenly dimension (the kingdom of heaven) would come down to the earthly dimension, so that His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).

Up to this point we can see how different “heaven” as often preached in the Christian world is from the heaven seen by the apostle John. “Heaven” as commonly preached in Christianity is like a pleasant “place,” with streets of gold, many beautiful dwellings understood as the “Father’s house,” some even think there are dogs there, and people’s work is merely to sing praises to God. Meanwhile, one only needs to believe in Jesus to enter such a heaven, a belief held by the majority in the Christian world.

In fact, in the New Testament there is not a single expression such as “believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” In the New Testament, especially in the Gospel of John, there are many expressions such as “believe in Jesus and receive eternal life.” Eternal life (‘zoe’) is the kind of life of Elohim that enters the earthly dimension (space and time) and therefore needs to grow. And we know that in the Christian world, as with the fallen churches in Asia Minor, the Lord calls His overcomers.

In the Christian world many are called and receive ‘zoe’ life, but only a few are chosen, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven (Luke 12:32). The more we look at heaven as revealed to the apostle John, the more we will see how different it is from the “heaven” often preached and believed in the Christian world.

Let us discuss a little more about ‘dimensions’ before continuing to see ‘heaven’ as the apostle John saw it (Revelation 4–5). We have known that Elohim dwells in the eternal dimension. It must be understood that ‘eternal’ is not a very long span of time without end, as Christians often understand it, because the dimension of the ‘eternal’ is different from the dimension of ‘time’. The dimension of the eternal is the dimension of Elohim and is uncreated, whereas ‘time’ is something created and has a beginning and an end. Furthermore, Elohim created three additional dimensions: the heavenly dimension, where He placed His throne; then the earthly dimension (space and time); and the dimension beneath the earth, or the realm of death, symbolized by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden.

Let us look more closely at the three dimensions created by Elohim: the heavenly dimension, the earthly dimension, and the dimension beneath the earth. Luke 17:21 affirms this: “…for behold, the kingdom of Elohim is among you” (ILT). Jesus spoke these words when He was asked by the Pharisees about when the kingdom of Elohim would come (17:20). Here, both the ILT and the LAI translate the Greek term ‘entos’ as ‘among’. In fact, the term ‘entos’ means ‘within’. We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used in a sentence. The Greek term ‘entos’ appears only twice in the New Testament, the other instance being in Matthew 23:26: “Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside (entos) of the cup….” Here ‘entos’ is translated as ‘inside’ or ‘within’, because that clearly fits the usage in the sentence. It would be impossible to translate ‘entos’ as ‘among’ here. Therefore, the definite meaning of ‘entos’ is ‘inside’ or ‘within’. Accordingly, Luke 17:21 should be translated: “…the kingdom of Elohim is within you.”

Thus, the kingdom of Elohim is within us. Is the kingdom of Elohim only within believers? We must remember that Luke 17:21 is Jesus’ statement to the Pharisees who opposed Him. In truth, the kingdom of Elohim was within the Pharisees as well, even though they opposed Him and did not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. However, because the Pharisees did not acknowledge Jesus, the kingdom of Elohim within them had no influence whatsoever on their lives.

What, then, does it mean that ‘the kingdom of Elohim is within you’? Certainly it does not mean that the kingdom of Elohim is inside our physical bodies. Rather, it means that the heavenly dimension RULES the earthly dimension, because the heavenly dimension is higher than the earthly dimension. HEAVEN RULES EARTH. This is the meaning of ‘the kingdom of heaven is within you’. In fact, the kingdom of heaven IS WITHIN ALL HUMANITY, but for those who do not acknowledge Jesus as King, the kingdom of heaven within them has absolutely no influence.

Let us now consider the meaning of the dimension ‘beneath the earth’, or the dimension of the realm of death. We know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). When Adam ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, he immediately fell into the dimension of the ‘realm of death’, being cut off from the kind of life of Elohim (‘zoe’) symbolized by the Tree of Life. The wages of sin is not eternal hell in the sense of hell forever, because such a view confuses the meaning of ‘eternal’ and the meaning of ‘time’. Christians who hold such a view do not understand what a ‘dimension’ is, even though the doctrine of eternal hell has been widely accepted in Christianity. It is hoped that through this explanation of ‘dimensions’, we may better understand the meaning of heaven as seen by the apostle John.

Let us go further into the discussion of dimensions. We have affirmed that the kingdom of heaven that exists in the heavenly dimension is within us. This means that the kingdom of heaven RULES FROM WITHIN OUR INNER BEING. How does the kingdom of heaven rule from within our inner being? When Jesus came into the world, He came so that we might obtain His life (John 10:10; life = zoe). Jesus is that ‘zoe’ life (John 14:6), and through the growth of this ‘zoe’ life, Jesus rules FROM WITHIN OUR INNER BEING. That is why 1 John 2:27 states: “But the anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you….” Why is there no need to be taught by others? This does not mean that the church should not learn from others. Jesus Himself gave to the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip the church (Ephesians 4:11–12). Rather, the meaning of ‘no need to be taught by others’ is that JESUS HIMSELF WILL RULE DIRECTLY FROM WITHIN OUR INNER BEING. Leaders have no authority over the church, because the church is led directly by Jesus. This is the meaning of ‘the kingdom of heaven is within you’. The kingdom of God is within you.

We must clearly distinguish between the kingdom of heaven ruling from within the inner being and the sovereignty of the Father who governs all things. Not even a sparrow falls apart from the Father’s will (Matthew 10:29). Or as written in Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; and in Your book all of them were written, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” This is the Father’s sovereignty governing all things. But at present, the kingdom of Jesus is in the process of subduing all things THROUGH THE INNER BEING OF HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, and when all things have been fulfilled, Jesus will hand over His kingdom to the Father, so that God may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:22–28). The Father will then express His glory within and through ALL OF HIS CREATION. There will be no more death, which is the wage of sin.

Next, let us look more closely at the dimension ‘beneath the earth’. When Adam ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden, God said, “you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17). The phrase ‘surely die’ here is translated from the Hebrew ‘mut tamut’. This expression cannot simply be translated as ‘die’, as in many Bible versions. Young’s Literal Translation renders it accurately as ‘dying thou dost die’. This means that on the very day Adam ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, he immediately received a KIND OF LIFE called DEATH, which would then progress toward PHYSICAL DEATH. This kind of death-life is ruled by the devil (Hebrews 2:14). But Jesus has experienced death and conquered it FOR ALL HUMANITY (Hebrews 2:9).

What, then, is the meaning of the dimension beneath the earth? James 2:26 states, “For as the body without the spirit is dead….” This is the meaning of ‘physical death’, and therefore the dimension ‘beneath the earth’ is a KIND OF LIFE lived by the spirits of those who have left their physical bodies—namely, those who have not yet believed in Jesus.

After understanding the dimensions created by the Father, who Himself dwells in His own dimension—the eternal dimension—we can see how strange it is for people to teach eternal hell in the sense of hell forever. Unfortunately, such teaching has been widely accepted in Christianity. Yet all this happens so that His word to Christianity may be fulfilled: ‘many are called, but few are chosen’.

Let us continue the apostle John’s vision of heaven (Revelation 4–5). John saw a throne in heaven, and One sitting on it. We know that a throne is a symbol of a kingdom with authority. Thus, the heaven seen by John is in the form of a kingdom with authority. Then John saw twenty-four elders clothed in white garments, seated on thrones, with golden crowns on their heads (Revelation 4:4). These white garments are given to the overcomers of the church (Revelation 3:18) and are a symbol of the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). The twenty-four elders also have thrones and golden crowns. The throne is a symbol of authority, and the golden crown signifies that the authority given to these elders is divine in nature, since gold symbolizes the divine character or nature. Thus, the twenty-four elders are kings within the kingdom of heaven.

Next, John saw four living creatures full of eyes—one like a lion, one like a calf, one with a human face, and one like a flying eagle (Revelation 4:6–7). Who are these four creatures? The book of Revelation interprets them itself. Consider Revelation 5:8–10: “…the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb… and they sang a new song, saying… You have purchased us for Elohim from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made us kings and priests to our Elohim, and we shall reign on the earth” (ILT). It is clear from these verses that “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders” are symbols of kings and priests. It is emphasized that Jesus Christ purchased them and made them kings and priests, with the purpose that they would reign on the earth. Thus, the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures are symbols of the saints from all nations, whom God has processed into kings and priests.

Then John saw the seven Spirits of Elohim (Revelation 4:5). This does not mean that the Spirit of God is seven in number. The number seven symbolizes completeness or perfection. The lightning and peals of thunder represent the activity of the Spirit of God in such perfect and complete operation on the earth. We will not explain everything John saw concerning heaven, but we will conclude with his vision of a scroll that only the Lamb can open (chapter 5). This scroll is not an ordinary scroll, because it can only be opened by Jesus Christ as the Lamb who was slain. The contents of this scroll tell the story of redemption accomplished by the Lord Jesus as the Lamb, which ultimately reveals the person of Jesus Christ Himself. In the following chapters, we will see how this revelation of Jesus Christ is made known to all creation—those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

Up to this point, we can understand the truth about heaven, which is vastly different from the stories we have often heard. In general, Christianity has proclaimed a “mythical heaven,” completely different from what the apostle John saw.

Before continuing John’s vision of the scroll that only the Lamb of Elohim can open, let us say a little more about the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures around the throne of Elohim who will reign on the earth (Revelation 4–5). Some hold the view that these twenty-four elders and four living creatures are angels or other heavenly beings, not redeemed saints chosen from every tribe, nation, people, and language.

We need to address this view, because it obscures our understanding of the book of Revelation and the Father’s original plan. Several points must be made. First, Genesis 1:26–28 clearly states that the Father’s original plan for humanity was to subdue and rule over the entire earth. Thus, the focus of the Father’s plan is the earth. Second, the Father’s plan in choosing the nation of Israel was that all the tribes of Israel would be a ‘kingdom of priests’, that is, kings and priests for all nations (Exodus 19:5–6). Later, Israel fell into the worship of the golden calf, and when Moses asked who was on the Lord’s side, only the tribe of Levi came to him (Exodus 32:26). Thereafter, God chose only the tribe of Levi to be priests on behalf of the other tribes. But the Father’s original plan for Israel was for all the tribes to be kings and priests to other nations. Third, in the New Testament context, the Father’s plan for all saints is to make the entire church a ‘royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9). Later, through the false teaching of the Nicolaitans, the church was divided into clergy and laity, or pastors and congregations. Nevertheless, the Father chooses a “little flock” within Christianity to be formed into kings and priests (Luke 12:32; Revelation 1:6). Clearly, the Father’s plan is to form humanity to rule and subdue the whole earth, beginning with His chosen people.

Therefore, the view that the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures are angels or other heavenly beings, rather than humans, obscures the Father’s original plan and renders the focus of the book of Revelation unclear. Why? Because the book of Revelation is the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ, and there are four stages of the revelation of Jesus Christ to His church. First, Jesus Christ reveals Himself TO us—we know Him as a person outside of us, what He did and what He said. Second, Jesus Christ reveals Himself WITHIN us—we experientially understand that Christ is not outside us, but within us. Third, Jesus Christ reveals Himself AS us—what Paul says in Galatians 2:20, that he has been crucified with Christ and that it is no longer he who lives, but Christ who lives. From this we see that Christ lives ‘as’ Paul. Fourth, Jesus Christ reveals Himself THROUGH us—He expresses Himself through His chosen ones on the earth. Indeed, the “second coming” of Jesus Christ means that He presents Himself to creation through the sons of Elohim (Romans 8:19–21).

Thus, the book of Revelation is indeed the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ, but His coming THROUGH His chosen people is central to this revelation. At present, His chosen ones are being formed into kings and priests. Angels and heavenly beings do not become kings and priests—saints do. For how can Jesus come as King of kings if the saints are still “spiritual infants”? How can Jesus Christ come as High Priest if the saints still require “pastors” or “priests” to meet their spiritual needs? Therefore, the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures are symbols of His chosen people, who have been formed into kings and priests.

Let us continue John’s vision of heaven (chapters 4–5). In chapter 5 there is a scroll that only the Lamb can open. This scroll is not an ordinary scroll, because it can only be opened by Jesus Christ as the Lamb who was slain. Observe the praise of the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures—symbols of kings and priests—after the Lamb receives the scroll in Revelation 5:9–10: “…You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased us for Elohim…and You have made us kings and priests…” (ILT).

The verse emphasizes that the Lamb is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals because He has purchased a royal people—kings and priests. This imagery corresponds to ancient Hebrew customs concerning the purchase of property. When property was purchased, the deed for the new owner was made in two copies: an open copy and a sealed copy. The open copy was for public reference, while the sealed copy belonged only to the rightful owner. When the new heir wished to take possession of the land, or when there was a dispute over ownership, the rightful owner alone had the authority to take and open the sealed copy and read its contents to claim what had been purchased.

This was the case with the prophet Jeremiah when he bought the field in Anathoth from Hanamel, the son of Shallum, his uncle (Jeremiah 32:9–15). Jeremiah’s action was a sign that houses, fields, and vineyards would again be bought in the land of Israel after having been “sold” into the hands of foreigners. Thus, the sealed copy corresponds to the sealed scroll taken by the Lamb from the Father’s hand in heaven. This sealed scroll is the “proof of purchase,” or the “book of purchase,” because the Lamb has indeed purchased—redeemed—a royal people. The royal people are a redeemed people because they have been bought by the blood of the Lamb.

The question for us now is this: did the Lamb purchase only the people of the Kingdom (His chosen people) with His blood, or did He purchase all humanity with His blood? In other words, is redemption limited only to the elect, or is redemption by the blood of Jesus for all people? Here we will look at only a few verses to prove that the blood of Jesus was poured out to redeem all humanity. John 1:29 affirms, “…Behold, the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world!” (ILT). I John 2:2 says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Hebrews 2:9 also affirms that, “…He might taste death on behalf of everyone” (ILT).

Thus, Jesus defeated death, which is the wages of sin, ‘for all people’. That is why it is not surprising that every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and even in the sea praises the Lamb when He takes the sealed scroll (Revelation 5:13). In the following chapters we will see how the Lamb opens seal after seal concerning the process that we, as the people of the Kingdom, will experience, so that we may fully become His possession.

We have seen that the Lamb of Elohim has already purchased/redeemed ‘all humanity’ by His blood. However, in this present age, He chooses only some to be processed and formed into ‘kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek’. His purpose is that through His chosen people, He may reveal HIMSELF. This is truly the book of Revelation: the revelation of Jesus Christ ‘through and within’ His chosen people, and this revelation is conveyed in symbolic language. Therefore, if someone interprets the book of Revelation ‘literally’ and ‘primarily’ as a prophecy of outward events that will befall the earth, then that person has failed to understand the basic nature of the book of Revelation. This does not mean that we completely reject outward events that will later take place, especially concerning His church. Rather, our interpretation is primarily ‘inward’ and is based on Galatians 2:20 and Romans 8:19–21, as we have emphasized at the beginning of this writing.

Let us continue the vision of the apostle John concerning the ‘sealed scroll’, whose seals are opened one by one by the Lamb. The opening of the seals by the Lamb is a continuing revelation of Jesus Christ within and through His chosen people. After seal after seal is opened, the apostle John sees four horses, each of a different color: white, red, black, and pale green (Revelation 6).

In the Bible, horses are not used for agricultural purposes but for warfare (Proverbs 21:31). Thus, the four horses seen by the apostle John are war horses. It is important to understand that the term ‘redemption’ in Greek also means ‘release’. Therefore, these four war horses carry out their ministry within our “earthliness” to release us from the bondages of the enemy—namely, our fleshly nature, our worldliness, and the dominion of the devil over us. We must understand that our enemy is not outside of us. Our enemy is ourselves. The fleshly thoughts, feelings, and wills entrenched in our souls give the devil an opportunity to bind and ensnare us in his chains. Through the ministry of these four horses, His chosen people are redeemed and released from the snare of the devil, so that Jesus Christ may express Himself through and within us.

Let us begin with the white horse. Revelation 6:2 states, “And I looked, and behold, a white horse; and he who sat on it… went out conquering and to conquer.” The color white is a symbol of PURITY, which certainly comes about through refinement in fire. The church in Laodicea is advised, “…that you may buy from Me… white garments…” (Revelation 3:18). Revelation 19:8 states that the fine linen, bright and clean, is the righteous deeds of the saints. Here we clearly see that the color white is related to the pure deeds of the saints. However, we must remember that this purity does not come about because we strive to be pure. Rather, it comes about because CHRIST STRIVES AND WAGES WAR WITHIN US. As His chosen people, Christ within us continues to fight and struggle until we become pure.

Generally speaking, among those who minister in the Christian world—where the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted—purity has become a rare commodity. Purity in the sense of serving without seeking profit, whether money, position, or human glory. Yet the Lord has His chosen people who are processed not to become ‘great’, but to become ‘holy’ (set apart) and pure.

We continue our discussion with the red horse as written in Revelation 6:4: “…another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth….” We have seen that this “sealed scroll” is a book of redemption or release. This means that Christ within us “rides” the red horse and wages war in our “earthliness” to redeem and release us from the enemies within us.

Christ in us is indeed the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). But we should not mistakenly think that Christ will always act “gently” and will not take away our earthly peace. In truth, the Kingdom of Christ within us will continue to wage war until we are released from our enemies, even if in the process we lose our peace. At one time Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). Before Jesus entered our lives, everything seemed to “run smoothly” and peacefully because we did whatever we pleased. But when Christ invades our earthliness, a battle arises between the flesh and the Spirit. Wherever there is war, peace never results. Thus, Christ within us will continue to wage war until we are fully subdued and completely surrendered to Him.

Next, the horse that Christ uses to wage war within us is red. The Greek term for ‘red’ here is ‘purrhos’, which means ‘fire-colored’. ‘Purrhos’ comes from the root word ‘pur’ (fire). Interestingly, a derivative of the Greek term ‘pur’ is ‘pyra’ or ‘pure’. In the Bible, fire symbolizes two things: judgment and purification. Thus, the ministry of Christ within us as the “red horse” is to judge/purify so that we may become pure.

Our Elohim is not only love, but also a “consuming fire.” Both of these attributes of Elohim are eternal. Our Elohim is not sometimes loving and at other times a consuming fire. Rather, He is simultaneously love and a consuming fire. That is, because Elohim is love, He consumes sins, darkness, and every form of carnality that hinders His love.

Many people misunderstand the manifestation of Elohim as “fire.” Let us look at Revelation 21:8: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable… shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Let us quote Charles Pridgeon regarding the lake of fire and brimstone:

“The Greek word THEION, translated as brimstone, is the same word THEION which means Divine… The verb derived from THEION’ is THEIOO, which means to sanctify, to deify… To a Greek or to one educated in Greek, the ‘Lake of fire and brimstone’ meant a LAKE OF DIVINE PURIFICATION.” (End quote)

Therefore, the meaning of the “lake of fire and brimstone” is DIVINE HEAT AND LIGHT THAT PRODUCES TRANSFORMATION. Thus, Revelation 21:8 speaks of how the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, and so on are transformed into what Elohim desires by His fire and His love. Such is the ministry of Christ within us as the red horse. He will continue to wage war within us until we become pure, clean, and fit for His Kingdom.

We now continue by looking at the ministry of the “black horse” in Revelation 6:5–6: “…and I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand… A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” As we know, the “black horse” is the ministry of Christ within our inner being that invades our “earthliness.” To understand what the color black symbolizes, we need to look at the condition of the earth in the beginning. Genesis 1:2 states, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of Elohim was hovering over the waters” (ILT). Before the Spirit of Elohim hovered over the earth, the earth was formless, empty, and dark. Likewise, our “earthliness” is empty and dark before the Spirit of Elohim broods over it.

But the issue is this: before Elohim worked to give light, to separate the waters from the land, to create the luminaries, and so on, we had no idea that the earth was previously formless, empty, and dark. Only after Elohim brooded over and worked upon the earth did we come to see what its former condition had been.

So it is with us. Before Elohim broods over and works within our earthliness, we do not truly understand our actual condition. This is similar to what happened to the prophet Isaiah: “…I saw the Lord… Then I said: Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King…” (Isaiah 6:5). Only after Isaiah saw the Lord did he realize that he was a man of unclean lips and lived among a people of unclean lips. Then his iniquity was removed, and he was ready to be sent by the Lord.

The ministry of Christ as the “black horse” invading our earthliness actually makes us understand how black and dark we truly are. Before the black horse comes into our earthliness, we certainly do not feel that we are so “black.” The psalmist cried out, “…In Your light we see light” (Psalm 36:9). What the psalmist meant is that after he entered into the Light of God, he saw the light and his true condition. A person cannot know his true condition before the light of God comes, for how can one know oneself in darkness? Only after the light of God comes does one understand oneself, and also the condition of the nation in which one dwells, as in the case of the prophet Isaiah.

But praise the Lord, the ministry of the “black horse” not only exposes our condition, but also brings ‘scales’, meaning there is a balance between uncovering our condition and restoring us so that we become fit for the Lord. Thus, His chosen people will experience the light of God in such a way that they become aware of their own condition and also that of their nation, but then experience restoration.

In the Christian world, many are called but few are chosen. Those who are chosen by God through grace will surely become aware of their condition and also the condition of their “nation” (the Christian world). Indeed, there may be Christians who speak out and expose the true condition of Christianity out of envy or because they have not received their “share” of money, position, or human glory. But His chosen people speak because they have experienced the Light of God.

We continue the ministry of the “black horse” within our inner being, especially the symbols of “wheat and barley,” because the book of Revelation uses symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). Revelation 6:5–6 states, “…and I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand… A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Let us consider what is meant by the expression, “a quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius.” Many interpreters and Bible teachers in the Christian world say that this expression means there will be a famine of physical food that will strike the world. This physical interpretation arises because they do not pay attention to the basic nature of the book of Revelation, as we have emphasized earlier in this writing.

To understand the expression above, let us look at the famine that occurred in Samaria in the time of the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 7:1–19). When Samaria was besieged by the king of Aram and famine occurred, Elisha prophesied, “…Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.” The meaning of this prophecy was that there would be an abundance of food because of the visitation of the Lord upon Samaria through the four lepers. For the Arameans were struck with fear from the Lord and left behind abundant food, which the four lepers discovered. Thus, when the Lord visits His people, there will surely be an ‘abundance of food’.

Likewise, in the case of the visitation of the Lord/the ministry of the black horse above, the expression “a quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius” actually indicates an abundance of food. The key to understanding is that a visitation of the Lord always brings abundance of food. But again, we must pay attention to the basic nature of the book of Revelation. Revelation is the revelation of the PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS, and therefore it is spiritual in nature. Thus, the abundance of food referred to here is an ABUNDANCE OF SPIRITUAL FOOD—spiritual nourishment that enables us to truly know the Lord Jesus. This does not mean that God does not care about our physical needs. Rather, “…the kingdom of Elohim is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17, ILT).

It is interesting to note in the case of the prophet Elisha that God used four lepers to bring an abundance of food to the city of Samaria. We know that in those days lepers were not allowed to live among the people of God because they were unclean. Yet the abundance of food was found ‘outside the camp’, and it was these four lepers—excluded from among the people of God—whom God used to discover the abundance of food outside the camp.

Today, churches have fallen and split into tens of thousands of denominations. We believe that the prophecy of Amos 8:11 has been fulfilled, which states, “…I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.” Indeed, there is an abundance of spiritual food “outside the camp” of the Christian world. But just as in the time of Elisha, when the abundance of food was discovered by four lepers who were excluded, so also today the abundance of spiritual food will be discovered by His chosen people who are “excluded” from the camp of fallen churches.

We continue the ministry of the “black horse” within our inner being by paying attention to the symbols: “wheat and barley, and also oil and wine.” Revelation 6:5–6 states, “…and I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand… A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Let us look at what is symbolized by barley and wheat. Barley is a type of edible grain, and it matures faster than wheat. In the land of Israel, people sow barley in October–November, after the early rains begin to fall and the ground can be plowed. Because barley matures earlier than wheat, the barley harvest can begin in March–April, at the beginning of spring. The beginning of the barley harvest is associated with Passover, when the sheaf waved by the priest on the sixteenth day of the month of Nisan (March–April) is the firstfruits of barley. Thus, barley is associated with the harvest of the firstfruits.

I Corinthians 15:20 affirms, “…Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection. Therefore, the aspect of Christ symbolized by barley is THE RISEN CHRIST. Meanwhile, the aspect of Christ symbolized by wheat is written in John 12:24: “…truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” The aspect of Christ symbolized by the grain of wheat is Christ who was incarnated as a human being with all His limitations, even to the point of dying on the cross.

It is interesting to note that when Christ performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fish that fed more than five thousand people, He did it with barley loaves, not wheat loaves (John 6:9). Why? We know that every act of Jesus was prophetic. He did nothing randomly. Barley symbolizes the risen Christ, and therefore He is no longer limited by His human limitations. He was able to feed more than five thousand people with only five barley loaves and two fish.

Through the ministry of the “black horse” into our earthliness, we will experience a process in which the aspect of Christ as the grain of wheat and the aspect of Christ as barley take place in our lives. We will experience “death with Christ” and also “resurrection with Christ.”

As a closing statement in the ministry of the “black horse,” there is the phrase, “do not damage the oil and the wine.” Oil and wine are symbols of ‘the Spirit and revelation’. As His chosen people, we are warned not to misuse ‘the Spirit and revelation’ that God has given. The misuse referred to here is “trading” or “seeking profit” from the work of the Spirit and the revelation we receive.

In the Christian world, serving God has become a profession. In the professional world, people sell goods or services to gain material profit. This is justified in the workplace. Everyone in the professional world “sells” something—whether goods or skills/services—to earn money. But in the church, there must be no such trade. Peter, Paul, and John, as well as the ministers in the early church, did not engage in trade. They served God and did not “sell” anything as is done in the professional world. However, we know that one of the causes of the church’s fall, beginning from the time of the apostle John, was the teaching of Balaam. The teaching of Balaam in Christianity justifies the act of “selling” the grace of “the Spirit and revelation” in order to obtain money.

We now come to the fourth horse, the pale green horse. Revelation 6:8 states, “…and behold, a pale green horse, and the one who sat on it had the name Death, and Hades followed with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with…plague (THANATOS = DEATH)…on the earth.” We know that this horse is a war horse, on which Christ rides and wages war to conquer our “earthliness.” It is emphasized in this verse that the pale green horse is given authority over “a fourth of the earth.” This means that “three-fourths” of our earthliness has been completed through the ministry of the previous three horses, and now only “one-fourth” remains to be completed by the ministry of this fourth horse.

Pay close attention to the verse above, where the pale green horse is given authority to KILL HADES WITH DEATH. What does it mean to kill hell with death? We must be clear that the wages of sin is death, not eternal hell in the sense of everlasting torment. Romans 6:23 states, “For the wages of sin is death….” Genesis 2:17 also states, “…for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The Hebrew term translated ‘die’ is MUT TAMUT, meaning ‘dying you shall die’ (Young’s Literal Translation). This means that when Adam violated Elohim’s command, he immediately experienced death (a ‘kind of life’ dominated by Satan, Hebrews 2:14). Then, after living in death, Adam would eventually die physically. This is the meaning of MUT TAMUT. This is the wage of sin, and all of Adam’s descendants also received this kind of life of death; therefore, all humanity lives a ‘kind of life of death’ and eventually dies physically. But Christ experienced death for all humanity (Hebrews 2:9) and obtained authority over death and the realm of death (Revelation 1:18, KLEIS = key in a figurative sense, meaning ‘authority’).

Jesus has authority over death and the realm of death (hell). Therefore, Christ riding the pale green horse will kill HELL WITH DEATH, meaning that hell will no longer exist and all humanity will be set free. This is the meaning of “killing hell with death.” This is also the meaning of death and Hades being thrown into the LAKE OF FIRE = the second death (Revelation 20:14). Thus, death and Hades are killed by the second death, namely the lake of fire.

I will close this section with a personal testimony. I once discussed the meaning of the “Lake of Fire” with a church leader. He said that the lake of fire is a second hell, meaning that those in the first hell are thrown again into the second hell forever. I can understand his view because this is generally the understanding of denominational leaders in Christianity, commonly called the DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL HELL. I myself once preached the doctrine of eternal hell.

I suggested to denominational leaders that they re-examine this doctrine of eternal hell, because it greatly insults the authority of the Lord Jesus and severely demeans the loving Father in heaven, portraying Him as a terrifying monster who tortures people forever in hell. I suggested that those leaders who are willing should begin searching the internet for videos and writings (there are hundreds of videos and thousands of pages of writings) that re-examine this doctrine of eternal hell. They should begin with Louis Abbott, Preston Eby, Charles Weller, Ray Prinzing, and others. I myself was sent dozens of books from America, all free of charge, because His chosen people do not sell anything.

I can understand if the church leader mentioned above does not want to re-examine his teaching on eternal hell. The issue is not merely theological, but more about “the stomach,” because he lives from his congregation, receiving money, position, and human glory. Moreover, in Christianity, those who do not teach the doctrine of eternal hell will certainly be excluded. But for those who receive His grace, these matters are not a problem.

Let us remember our interpretive principle of the book of Revelation before discussing the opening of the fifth seal by the Lamb (Revelation 6:9–11). We must remember that the fulfillment of Revelation is inward, because this book reveals a person, namely the person of Jesus Christ. Of course, we do not entirely reject interpretations that are external, namely historical (already happened in history) and futuristic (will happen in the future). However, our interpretive principle is inward, meaning that it has already happened, is happening, and will happen within us, because the revelation of the person of Jesus Christ within us is progressive.

Let us look at Revelation 6:9–11, concerning what happens when the fifth seal is opened: “…I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of Elohim and because of the testimony which they held. And they cried out… ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ … they were told to rest a little while longer…” (ILT).

There are several things we must observe from these verses. First, who are these souls who were slain because of the word of Elohim and their testimony? Of course, this speaks of Christian martyrs, but not only those who have physically died and left this world. Even now, the righteous have their souls “tormented,” as in the case of Lot (2 Peter 2:7–8). If we observe all the verses in 2 Peter 2, it is clear that Peter is speaking about false teachers who arise among God’s people (verse 1), one of whose characteristics is following the way of Balaam (verse 15). Peter firmly states that God will judge these false teachers and deliver His chosen people. In this context, Peter compares God’s chosen people to the case of Lot. Thus, the souls that are “tormented” because of the word of Elohim are His chosen people who are among false teachers, one of whose characteristics is following the way of Balaam (serving for reward).

Second, His chosen people cry out for God to judge. Does this prove that His chosen people have a sense of vengeance in their hearts? Let us look at the meaning of judgment in Isaiah 26:9: “…for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Thus, His chosen people ask for God’s judgment so that people may learn what is right. Precisely because His chosen people love the truth, they cry out for God’s judgment, for only God’s judgment can reveal the truth.

Third, it is emphasized that His chosen people must “rest a little while longer.” There is God’s appointed time to judge the earth, and in the context of the church, this includes judging the false teachers among God’s people who follow the way of Balaam. When will God come to judge the earth? In 2 Timothy 4:8, Paul affirms that God will come as the righteous Judge on His day, namely at His coming (commonly called the “second coming” of the Lord). Paul even states that God will give the “crown of righteousness” to those who long for the coming of the Lord Jesus as the righteous Judge.

Thus, the meaning of the opening of the fifth seal is a Christlike character that continues to grow within the hearts of His chosen people, who increasingly love the truth and long for the coming of the Lord as the righteous Judge.

Now we will look at the meaning of the opening of the sixth seal, which is certainly related to the kingdom of heaven. Revelation 6:12–17 states, “…when He opened the sixth seal, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black… the moon became red… and the stars of heaven fell to the earth… ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb…’”

The opening of the sixth seal is related to the wrath of the Lamb, which causes a great earthquake (a great shaking), even to the point that the stars of heaven fall to the earth. If interpreted literally, the earth and all its inhabitants would certainly be destroyed. But subsequent chapters of Revelation affirm that the earth still remains. Therefore, this great cosmic shaking cannot be interpreted literally.

So how do we understand this great cosmic shaking? We have emphasized that the fulfillment of Revelation occurs within the hearts of His chosen people. We must understand that in Revelation, everything old is “destroyed” so that everything new may come. God Himself declares, “…Behold, I make all things new…” (Revelation 21:5). Therefore, this old earth is “destroyed” to move toward the new earth, and of course the new heaven as well. It is our own “heaven and earth” that are destroyed so that we become a “new heaven and a new earth.” Second Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Everything we rely on within ourselves—our “suns,” our “stars,” and the like—is destroyed, so that we can say, “For to me, to live is Christ.” This is the fulfillment of the sixth seal within us.

However, the fulfillment of the sixth seal is also related to the church as the bride of Christ. How is it fulfilled? We can say that this shaking is the “end of the world.” But the world in John’s writings is not the same as the world commonly understood. Let us briefly discuss the term world (KOSMOS) in the writings of the apostle John so that we can understand the destruction of the world at the opening of the sixth seal. The term ‘kosmos’ appears 186 times in the New Testament, 78 times in the Gospel of John and 24 times in his letters, so more than half of its occurrences are in John’s writings. This term ‘kosmos’ is translated as “world” in various Indonesian Bible versions.

The frequent appearance of this term in John’s writings certainly has a special meaning in Johannine theology. We know that the meaning of a term is determined by how it is used in a sentence. If the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life,” we understand that ‘world’ here means all humanity. But if the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15, which says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,” then ‘world’ here does not mean all humanity. Rather, it refers to a system whose values are opposed to God’s values and the values of the kingdom of heaven.

Let us look at John 15:18–25. This pericope in the Indonesian Bible is titled “The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples.” If we read the entire passage, we can identify who ‘the world’ is. Verse 25 says, “But this happened so that the word written in their Law might be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me without a cause.’” Clearly, ‘the world’ here is the Jewish religious system or Judaism, that is, the Jewish religious teaching with their Law. They were the ones who killed Jesus and hated and persecuted His followers. Consider also John 12:31: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” And Revelation 12:9: “And the great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…” From this we know that the devil is the ruler of the world, in the sense of a religious system, and that the devil is the one who deceives the religious world.

For those who can see, it is evident that the early church fell into becoming a religious system, called the Christian world. The fulfillment of the opening of the sixth seal is the destruction of the Christian world system and its replacement with a new system. In the book of Revelation, this new system (order) is the order of the kingdom of heaven, where His chosen people function as kings and priests who will reign on the earth.

We will continue a little further our discussion on the opening of the sixth seal. Revelation 6:12–17 states, “…when He opened the sixth seal, behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black… the moon became red… And the stars of heaven fell to the earth… ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb… for the great day of His wrath has come…’”

We will speak about the “wrath of the Lamb.” The Greek term ‘orge’, which is translated as ‘wrath’, can also mean ‘passion’, that is, ‘a very strong feeling of love’. Therefore, the meaning of ‘wrath’ here is not a destructive anger, but rather an anger that arises precisely because of a strong feeling of love. This is not the ‘wrath’ of a lion, even though Jesus is also described as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah.” This is the wrath of the LAMB. We know that a lamb is not an animal that attacks or harms its enemies. Therefore, the meaning of the ‘wrath’ of the Lamb in the book of Revelation corresponds to the explanation of the white horse that “judges and makes war in righteousness” (Revelation 6:2; 19:11).

Many people describe Jesus from only one side, namely as the Lamb who was sacrificed and who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). But they forget the other side, namely His wrath that will take place on the GREAT DAY, as emphasized in the verse above. At present, Jesus is already “waging war and judging” within the inner being of His chosen people, but in His time, He will wage war and judge ALL NATIONS TOGETHER WITH HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, as emphasized in Revelation 19:11–16. What we must always remember is the meaning of ‘judging’, namely, so that the inhabitants of the world may learn what is right (Isaiah 26:9).

The Bible affirms the first coming of Jesus as the Lamb of God who was sacrificed and who takes away the sin of the world. But at His subsequent coming (commonly called “His second coming”), He comes as the righteous Judge (2 Timothy 4:8). And the first to be judged are the people of God or the Christian world (1 Peter 4:17). Therefore, if we apply the opening of the sixth seal to the Christian world that has existed for these 20 centuries, then at His “second” coming, the Christian world will be judged and will come to an end, and will be replaced by a new system/new order, namely the kingdom order, in which His chosen people will function as kings and priests on this earth.

We now come to Revelation chapter 7, which the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI) version divides into two pericopes and gives the following titles respectively: First, ‘The Sealed of Israel’, and second, ‘The Great Multitude’. Many interpreters consider chapter 7 to be an insertion, because the opening of the sixth seal ends in Revelation chapter 6, and the opening of the seventh seal begins directly in Revelation chapter 8, so chapter 7 is viewed as an insertion. Actually, this is not so, because the book of Revelation reveals to us the person of Jesus Christ and His church progressively. Thus, in broad outline, the book of Revelation reveals to us a ‘journey’ (a progressive process) from ‘church to kingdom’, or from ‘the lampstand (a symbol of the church) to the throne (a symbol of the kingdom)’, as we have emphasized at the beginning of this writing. Therefore, chapter 7 is the RESULT or CONSEQUENCE of the process of opening seals 1 through 6.

There are two results/consequences of the process of opening the six seals that we have briefly discussed: first, those who are sealed from the tribes of Israel, and second, the great multitude that no one can number. At this time we will discuss those who are sealed from the tribes of Israel.

Those who are sealed and number 144,000 are the ‘firstfruits’ (Revelation 14:1, 4). Revelation 14:4 explains who they are: “…These were redeemed from among MEN (anthrōpos), being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” (ILT). Thus, the 144,000 are not only the nation of Israel, but the overcoming church chosen from among humanity. James 1:18 affirms, “that He might make us a kind of firstfruits of His creatures…” (ILT). Likewise, Galatians 3:7 states, “…those who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham.” Therefore, the 144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel are a symbol of the OVERCOMING CHURCH (as firstfruits), which comes not only from the physical nation of Israel, but also from the other nations.

Let us observe the order of the tribes of Israel that are sealed (Revelation 7:5–8). We see that the first tribe mentioned is Judah, even though Judah was not Jacob’s firstborn son. The explanation is as follows. Actually, ‘Israel’ is not merely Jacob’s personal name. Israel, which means PRINCE OF GOD, is the name given to him by God after he wrestled and “prevailed” with God (Genesis 32:28). Thus, Israel does not refer only to Jacob, but to anyone who has wrestled with God and “prevailed”; such a person also receives the “name” Israel. In fact, the 144,000 (the overcoming church) are also ISRAEL, namely the Prince of God.

Judah is mentioned first because Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, and Jesus is the first who wrestled and “prevailed”; therefore the tribe of Judah is mentioned first. We then move directly to the last tribe mentioned, namely the tribe of Benjamin (Revelation 7:8). Jacob named this son Benjamin, which means ‘the son of the right hand’. This means that the overcoming church is like the male Child who “…was caught up to God and to His throne” (Revelation 12:5, ILT). Therefore, the overcoming church begins with Jesus, as the first to overcome, and will end at the throne of God. Such is the meaning of the 144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel and their characteristics.

We continue our discussion of Revelation chapter 7, which the LAI version divides into two pericopes: first, ‘Those Sealed from the Tribes of Israel’, and second, ‘The Great Multitude’. We have discussed ‘Those Sealed from the Tribes of Israel’, that they are the “firstfruits” or the overcoming church.

Now we will identify who the “great multitude” in chapter 7 is. Observe Revelation 7:14: “…These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” This great multitude consists of those who come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes so that they become white. The expression “great tribulation” (‘thlipsis megas’) appears only twice in the book of Revelation, and both occurrences are related to the saints. Revelation 2:22, which is related to the church, states: “…those who commit adultery with her (THE WOMAN JEZEBEL) I will throw into great tribulation (thlipsis megas), unless they repent….” The book of Revelation itself explains who this “great multitude” is, namely the followers of “Jezebel,” who pass through the “great tribulation,” and therefore repent and wash their robes to make them white.

Who is this Jezebel who has followers? We must remember that Jezebel in 1 Kings 16:31 was a HISTORICAL woman, the wife of King Ahab. But Jezebel in the book of Revelation is a SYMBOL related to the church. What is the meaning of this SYMBOL of Jezebel? Consider the case of Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21:1–16). Here it is clear that Jezebel “usurped authority” from King Ahab by writing letters in Ahab’s name and sealing them with the king’s seal (verse 8). And because Jezebel is applied to the church, then the “Jezebels,” as a SYMBOL, are people in the church who have followers and who USURP THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS AS THE “HUSBAND” OF THE CHURCH. Thus, “Jezebel” in the church does not have to be female; but because she has followers, these “Jezebels” are church leaders (both men and women) WHO USURP THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS.

How do these “Jezebels” usurp the authority of Jesus? Consider Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:1–12. Here Jesus speaks to two groups of people (verse 1): the scribes and Pharisees, and His disciples. In verses 1–7, Jesus speaks to the first group, telling the crowds (the nation of Israel) not to rebel against their leaders (the scribes and Pharisees), because they have the “seat of Moses” (authority). But from verse 8 to verse 12, Jesus speaks to His disciples. He emphasizes that you (His disciples) should not be called leaders, rabbis, or fathers, because you are all brothers. What does Jesus mean here? According to the context, namely the context of the “seat of Moses,” it means that among Jesus’ disciples there must be no “seat of Moses” (authority of one over another). All members of the church are brothers. THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH ABSOLUTELY BELONGS TO JESUS. Jesus never delegated His authority to leaders. Delegated authority applies only in human governmental systems. The church is an organism, and the authority in an organism is the life of that organism, namely Jesus as the life (‘zoē’) of the church (I am the zoē).

But we know that later, because of the attack of savage wolves, some church leaders drew disciples after themselves (Acts 20:28–30). They should only equip the saints, and not draw disciples to themselves (Ephesians 4:11–12). This behavior of drawing disciples is the same as Jezebel’s behavior in usurping the authority of King Ahab. Therefore, the “Jezebels” in the church are the leaders who have caused the church to be divided into tens of thousands of denominations. These leaders possess a “seat of Moses” (human authority) over the disciples of Jesus whom they have drawn. Each denomination or movement has its own leaders and followers. This is the “great multitude” mentioned in Revelation 7:9–17.

We continue a little further our discussion of Revelation chapter 7 concerning the second group, namely “the great multitude.” We have emphasized that this “great multitude” consists of the followers of “Jezebel” in the church, and certainly the “Jezebels” themselves as well, whom the Lord throws into the great tribulation (Revelation 2:22). But after passing through the great tribulation, they “…wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14).

We have also seen who these “Jezebels” in the church are, namely leaders who usurp the authority of Jesus over the church by drawing disciples to themselves. These “Jezebels” possess illegitimate or unlawful authority over the Lord’s disciples. Therefore, the Lord judges them. When does the Lord judge (or more precisely, “declare plainly”) to these “Jezebels” and their followers? Let us look at Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven… On that day… Then I will declare to them… you workers of lawlessness.” The expression ‘workers of lawlessness’ comes from the Greek term ‘anomia’, which means violation of law or lawlessness. What law do those who call Jesus Lord violate? Certainly the law of the kingdom of heaven; therefore they do not enter the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus declares this plainly ON THE LAST DAY, that is, at the time of His coming (commonly called the “second” coming).

Jesus will come “a second time” as the righteous Judge, and the first to be judged are the people of God (1 Peter 4:17). In the Christian world, such truths are “hidden.” Why is this so? Not only because Jesus will declare it plainly at His coming, but also because it has commonly been taught by these “Jezebels” that “if you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, you will surely enter heaven.” Ultimately, indeed, one will enter the kingdom of heaven, but it is necessary to go through “many tribulations,” as Paul emphasized in Acts 14:22. That is why, on the day of judgment, the Lord throws them into the ‘great tribulation’, with the purpose that they may wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb so that they become white.

One more thing we need to understand regarding this “great multitude,” namely the “Jezebels” and their followers. The Lord emphasizes to this “great multitude,” “…I am He who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:23). In this verse we see that God’s evaluation is primarily directed to the mind and heart of a person. It is not that God does not see a person’s works, but He views a person’s works from their mind and heart.

It is emphasized above that this “great multitude” washes their robes and makes them white through the “great tribulation” they experience. “White robes” in the book of Revelation symbolize “the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). Thus, the minds and hearts of this “great multitude” are processed through the great tribulation, so that their deeds become righteous before God.

Only God knows who belongs to the category of this “great multitude” (the “Jezebels” and their followers) within the Christian world. They have been touched by the Spirit of God and confess Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Even when we look at Matthew 7:21–23 above, they actually perform many miracles, cast out demons, and prophesy in His name. But once again, God looks at the mind and heart.

We now come to the opening of the “seventh seal” of the sealed scroll (Revelation 8:1). We have already understood that this sealed scroll is the book concerning redemption by Jesus Christ. When the last seal (the seventh) is opened by the Lamb, truly the mystery of redemption is perfect and complete, because the number seven symbolizes perfection. We will later see that the subsequent chapters in the book of Revelation are revelations concerning the “perfection of redemption” accomplished by the Lamb.

Let us look at Revelation 8:1–3: “And when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven… Then I saw the seven angels… to them were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and he was given much incense to offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne.”

There are several truths we need to note from the verses above. First, when the seventh seal is opened, heaven becomes silent, as if heaven ceases its activity, and all the inhabitants of heaven ‘stand still’, waiting for what will happen next. This is because the opening of the seventh seal is the moment when the mystery of God concerning the ‘perfection of redemption by the Lamb’ is unveiled.

Second, the opening of the seventh seal IS the revelation of the seven angels who will blow their trumpets. And when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, “…the mystery of God should be completed, as He declared to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7, ILT). What is the “mystery of God” that must be completed? Revelation 11:15 states it: “Then the seventh angel sounded… The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Anointed, and He shall reign forever and ever.” The LAI translation uses a capital letter ‘He’, which actually should be a lowercase ‘his Anointed’, referring to the overcoming church, as we will see later.

Third, there is ‘another angel’ in Revelation 8:1–3 above, who carries out a priestly function. We will discuss this later, because this priestly function is very important for understanding the ‘perfection of redemption by the Lamb’.

We will see in the following chapters of the Book of Revelation how this ‘perfection of redemption by the Lamb’ will cause the first earth and heaven to move toward the new earth and the new heaven. All humanity will ultimately be saved. There will no longer be death, which is the wages of sin. Sadly, however, within Christianity in general, the truth that all people will surely be saved is often labeled as a heretical teaching called ‘universalism’. This view arises from a failure to understand the PROCEDURE or PROCESS TOWARD the restoration of all things, which is revealed through the opening of the seventh seal. But for the “little flock,” to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, there will be great rejoicing, because they are INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS TOWARD THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS.

We continue our discussion on the opening of the seventh seal written in Revelation 8:1–3, as follows: “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven… Then I saw the seven angels… to whom were given seven trumpets. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne.”

At this point we will look at this ‘another angel’ in Revelation 8:1–3 above, an angel who carries out a priestly function in the context of the ‘perfection of redemption by the Lamb’. The symbols in the priestly ministry of this ‘other angel’ clearly correspond to the priestly ministry of Aaron in the Old Testament. Let us examine the priestly ministry of Aaron.

What this ‘other angel’ does is none other than the ministry of the High Priest. The altar with the golden censer was placed in the Holy Place (the Tabernacle of Moses), directly in front of the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place. The High Priest would enter the Most Holy Place once a year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, to make atonement for all the people of Israel. The High Priest would carry the golden censer (the vessel in which incense was burned) from the Holy Place into the Most Holy Place and place it on the floor, and he would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice seven times on the Ark of the Covenant (the mercy seat). However, the ‘other angel’ mentioned above not only offers much incense, but it is also added to the ‘prayers of all the saints’. Furthermore, this ‘other angel’ puts fire into the censer and throws it to the earth, resulting in peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake (Revelation 8:5).

Who is symbolized by this ‘other angel’? Certainly, it is the Lord Jesus Christ as the High Priest. Yet Jesus Christ is not a High Priest according to the order of Aaron, but a High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. At this time, we will not discuss the differences between the High Priest according to the order of Aaron (Old Testament) and the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (New Testament). The Book of Hebrews explains this in detail.

What we will now discuss is the action of this ‘other angel’ in placing fire into the censer and throwing it to the earth, causing peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake (Revelation 8:5). This action is certainly symbolic. We will explain it as follows. The Lord Jesus has many ‘titles’. First, He is called the High Priest, meaning that He is the highest Priest AMONG PRIESTS. Second, Jesus is called the King of kings, meaning that He is the highest King AMONG KINGS. Third, Jesus is also called the Savior of the world, meaning that He will save the entire world, for He would not be worthy to be called the Savior of the world if He did not save the world.

Consider Luke 12:49–50, where Jesus says, “I have come to cast fire on the earth,” and then it is said that He must undergo a baptism. What He means is that Jesus will ‘cast’ the fire of the Holy Spirit upon the earth after He undergoes baptism—in the sense of dying, rising again, and sitting at the right hand of the Father as High Priest and King of kings. Jesus will come to the earth in His

Holy Spirit as High Priest IN AND THROUGH PRIESTS. Jesus will also come to the earth in His Holy Spirit IN AND THROUGH KINGS. For what purpose does Jesus come to the earth? To establish His kingdom on earth so that the earth moves toward the new earth, and the heaven also toward the new heaven.

Let us apply the truth of Revelation 8:1–5 to the Christian world before we close this section. In Christianity it is commonly believed that Jesus will return and take His people to a pleasant place far away called heaven. Not so, my brothers and sisters… As High Priest and King of kings, Jesus comes to the earth not to take “spiritual infants” to heaven. He will come to the earth in and through His chosen people, who have been formed into ‘kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek’. That is why it is emphasized in Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 that His chosen people are made kings and priests and will reign on the earth.

We are still discussing the priestly ministry, namely that of Jesus, symbolized by the ‘other angel’ in Revelation 8:1–3. Let us pay attention to verse 3 of Revelation 8:1–3: “…And much incense was given to him, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne.” Notice the symbolic action of this ‘other angel’, who not only offers much incense, but also the prayers of all the saints. What is the meaning of this symbolic action?

We must look at several New Testament passages related to Jesus’ function as our High Priest. John 17:9 states, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” This prayer of Jesus took place on the last night when He was gathered with His disciples, and Judas, who betrayed Him, was no longer with Him. Notice that Jesus prayed only for His disciples, those whom the Father had given to Him. Here Jesus explicitly says that He does not pray for the world. Who is the ‘world’ Jesus refers to here?

We must give the correct meaning to the term ‘world’ according to its context in the writings of the apostle John. If the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, then we know that ‘world’ there means all humanity, that is, all people whom the Father loves. If the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15–16, where we are forbidden to love the world, then the world referred to there is a religious system. Consider the entire context of Jesus’ conversation on the last night with His disciples. When Jesus says that the world hates Him and His disciples, what is meant is the religious world, namely Judaism, which possessed the Law (John 15:25). Therefore, if we consider the entire context of Jesus’ conversation on that last night, we know that the term ‘world’ Jesus refers to in His prayer is the religious world, namely Judaism. Thus, we understand that the meaning of Jesus’ prayer above is that He does not pray for the religious world (Judaism), which killed Him and hated His disciples.

This does not mean that Jesus, as High Priest, will not save the religious world, or the world in the sense of all humanity. For in John 12:32, Jesus clearly says that He will draw ALL PEOPLE to Himself. Rather, the work of Elohim has its own stages or order, as also written in 1 Corinthians 15:23–28. Thus, in the end, Jesus will save the whole world, as He has been given the title Savior of the world.

However, in this present age, as High Priest, Jesus only prays for and forms those whom the Father has given to Him. As High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus forms those given to Him by the Father to become priests also according to the order of Melchizedek. Thus, at His coming, Jesus can be the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek among the priests, namely those given to Him by the Father.

Consider Jesus’ next prayer in John 17:21: “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be in Us, SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE that You sent Me.” When, at His coming, His chosen people have been formed into priests and kings, and Jesus has become the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek among the priests and the King of kings, then the stage arrives in which the entire world will be saved.

Thus, the symbolic action of the ‘other angel’ offering incense and the prayers of all the saints (priests and kings) is the offering of “fragrant” prayers before the Father for the salvation of the world. The prayers of His chosen people (kings and priests) are involved in the offering of this fragrant “incense” before the Father, by Jesus Christ as High Priest.

We have stated that the priestly ministry of the ‘other angel’ in Revelation 8:3–5 is a symbol of the ministry of Jesus as High Priest. But we know that the priestly ministry of this ‘other angel’ follows the order of Aaron, whereas Jesus is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Therefore, we will now discuss several fundamental differences between the priesthood according to the order of Aaron and the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek.

First, the priesthood according to the order of Aaron is related to a covenant, namely the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant is the covenant between Yahweh and the nation of Israel mediated by Moses. Based on this Mosaic Covenant, no one could function as a priest except those from the nation of Israel. Likewise, the ministry of Aaron and his descendants had to come from the tribe of Levi and had to serve in the Temple in Jerusalem. Even Jesus Himself could not be a High Priest according to the order of Aaron because He came from the tribe of Judah. Second, the ministry of Aaron and his descendants had to conform to the Law in force, namely the Law of Moses. This priestly ministry was no trivial matter before Yahweh, for if a priest offered “strange fire” (not according to the regulation), it could result in death, as in the case of Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron.

Third, Hebrews 7:12 states, “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.” The original text does not say ‘the Law of Moses’, but simply ‘the law’. This means that the law or rule in force is replaced or changed when the priesthood changes. Therefore, the law applicable to the priesthood of Jesus is not the Law of Moses, but the Law of Life (zoe). Hebrews 7:15–16 emphasizes that the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek does not follow the Law of Moses, but the Law of Life (an indestructible life).

Fourth, the ministry of Jesus as High Priest is the ministry of a ‘forerunner’ (Hebrews 6:20). This is very different from the ministry of the High Priest according to the order of Aaron. The priests, apart from the High Priest, according to the order of Aaron, were not permitted to enter the Most Holy Place (a symbol of union with Yahweh and of the ministry of reconciliation for the entire nation), as the High Priest did once a year. But the ministry of Jesus as High Priest will bring the other priests according to the order of Melchizedek to participate in the ministry of the ‘Most Holy Place’.

From these four points, we can see how confused the priestly ministry in Christianity has become. The priestly ministry in Christianity generally does not follow the Law of Moses, nor does it follow the Law of Life. This occurs because of two false teachings: Jezebel and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3). These “Jezebels” draw the Lord’s disciples and subdue them with various regulations. These regulations may include parts of the Mosaic Law related to money, such as tithes, firstfruits (money), and others, or other rules such as false self-abasement (the teaching of the Nicolaitans), or various organizational regulations.

In such conditions, God’s chosen people who are to be formed into priests according to the order of Melchizedek certainly cannot remain within such a mixed priestly system. His chosen people will be formed by Jesus into priests according to the order of Melchizedek outside the existing Christian system.

We are still speaking about the opening of the seventh seal, where, when this seal is opened by the Lamb, there are seven angels with seven trumpets, and also the ‘other angel’ who carries out a priestly ministry that is a symbol of the ministry of Jesus Christ as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We will now speak in broad terms about the ministry of the seven angels with the seven trumpets.

To understand the ministry of the seven angels with the seven trumpets, we must clearly understand that their ministry ‘carries out’ the priestly ministry of the ‘other angel’ that we have discussed previously. Let us look specifically at the priestly ministry of this ‘other angel’ in Revelation 8:5: “Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” From this verse we see that the priestly ministry of this ‘other angel’ is DIRECTED TOWARD THE EARTH. The earth becomes the focus of this priestly ministry.

We know that the “fire” thrown to the earth is a symbol of the Spirit of Christ at work on the earth. It is emphasized that after the fire is thrown to the earth, there are peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. All of these are certainly symbols caused by the work of the Spirit of Christ on the earth. We do not need to discuss these symbols in detail, nor will we discuss in detail the symbols that occur through the priestly ministry of the seven angels with the seven trumpets in the subsequent verses and chapters. What we must understand is that the symbols stated as occurring on the earth ARE THE RESULT OF PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND ALSO THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS. Therefore, destruction or damage or whatever occurs on the earth is actually the restoration of all things so that THE OLD EARTH MOVES TOWARD THE NEW EARTH.

Christians who interpret every event on earth caused by the work of the seven angels with the seven trumpets “literally” will regard the Book of Revelation as a very terrifying book. We know that the Book of Revelation is not such a terrifying book, but rather a very positive book in the sense that it is the book of the restoration of all things. Through the priestly ministry of the seven angels with the seven trumpets, the old earth moves toward the new earth. In fact, the old earth and the old heaven are symbols of fallen humanity, because humans possess an “earthly” aspect (the physical body) and also a “heavenly” aspect (the human spirit). Therefore, the destruction of the old earth and old heaven is the restoration of all humanity, so that humanity becomes a “new heaven and new earth.”

Now let us directly see what happens when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet. Revelation 10:7 states: “But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of Elohim shall be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets” (ILT). We know that the number seven is a symbol of perfection (completion), so when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the priestly ministry of the seven angels is finished, perfected, completed. It is emphasized in this verse that the ‘mystery of Elohim’ is fulfilled when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet.

Now let us look briefly at several symbols in the ministry of the seven angels with the seven trumpets at the opening of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1–2). Certainly, we do not understand all these symbols in detail. What we must remember, as we have emphasized previously, is that the ministry of the seven angels with the seven trumpets is a ministry of the restoration of the earth, so that the earth moves toward the new earth. Therefore, the destruction of the “old earth” is a restorative act so that the “new earth” may come.

Let us begin with the first trumpet: “Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up” (Revelation 8:7). The symbol of “trees” here refers to ‘honorable people,’ while “grass” represents humanity in general. Isaiah 40:6, 8 affirms, “…all flesh is grass, and all its goodness is like the flower of the field… The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our Elohim stands forever” (ILT). Thus, the message of the ‘first trumpet’ is that the destruction of human glory will surely occur. Yet it does not stop there, for Isaiah 40:5 further declares, “And the glory of YAHWEH shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together…” (ILT). Therefore, the message of the ‘first trumpet’ is good news: in the end, ALL HUMANITY will see the destruction of human glory and will behold the glory of Elohim.

We know that as a result of sin, all humanity has fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). When Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately lost the glory of God, and as a result they felt ashamed of their ‘nakedness.’ In fact, their nakedness did not cause shame as long as they were clothed with the glory of God. But when sin entered and the glory of God departed, they felt shame. Sadly, Adam and Eve tried to cover their shame by their own effort, by making loincloths from fig leaves (Genesis 3:7). God was not pleased with this method and instead made garments

of animal skins for humanity. These animal skins are a symbol of Christ who was sacrificed and became the glory of Elohim for those who put Him on.

The act of Adam and Eve in making loincloths to cover their shame is, in reality, the act of all their descendants as well. Indeed, the fall of the Christian world is essentially the exchange of the glory of God for human glory. In the Christian world, in general, money, position, and human approval have become the ‘glory’ of many “servants of God.” This is a fact within Christianity, even if it is not openly acknowledged. “Servants” of God who succeed in drawing disciples to themselves, extracting money from them through various teachings, and building buildings (read: building their own kingdoms) are considered successful in ministry. The problem is that such practices were never carried out by the apostles and disciples of the Lord in the early church. His chosen people certainly do not seek human glory, for their glory is Christ within. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Let us return to the message of the first angel. In His time, human glory will collapse, and the glory of Elohim will be established. The earth, filled with human glory, will be restored to become a new earth filled with the glory of God. This message of the ‘first angel’ is good news for His chosen people who seek the glory of God, but certainly ‘bad news’ for those who seek human glory.

Let us continue with the ‘second trumpet’: “Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed” (Revelation 8:8–9).

In the Old Testament, mountains speak of human kingdoms. The psalmist once said, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from YAHWEH…” (Psalm 121:1–2). Here the psalmist is seeking help, and he looks to the mountains, which symbolize human kingdoms built by strength, intelligence, and human leadership. Yet in the end he affirms that his help comes from the Lord. The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament is often referred to as a rocky mountain.

In the message of the second trumpet, it is said that a great mountain burning with fire is thrown into the sea, which certainly refers to the sea of humanity. The great mountain burning with fire is the Kingdom of God. This is confirmed in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, as interpreted by the prophet Daniel, that the stone which struck and destroyed the human kingdoms would become a great mountain filling the whole earth (Daniel 2:34–35). This great mountain is the Kingdom of God that will fill the entire earth.

As a result of the establishment of the Kingdom of God, it is declared that a third of the living creatures and ships are destroyed. Ships speak of organized trading systems. Praise the Lord that there will come a time when, with the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth, human trading systems will be destroyed and replaced by the ‘economic system of the Kingdom of God’ (Kingdom Economics).

There is one thing we must note regarding the world’s trading system. In general, people sell services or goods to gain profit (money), and this is legitimate. The problem is that within the Holy Temple (the church), the world’s trading system has also entered into ministry. When Jesus entered the Temple of Judaism, He drove out the “merchants” who sold sacrificial animals and religious services for profit. These “merchants” of the Temple were none other than the leaders, namely the Jewish Sanhedrin.

We know that one of the reasons the church fell and became the world (kosmos = system) of Christianity is the teaching of Balaam. Balaam was a prophet who traded in prophecy. In the Christian world, generally speaking, “servants of God” also trade in “spiritual matters,” such as the gifts of the Holy Spirit, knowledge of the Word, preaching abilities, “spiritual” goods, and so forth. This trading system has been justified in Christianity because “Balaam” has become a TEACHING, not merely a PRACTICE carried out by a few individuals.

However, it must be emphasized that trading in the Temple could only be seen by Jesus. Before Jesus entered the Temple, no one questioned it. The “merchants” in the Christian world do not question this issue, not because they are not trading in their ministry, but because they do not see as Jesus sees. Yet His chosen people are granted grace to see and to avoid this.

Let us continue with the ‘third trumpet’: “Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter” (Revelation 8:10–11).

Let us look at several verses from John’s writings to understand the meaning of the symbol of ‘rivers.’ John 7:38 states, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” This means that the ‘rivers’ flowing from within a person will release life-giving water. If we compare this with what the apostle John affirms in 1 John 2:27, “But the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you…,” we can conclude that the symbol of ‘rivers’ speaks of teachings.

Since the Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ and is a book of restoration, the message conveyed by the ‘third trumpet’ is a restoration from false teachings on earth, especially those attacking the church. How does this restoration occur? It is stated that a star named Wormwood makes the waters ‘bitter’ and causes many people to die. Causing many people on earth to die means the destruction of the “old earth,” or the destruction of false teachings, so as to bring forth a “new earth,” where “…the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of YAHWEH, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). Such is the message of restoration of the ‘third trumpet.’

Let us now speak about teachings in the early church. The early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). But this does not mean there were no false teachings in the early church. Peter, Paul, and John all spoke about and confronted false teachings propagated by false teachers. Paul also warned of the coming of “fierce wolves” who would cause some church leaders to draw disciples after themselves through false teachings (Acts 20:28–30).

We know that the early church eventually moved and became the world of Christianity as we see it today because of false teachings. Revelation chapters 2 and 3 explain the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, which we will not discuss now. At this time, we will focus on one term that appears in the message of the third trumpet, namely ‘bitter.’ This ‘bitterness’ is what actually restores the earth, and also the church, from false teachings.

False teachings are indeed “sweet,” and the masses naturally like them. The Epistle of Jude affirms the characteristics of false teachers, namely twisting the grace of God into sensual indulgence or fleshly matters (verse 4). False teachers in Christianity generally present “sweet” messages by directing the grace of God toward fleshly matters. The masses, both in Jesus’ time and in Christianity today, tend to seek “bread” (John 6:25–66). This does not mean false teachers do not preach the “bread of life,” but the emphasis is shifted toward “physical bread,” producing a “sweetness” that the masses enjoy.

Let us continue with the ‘fourth trumpet’: “Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night” (Revelation 8:12).

What is the meaning of the symbols of the sun, moon, and stars in this verse? When Jesus spoke about His coming, He said, “…the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29). In Genesis 1:14, when Elohim created the sun, moon, and stars, it is stated, “…to give light on the earth…” (ILT). Heaven gives light to the earth. Heaven also exercises authority over the earth. The sun, moon, and stars are bodies that have authority to give light to the earth. Therefore, the sun, moon, and stars speak of heavenly leadership over the earth.

But Jesus emphasized that at His coming, the “old” leadership would be shaken and replaced with the “new.” The message of the ‘fourth trumpet’ is a restoration or transition of leadership, where the “old order” is replaced by the “new order.”

Let us apply the message of the ‘fourth trumpet’ to two types of leadership that exist today. First, worldly leadership (the kingdoms/governments of the world). Second, church leadership. Let us consider the first: the transition of worldly leadership. Revelation 11:15 states, “…The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His anointed, and He shall reign forever and ever.” The Indonesian LAI Bible uses a capital ‘He’ in this verse, but it should be lowercase ‘he’, referring to the victorious church. Daniel 7:18 confirms that the saints will receive the kingdom: “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom….” Thus, at His coming, the governments of the world will be handed over to Christ—namely, the Lord Jesus and His anointed ones.

Next, what about church leadership? If we compare the early church with the denominations that exist today in Christianity, we know that a fall has occurred in terms of leadership. Paul’s warning at the end of his ministry, before the church fell, was directed at leaders (Acts 20:28–30). Likewise, the fall of the church in Asia Minor, as seen by the apostle John, occurred because of the teachings of Jezebel and the Nicolaitans. The teaching of Jezebel justified leaders usurping Jesus’ direct authority over each member of the church, while the teaching of the Nicolaitans justified leaders “lording it over” the laity. These two false teachings caused the church to lose the priesthood of all believers. Church leadership carried out by apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and shepherds should only equip God’s people, not draw them in such a way that the church fractures into thousands of denominations. This is the “old order” of church leadership that will soon pass away at His coming.

The new order is the ‘kingdom order,’ where His chosen people are formed into kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek. At His coming, His chosen people will replace the church order (the old order) and become kings and priests to reign on earth with glorified bodies.

We now enter the ‘fifth trumpet’ found in Revelation 9:1–12. We will not discuss in detail everything that occurs when the ‘fifth trumpet’ is sounded. The essence of its message is the “torment” inflicted by the “locusts” upon those who do not have the seal of Elohim on their foreheads. Verses 4–5 state, “…they were told not to harm… except those people who do not have the seal of Elohim on their foreheads… to be tormented for five months…” (ILT).

We have already discussed those who are sealed in Revelation 7:1–8, namely the ‘firstfruits’ or the victorious church. The chosen ones, the ‘firstfruits,’ are not people who avoid “torment” or God’s formation. Rather, they are those who have experienced formation and divine process earlier, so that they simply follow “…the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among humanity as firstfruits…” (Revelation 14:4). We will discuss this further when we reach Revelation 14. For now, we will focus on the ‘people’ who will experience the torment of the locusts for five months.

Who are these ‘people’ who will experience the ‘torment’ of the locusts? We must remember that the ‘fifth trumpet’ is an act of God’s restoration, for the Book of Revelation is the unveiling of the person of the Lord Jesus to humanity, especially to His chosen people. If we observe the order of humanity that will experience God’s restoration, we know that those specifically mentioned in Revelation 9:1–12 are the Christian world in general. Why? We have previously discussed the “great multitude” in Revelation 7, that they are “the Jezebels and their followers” whom the Lord casts into “great tribulation” (Revelation 2:22). It must be emphasized again that “the Jezebels and their followers” ARE CHURCH PEOPLE, specifically the type of church represented by Laodicea. Although we know that the teaching of Jezebel has permeated Christianity in general. Thus, the people who will experience the torment of the locusts are the Jezebels and their followers. God’s formation, or this “torment of the locusts,” will cause the Christian world to follow only the Lord Jesus and no longer follow the “Jezebels.”

Alright, let us consider Isaiah 26:9 regarding the purpose of God’s judgment in order to understand this “torment of the locusts for five months.” It is written, “…for when You come to judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn what is right.” Thus, it is clear that the purpose of God’s judgment is not a kind of everlasting punishment (eternal hell) as is commonly believed in the Christian world. Rather, God’s judgment, or this “torment of the locusts,” lasts only for a limited period of time, which in our passage is called “five months.” God’s judgment, or this “torment of the locusts,” is intended so that the Christian world may come to know ‘what is right’.

As a closing of this section, let us expose one lie that is commonly preached by these so-called “Jezebels” from the pulpits, namely, “believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” What is generally meant is a “pleasant place” where the streets are made of gold, there are beautiful houses (“the Father’s house”), people only praise God there, and some even think there will still be dogs there. And supposedly, those who believe in Jesus will enter that place someday after physical death. If we find grace before Him, then we know that there is not a single verse in the New Testament that expresses the concept of entering heaven in such a way. Nevertheless, in the Christian world, many are called but few are chosen. All of this is determined by the sovereignty of the Father.

At this point, we enter the ‘sixth trumpet’ written in Revelation 9:13: “Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet. And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before Elohim” (ILT). We will not discuss in detail the symbols used when the sixth angel blows his trumpet. What we need to pay attention to here is the “source of the voice” heard by the apostle John, namely, a voice that comes from the four horns of the golden altar. Clearly, this is not a voice that comes from darkness, from the world, or from the devil. This voice comes from the altar before Elohim. Therefore, this voice is a voice of restoration.

Let us again recall the basic nature of the book of Revelation, which is the personal revelation of the Lord Jesus and is positive in nature (restorative), yet revealed in symbolic language. A very important symbol we must understand is that the “Old/First Heaven and Earth” symbolize all humanity that has fallen into sin. Therefore, the symbol of the “New Heaven and New Earth” represents all humanity that has been restored.

In the book of Revelation, everything that is old is “destroyed” in order to bring forth everything that is new. That is why at the end of this book, the One who sits on the throne says, “…Behold, I make all things new!” (Revelation 21:5). We must remember that restoration is related to His throne. The throne here is certainly a symbol of His authority and His Kingdom. And one of the functions of a throne is to judge. That is why one of the functions of a king in Israel was to judge. But we must remember that the judgment of Elohim is corrective, disciplinary, and restorative in nature. Consider Isaiah 26:9: “…for when You come to judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn what is right.” Thus, the judgment of Elohim is restorative so that humanity may learn what is right. Likewise, the “destruction” of something old is an act of restoration so that something new may come.

Let us consider what happens when the sixth trumpet is sounded (Revelation 9:13–21). We see that a war occurs which causes one third of humanity to be killed (verse 18). Yet the rest of humanity who are not killed still do not repent (verses 20–21). Clearly, the purpose of the “killing of humans” here is related to repentance. The old humanity must be put to death so that repentance may occur, which in turn brings forth the new humanity. This is the work of restoration carried out by the sixth trumpet.

Let us briefly discuss “repentance.” Many Christians think that repentance is related only to sinful behavior and thoughts. But if we observe the proclamation of John the Baptist and of Jesus, we see that people must repent because THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HAS DRAWN NEAR. People must repent in order to receive the kingdom of heaven. The proclamation of John the Baptist and Jesus was primarily directed to the leaders of the nation of Israel, namely the scribes and the Pharisees. These “religious” people were the ones who most needed to repent in order to receive the kingdom of heaven.

In the end, we see that these religious leaders did not repent (‘metanoeo’ = to change the mind). They did not change their concept of the Messiah. They thought that since the Messiah was the son of David, the Messiah’s kingdom must be the same as the physical kingdom of David. Meanwhile, Jesus emphasized that His kingdom is not of this world, but exists in the heavenly dimension. These Jewish religious leaders did not repent and therefore killed Jesus, regarding Him as a deceiver. Truly, the message of the ‘sixth trumpet’ is greatly needed by religious people (including Christians) so that they may receive the kingdom of heaven.

We now enter the ‘seventh trumpet’, as it is written: “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Anointed One, and He will reign forever and ever.’” There are several important things noted in chapters 10 and 11 of the book of Revelation before the seventh angel blows his trumpet. Let us discuss them.

First, in Revelation 10:6–7 it is written, “…that there would be no more delay… the mystery of Elohim must be fulfilled…” (ILT). Several Bible versions translate this as “there will be no more delay” or “time will be no longer,” as in the ILT above. Actually, the Greek expression ‘chronos ouketi eimi’ should be translated ‘there is no more time’. What this means is that when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, the mystery of Elohim is completed, and THERE IS NO MORE TIME.

What does ‘no more time’ mean? Time is something created by Elohim, just like the heavens, the earth, animals, humans, and all other creations of Elohim. Time has a beginning and an end. And there will come a moment when time will stop and will be no more. In the city of the New Jerusalem, it is emphasized that “…the city has no need of the sun or the moon…” (Revelation 21:23). The sun and the moon were created by God as regulators of time (Genesis 1:14). In the city of the New Jerusalem (the Bride of the Lamb), the sun and moon are no longer needed, because there is no more time to be regulated. Thus, in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth, THERE IS NO MORE TIME. Nor is there any more death, which is the wages of sin (Revelation 21:4).

We have previously discussed the meaning of ‘dimensions’, and now we need to emphasize it again. Elohim dwells in the ‘eternal dimension’, and He created three other dimensions: the ‘heavenly dimension’, where He places His throne; the ‘earthly dimension’ (space and time); and the ‘dimension under the earth’ (the realm of death), where those who have laid aside their physical bodies reside.

When Elohim created ‘time’, everything that exists within ‘time’ must undergo a process of growth. There is nothing “instant” in the context of time. Even the kind of life lived by Elohim (Greek: ‘zoe’) must grow when it enters the context of time. This is the meaning of believers in Jesus receiving ‘eternal life’, namely, ZOE LIFE THAT ENTERS THE CONTEXT OF TIME AND MUST GROW. Many Christians understand ‘eternal’ as endless time without end. From this understanding arises the doctrine of eternal hell, meaning hell without end, as well as the idea that those who believe in Jesus receive eternal life, meaning living in heaven far away forever. This understanding is extremely confused.

Let us take an example from the Gospel of John regarding the meaning of eternal life given to those who believe in Jesus. John 3:36 states, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life….” The Greek expression translated as ‘eternal life’ is ‘zoe aionios’. The Greek term ‘aion’ means an age or a period of time, which has a beginning and an end. Thus, the meaning of ‘eternal life’ (‘zoe aionios’) is THE KIND OF LIFE OF ELOHIM (ZOE) THAT ENTERS THE CONTEXT OF TIME. And this ‘zoe’ life must grow. In reality, not all Christians (born-again believers) experience the growth that should occur.

So, what is the meaning of ‘there is no more time’ when the seventh angel blows his trumpet? It means that His chosen people, within whom the ‘zoe’ life (the life of Elohim) dwells, have grown to such an extent and reached perfection. When the seventh trumpet is sounded, the mystery of Elohim is fulfilled, there is no more time, and HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE KNOW ELOHIM PERFECTLY BECAUSE THE ZOE LIFE HAS GROWN TO PERFECTION. Jesus emphasized the purpose of Elohim in giving eternal life, namely, to know the Father, the only true Elohim, and to know Jesus whom He has sent (John 17:3). This is the mystery of Elohim: knowing Him correctly, not living in heaven far away and singing forever, as is commonly believed in the Christian world.

We are still discussing important things that occur before the seventh angel blows his trumpet. Previously, we discussed the meaning of ‘no more time’ (Revelation 10:6–7). Next, second, we will discuss several things that occur in chapter 10. Let us consider several verses in this chapter: “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven… In his hand he held a little scroll that lay open… But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet… the mystery of God will be accomplished… Then he said to me, ‘Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey’… And he said to me, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings’” (Revelation 10:1–11, LAI).

What is symbolized by the ‘other mighty angel’ here is certainly the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It is emphasized that this angel is wrapped in a cloud (singular form). Throughout the Bible, when the term “cloud” appears in the singular, it refers to the cloud of God’s glory, whereas in the plural it refers to witnesses. Furthermore, above his head is a “rainbow,” which indicates that this angel holds firmly to the covenant. Then his face is like the sun, for the Lord is the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2). His feet are like pillars of fire that stand on the land and the sea, meaning that He has authority over everything and will purify (“fire”) all things. Finally, he holds a little scroll that is open. Certainly, this “open little scroll” is none other than the book that only the Lamb can open, which contains His personal revelation and His redemptive work over all things.

It is emphasized in the verses above that when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, the mystery of Elohim is fulfilled. Paul explains this mystery of Elohim as follows: “by making known to us the mystery of His will… to sum up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth…” (Ephesians 1:9–10, ILT). To sum up all things in Christ is the restoration of all creation. This is the mystery of Elohim that will surely be fulfilled when the seventh angel blows his trumpet.

The final thing emphasized in chapter 10 is the command to eat the “open scroll” and to prophesy to many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. Eating the scroll means that one must digest the ‘personal revelation of Christ and His work’ so thoroughly that one does not merely possess ‘intellectual knowledge’, but has become ‘united’ with the person of Christ and His redemptive work. This union is sweet “in our mouths,” but bitter “in our stomachs.” That is, the revelation of the victory of Christ’s cross is sweet to us, but when it is worked out in our lives, the cross of Christ destroys everything old within us and builds everything new. This experience will feel bitter to us. But by His grace, we must experience it first, and only then can we prophesy to many people.

Intellectual knowledge has its place in a person’s spiritual life, but if there is only ‘intellectual knowledge’, then a person becomes proud, as Paul emphasized in his letter to the Corinthians. Indeed, in general, within the Christian world, ‘intellectual knowledge’ can be traded through official institutions, books, or other means. But His chosen people will prophesy after experiencing it, without commercializing the revelation of Christ.

We now go directly to Revelation 11:1 to discuss the “measuring” of the Temple (the holy place): “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod, and the angel stood and said, ‘Rise and measure the temple of Elohim, the altar, and those who worship there’” (ILT).

Here we see that the apostle John is commanded to measure the Temple of Elohim, the altar, and those who worship in it, but he must do so with the “measuring rod” given to him by the angel. The meaning of “measuring” is to evaluate or compare with a certain standard. If someone says that the length of a rope is two meters, this means he has compared the length of the rope with a particular standard measure, commonly called a ‘meter’. The apostle John must not measure the Temple with his own measure or with any other measure not given to him by the angel.

Exodus 25:8 states, “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Elohim, who is the ‘True Family’ (Father, Son, and Spirit), always seeks a ‘dwelling place or house’ in which He will live. But His house must conform to the standard established by Elohim Himself. In the Old Testament context, God’s house was a physical building called the Temple. But in the New Testament context, God’s house is the church, namely believers in whom the Spirit of Elohim dwells within their inner being (Ephesians 2:20–22). Both the Old Testament Temple as a symbol and the church as the reality of Elohim’s dwelling place must be built ACCORDING TO ELOHIM’S STANDARD. No one may build the Temple (symbol) or the church (reality) according to his own standard or measure.

The matter of building God’s house, whether the Temple as a symbol or the church as its reality, is not a trivial matter. For in His time, God will measure whether His house has been built according to the standard He has established or according to another standard. I Peter 4:17 states, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the house of Elohim, and if it begins with us first…” (ILT). To judge has the same meaning as to measure, that is, to evaluate and compare with a certain standard. And the first thing God measures is His own house.

Before we continue, let us close this section with a question related to the condition of the Christian world. In Christianity, it has become common to equate denominations with the church. Even if some leaders know that a denomination is not the church, generally they seem to ignore this fact. They continue to build a denomination as though God will never “measure” His house in the future.

What is the standard of His house? Truly, the standard of His house is the person of Jesus Christ, because Jesus Christ is the Temple of Elohim. However, the early church that was born on the day of Pentecost is also a “standard” for those who are involved in the building of the church, by His grace, God’s chosen people certainly do not build the church according to their own “standards,” but according to the “standard” given to them by God, just as happened to the apostle John.

We continue our discussion from Revelation 11:1, and at this time we will discuss the ‘altar of God’, which also must be measured. Revelation 11:1 reads: “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the sanctuary of Elohim, and His altar, and those who worship in it’” (ILT).

The ‘altar of God’ is the place where a person offers sacrifices to God. In His time, He will measure ‘His altar’ according to His own standard (His measuring rod). Many Christians are unaware that since the time of Cain and Abel, there have been two “altars.” We know that God “measured” these two altars. After God “measured” them, the altar of Cain was rejected, and the altar of Abel was accepted. We will not discuss this further because there is already a writing entitled ‘Ministry Outside the Camp’. For brothers and sisters who are interested, we can send the PDF version.

We move directly to the time of Moses, when the worship of the Golden Calf occurred while Israel was at Mount Sinai (Exodus 32–33). After this incident, Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp; it was called the ‘Tent of Meeting’, and everyone who sought the LORD had to go outside the camp of Israel to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:7).

In Christianity there are also two “altars.” One is inside the world of Christianity, where the majority of God’s people offer sacrifices; the other is outside the world (system) of Christianity. Hebrews 13:10–13 affirms: “We have an altar… therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate… Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” At the time of Jesus’ coming (commonly called the “second coming”), Jesus will “measure” these two altars.

To understand these “two altars,” we must emphasize the difference between being LOVED by the heavenly Father and being PLEASING to the heavenly Father. In Christianity, generally, being blessed by God is considered PROOF that someone is pleasing to Him. Matthew 3:17 clarifies this distinction: “…This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Does the heavenly Father love only Jesus, His only Son? John 3:16 affirms that the heavenly Father loves the world (all humanity), which means that the heavenly Father has blessed everyone. For it is impossible for the heavenly Father to love someone and at the same time curse them. If in this world there is sickness, famine, and death, it is not because the Father does not love the world, but because the world has fallen into sin. Thus, the heavenly Father loves and blesses everyone, but He is not pleased with everyone’s way. The heavenly Father is pleased with Jesus Christ because Jesus is His standard, as we have emphasized previously. Therefore, whether one is pleasing to the Father or not IS DETERMINED BY A STANDARD.

When Moses struck the rock, an extraordinary miracle occurred: water flowed abundantly so that the people of Israel had water. However, the heavenly Father was not PLEASED with Moses at that time, so Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Did the Father not love Moses? Certainly the Father greatly loved Moses and blessed his ministry and used him mightily, but the Father was not pleased when Moses struck the rock, because it did not conform to His “standard.”

The Christian world is also greatly loved and blessed by the Father, but whether or not the Father is pleased with the “altar” of Christianity will be determined at the coming of Jesus. In Matthew 7:21–23, there are many who prophesy, cast out demons, and perform many miracles IN THE NAME OF THE LORD (certainly all Christians), but Jesus is not pleased. Why? Verse 23 explains the reason: they practiced lawlessness (‘anomia’ = lawlessness = violation of the laws of the kingdom). Thus, what will ultimately determine the outcome is the law or “standard” of the Kingdom of Heaven.

We are still discussing Revelation 11:1, and now we will discuss ‘those who worship in the Temple’. Revelation 11:1 reads: “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, ‘Rise and measure the sanctuary of Elohim, and His altar, and those who worship in it’” (ILT).

Observe from the verse above that what will be “measured” are the people who worship in the Temple, not the forms, rituals, or types of burnt offerings. Many people think that when Cain and Abel offered sacrifices, Elohim was pleased with Abel because Abel offered the firstborn of the flock, symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice, while Cain offered the produce of the ground. However, Hebrews 11:4 states: “By faith Abel offered to Elohim a more excellent sacrifice than Cain….” Thus, it was Abel’s faith that made Elohim pleased with him, not the type of sacrifice. Likewise, in the time of Moses, Yahweh always looked to see whether there was faith in His servants who performed rituals, sacrifices, and the laws of the Torah. If there was faith, Yahweh was pleased; if there was no faith and people merely performed sacrificial rituals, then Yahweh was certainly not pleased.

In the context of the New Covenant, Elohim is pleased with worshipers who worship the Father in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). Worshiping in spirit means following the leading of the Holy Spirit within our inner being in daily life. Worshiping in truth, or reality, means worshiping not in outward forms, outward rules, symbols, or signs. The reality of all the symbols and shadows in the Old Testament is Christ (Colossians 2:17); therefore, worshiping in reality is worshiping in Christ, who is the truth.

As a conclusion to this section, we need to pay attention to Paul’s prophecy concerning people who are religious in the last days: “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). The ILT Bible translates it: “having a form of godliness but having denied its power.” This verse speaks of people who practice their religion routinely, faithfully, and diligently, but it is only an outward form of piety and not inward. In Christianity, outward piety has become commonplace, because that is the nature of religion. Religion always focuses on outward matters, but God always focuses on inward matters.

The church in Laodicea fell into outward forms of piety, so that they assessed (measured) themselves as rich, having become wealthy, and lacking nothing. However, when the Lord assessed (measured) them, He found them to be wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. That is what happens when someone practices religion outwardly. In His time, all who worship in the Temple will be measured by Him.

We now move to Revelation 11:2, which reads: “But exclude the court outside the Temple; do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.”

We have discussed how Elohim commanded the apostle John to measure the Temple, the altar, and the people who worship in it with His own standard. We have also emphasized that His standard is Jesus Christ, and also the Bible, especially the word concerning the early church. There is one more thing that is His standard, namely the law of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21–23). Those who serve the Lord—even prophesying, casting out demons, and performing many miracles in His name—will still have to be “measured” by the law of the Kingdom of Heaven at His coming.

Now we will discuss the “court of the Temple,” which apparently does not need to be measured because it has been given to the nations to be trampled. Why does it not need to be measured like the Temple, the altar, and those who worship in it? It is interesting to note that the Temple consists of three parts: the outer court (the Temple courtyard), the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. The Holy Place and the Most Holy Place are what are called the Temple, while the courtyard is not called the Temple, even though it is part of the Temple complex as a whole. It was in the Temple courtyard that Jesus found people selling sacrificial animals, because it was indeed in the courtyard that sacrifices were offered on the bronze altar (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15).

We can see why the Temple courtyard no longer needs to be measured, because it is in the courtyard that “trade” took place, where Jesus said that the Temple had become a “den of robbers.” If the Temple had already become a den of robbers, and Jesus Himself had acted by driving out the merchants from the Temple courtyard, it is not surprising that the courtyard no longer needs to be measured. The damage caused by trade within the Temple had already changed the fundamental nature of the Temple, from a house of prayer into a den of robbers. That is why the Temple courtyard was handed over to the nations to be trampled.

Let us remember that the Old Testament Temple and its furnishings are symbols of the spiritual experiences of the New Covenant people (the church). Broadly speaking, the spiritual experience of the church can be divided into three: the experience of salvation and new birth (the Bronze Altar and the Laver); the experience of a life of consecration and fullness of the Spirit (the Golden Lampstand, the Table of Showbread, the Altar of Incense); and the experience of union with Elohim (the Ark of the Covenant). Trade in the Temple can only take place in the Temple courtyard, and it is impossible for it to occur in the Holy Place, let alone in the Most Holy Place.

Generally, Christians who fall into trade in their ministry are still at the level of the experience of salvation, although it is not impossible for people at higher levels to also engage in trade in the Temple. Indeed, if we look at one of the false teachings in Revelation 2–3, namely the teaching of Balaam, we know that trade in the church is actually carried out by leaders, who may have greater spiritual experience than Christians in general. We will not discuss the teaching of Balaam further, because it has been discussed elsewhere. Thus, Christians who engage in trade in their ministry no longer need to be “measured,” but this does not mean they are not judged; rather, they have already been judged by being handed over to “the nations to be trampled.”

We move to Revelation 11:2–3, focusing on verse 3, since verse 2 has already been discussed. It reads: (2) “But exclude the court outside the Temple; do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.” (3) “And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophesy, clothed in sackcloth, one thousand two hundred and sixty days.” There are several things we need to note from these two verses. First, the church, in the sense of the “Temple courtyard” filled with trade (the teaching of Balaam), has been handed over to be trampled for forty-two months (3.5 years), commonly called the Great Tribulation. Because of trade that causes the church to lose its “saltiness” as salt, it is thrown out and trampled underfoot (Matthew 5:13).

Second, verse 3 begins with the Greek term ‘kai’ (a conjunction), which connects the sentences in verses 2 and 3. Therefore, it is during the Great Tribulation that Elohim gives authority to His two witnesses. The duration of the two witnesses’ prophecy is also approximately the same as the time during which the “Temple courtyard” church is trampled, namely 3.5 years, if we take one month as thirty days.

Third, who is symbolized by the “two witnesses” mentioned here? The number two in the Bible speaks of witnesses of God, so we should not interpret the “two witnesses” as merely two individuals. Verse 4 affirms that these two witnesses are also called two lampstands, and lampstands are a symbol of the church (many people). Thus, the two witnesses are a community (group) that is given authority by Elohim during the Great Tribulation.

Fourth, this group of God’s witnesses possesses ministerial power similar to that of Moses and Elijah. Elijah’s power was to shut up the sky so that no rain would fall, and Moses’ power was to turn water into blood in Egypt (11:6). Moses’ ministry led God’s people out of Egypt (the world), and Elijah’s ministry delivered God’s people from idolatry.

Fifth, if we consider Malachi 4:6; Matthew 17:10–13; and other related verses, we know that John the Baptist had the power of Elijah to restore all things and to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. Thus, the group of God’s witnesses in Revelation 11 is a group that restores all things and prepares the way for the coming of the great Day of the Lord.

Sixth, when Jesus ministered on earth as the “grain of wheat” that fell into the ground, later many fruits would come who would also minister as Jesus did on earth (John 12:24). And just as one John the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of one Jesus (the Son of Elohim), so the two witnesses of God (the group) will also usher in the appearance of the sons of Elohim on earth, in Revelation 12, which we will discuss later.

Seventh, note that this group of God’s witnesses will be killed after they finish prophesying (Revelation 11:7). And just as Jesus was killed and rose again, so this group of God’s witnesses will also be killed and rise again (Revelation 11:11). This group can be killed because they still wear mortal bodies; this is the meaning of Revelation 11:3, “…prophesying while clothed in sackcloth.” The ILT Bible translates it, “…wearing sackcloth.”

In conclusion of this section, we see that when the trade-filled church is trampled by the nations during the Great Tribulation, God sends His group of witnesses to prophesy, and they will even bring forth the manifestation of the sons of Elohim, as described in Revelation chapter 12.

We now move to the seventh angel who blows the trumpet, when the mystery of Elohim will be finished (Revelation 11:15–19; 10:7). We will quote only a few verses related to this seventh trumpet from Revelation 11:15–19: “Then the seventh angel sounded the trumpet… ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He shall reign forever and ever.’ And the twenty-four elders who sat on their thrones… worshiped Elohim… the time has come for the dead to be judged, and to reward Your servants, the prophets… and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (ILT). There are several things we need to note when this seventh trumpet is sounded.

First, verse 15 clearly affirms that the mystery of Elohim is to take over the kingdoms of the earth (the universe) and to establish His Kingdom forever. The expression ‘forever’ is translated from the Greek phrase ‘tous aionas ton aionon’, which should more accurately be translated as ‘the age of all ages’, because ‘aion’ means an age (time). As we have discussed in this writing, when the seventh trumpet is sounded, there will come a moment when time will be no more (Revelation 10:6). This means that when the Kingdom of Jesus and His Anointed Ones (the overcoming church) has conquered death (the last enemy), Jesus will hand over His Kingdom to the Father so that the Father may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:21–28). The climax of all ages, or the age of all ages in which time no longer exists, is fulfilled in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:23).

Second, it is emphasized in the verses above that when the seventh trumpet is sounded, the twenty-four elders worship. We have also discussed the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures, that they are kings and priests who will reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10). The overcoming church will function as kings and priests to reign together with Jesus on the earth, with the purpose of subduing all things, including the last enemy, namely death as the wages of sin, so that in the universe there will be no remaining trace of sin. Therefore, the Father can express His glory in all and through all His creation. This is the meaning of the Father becoming all in all.

Third, when the seventh trumpet is sounded, the time comes for the dead to be judged. The Kingdom of Jesus and His overcomers will execute the judgment of Elohim so that the inhabitants of the earth may learn righteousness (Isaiah 26:9). Likewise, the prophets and His servants will receive their reward.

Fourth, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, those who destroy the earth will be destroyed. Who are those who destroy the earth? Revelation 19:2 explains who they are, saying, “For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants.” This verse emphasizes that it is the great harlot who corrupts the earth. At this time, we will not explain in detail who the “great harlot” is, because we have not yet reached chapter 19. However, in chapters 17–18 it is clearly described that the great harlot is the ‘harlot church/woman’ (Babylon) that reigns over the earth.

We have briefly discussed how the mystery of Elohim is fulfilled when the seventh trumpet is sounded, when the kingdoms of this world are handed over to Jesus and His overcomers (Revelation 11:15). The subsequent chapters (12–22) are explanations and detailed descriptions of what happens when the seventh trumpet is sounded. For example, when the seventh trumpet is sounded, time will be no more, and this is explained in detail in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:23).

We now enter Revelation 12:1: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” To understand this verse, we must recall the basic nature of the Book of Revelation, namely the personal revelation of Jesus Christ and His church through symbolic language. Who is symbolized by this ‘woman’?

Throughout the Bible, woman is always a symbol of the church or the bride of Christ, but with different characteristics. We know that Adam is a type of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:14). Therefore, Eve is a type of the church as the bride of Christ. Eve is a picture of the church that ‘comes from’ Christ, because Eve was created from Adam. Likewise, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera who became Joseph’s wife, is a picture of the church that comes from the world (Egypt). Abigail is also a picture of the church as a warrior of Christ, because David was a man of war. Thus, every woman in the Bible is a symbol or type of the church with a particular characteristic.

In the Book of Revelation there are three women who also symbolize the church, each with its own characteristics. First, the woman in the verse above. Second, the harlot woman described in Revelation 17–18. Third, the woman who is called the Bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21). All these women depict the church with its various characteristics.

We will not discuss the harlot woman and the Bride of the Lamb at this time. However, to clarify the woman of Revelation 12, we will compare only two specific characteristics with the harlot woman in Revelation 17–18. First, the woman of Revelation 12 is ‘in heaven’, whereas the harlot woman ‘sits on a beast’ (Revelation 17:3). Although the woman of Revelation 12 is on earth, she cannot be seen with physical eyes, because she exists in the ‘heavenly realm,’, and only the Lord sees her. Meanwhile, the woman of Revelation 17 is supported by a ‘beast’, which in the Book of Revelation symbolizes human government. Thus, the harlot woman is a church supported by the system of human government. That is why this harlot woman is also symbolized as the ‘great city’ Babylon, where there is a “Nimrod” who establishes and governs this church (Revelation 17:18; 18:2).

By comparison, the New Jerusalem (the Bride of the Lamb) is the ‘holy city’, while the harlot woman is the ‘great city’. Indeed, this harlot woman represents the majority church (great in number), because she also “sits on many waters” (Revelation 17:1). We know that many waters refer to multitudes of people. In the Christian world, this harlot woman is the “large” church and represents the majority.

Second, just as the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of Elohim, so the woman of Revelation 12 gives birth to sons of Elohim who will shepherd all nations (Revelation 12:5). Meanwhile, the woman of Revelation 17 is called a harlot because she receives divine government and also receives human government; she receives the “seed” of Christ’s teaching, but also receives the “seed” of the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans—just as a harlot receives “seed” from many men. It is no coincidence that this harlot woman is symbolized as Babylon, because the meaning of ‘Babylon’ is confusion or mixture.

We are still discussing the symbol of the “woman” in Revelation 12:1,5: “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars… She gave birth to a male Child, who is to shepherd all nations with a rod of iron…”

Let us now assign meaning to the symbols of the sun, moon, and stars as they relate to the woman (the church). It is stated that the woman is “clothed with the sun,” meaning that she is fully governed by the “sun.” Malachi 4:2 states, “But to you who fear My name, the Sun of righteousness shall arise…” (ILT). This verse speaks of the people who fear the name of the Lord; for them, the Sun of righteousness will rise. The true Sun of righteousness clearly refers to Christ. Therefore, the woman (the church) who fears the name of the Lord will be “clothed” with Christ. The church (the people) who fear the name of the Lord are governed by Christ, led by Christ, and fully follow Christ.

Next, it is stated that the woman treads on the “moon.” We know that the moon has no light of its own and only ‘reflects’ the light of the sun. This woman already lives by the true light and has trampled (conquered) the reflected light. In reality, Christ is the ‘essence’ of all the regulations of the Old Covenant (Colossians 2:17). The “moon” represents only the Old Testament regulations, which are merely a reflection of Christ as the essence. This woman (the church) has already conquered or trampled the Old Testament regulations, which are only a reflection of Christ as the essence. The worship of this church is in spirit and in truth/reality (John 4). The people who fear His name follow only the inner leading of Christ and are no longer governed or enslaved by religious regulations.

Then, the woman is crowned with twelve stars. The number twelve is a symbol of leadership, and “stars” in the Book of Revelation are the sons of Elohim. Thus, although every member of this church follows the inner leading of Christ, it is still led by a team of divine leadership. No single “star” is greater than another. These twelve stars together form a crown to lead. This is genuine shared leadership—or more precisely, body leadership (the church as an organism), not organizational church leadership where there must be one highest person (a senior pastor) as a ‘sole ruler’.

This kind of church (woman) is the one that will give birth to the ‘male Child’ mentioned above (LAI version). The LAI version capitalizes the word ‘Child’, giving the impression that this male Child is Jesus Christ and that the woman is Mary. This understanding is incorrect. The Book of Revelation uses symbolic language, and the symbol of the ‘woman’ clearly refers to the church, not Mary. Therefore, the ‘male Child’ refers to the sons of Elohim who will shepherd all nations.

As we have discussed in this writing, the overcomers of the church will reign as kings and priests at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the ‘male Child’ born by this woman refers to the overcoming believers who will reign in the next age at the Lord’s coming.

We have briefly discussed the symbol of the woman in Revelation 12. Now we will discuss the symbol of the ‘dragon’ in this chapter, because it is this male Child born by the woman who overcomes the dragon. Revelation 12:3 states, “And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.”

Many symbols in the Book of Revelation are directly interpreted. One example is the dragon, which is called the ‘ancient serpent’ or the devil (Revelation 12:9). However, this devil is described as having ‘seven heads and ten horns’. If we observe the beast rising out of the sea, it also has ten horns and seven heads (Revelation 13:1). We know that the symbol of a beast represents a human kingdom or system of human government. Thus, the devil is manifested in and through human kingdoms or systems of human government.

Many Christians think that the devil exists outside of humans, perhaps in graveyards or hanging from large trees. Let us understand where the devil truly resides, because we cannot defeat the enemy if we do not know where he is. Observe Revelation 12:9, which states that the devil is the ‘ancient serpent’. The term ‘ancient’ is translated from the Greek ‘archaios’, meaning ‘original’ or ‘ancient’. This means the ancient serpent is the original serpent. Genesis 3 explains this original serpent. The serpent in Genesis 3 is not a physical serpent, because a physical serpent cannot speak, nor does a physical serpent eat dust (Genesis 3:14).

The serpent in Genesis 3 is the devil who tempted Adam and Eve. This devil was cursed by God to eat dust all the days of his life. The dust here is not physical soil, because Genesis 3:19 states, “…for dust you are…” This means that humans are ‘dust’, and humans become the food of the devil throughout his lifetime. We know that one becomes like what one eats. If this principle is applied to the devil, then the devil will be manifested in and through the humans he eats.

Paul, in the book of Romans, explains the manifestation of the devil in humans using the term ‘sin’ in the singular form. When Paul uses ‘sins’ in the plural, he refers to sinful acts. But when he uses ‘sin’ in the singular, he refers to the ‘power of sin’ that causes humans to do what they do not want to do. In Romans 7, Paul explains the power of sin within him that drives him to commit sinful acts (verse 17). Therefore, the term sin (singular) used by Paul refers to a manifestation of the devil within human beings.

We must first clearly understand where the devil is located, manifested, or embodied, and how he exercises his power. In reality, the devil is manifested in our old man or our flesh. And in Revelation 12:3 above, the devil is manifested in and through a human kingdom or system of human government.

We have discussed the symbol of the dragon in Revelation 12. Now we will discuss how the group of the male Child, or the group of His Anointed Ones, or the firstfruits, overcomes the dragon or the devil. Revelation 12:11 states, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

There are three things mentioned in this verse as the cause of the victory of the group of the male Child born by the church of Revelation 12. Let us examine them one by one. First, they overcame the devil by the blood of the Lamb. Leviticus 17:11 states, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood…” Therefore, the blood of the Lamb speaks of the life of the Lamb, or the life of Christ (zoe). This is the purpose of Jesus’ coming, namely to give His life (John 10:10; life = zoe). The phrase ‘have it more abundantly’ in this verse does not refer to material or physical things at all, but to the growth of the life of Christ (zoe). The life of Christ grows to such an extent that it “swallows up” the old human life (death). I Corinthians 15:54 says, “…Death is swallowed up in victory.” This means that death (the old life), as the wages of sin, is destroyed or “swallowed up” by the victory of the life of Christ.

I Corinthians 15:45 states that the last Adam (Jesus) became a life-giving Spirit (‘pneuma zoopoieo’). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus became the life-giving Spirit. The Spirit of Christ dwelling within the inner being of His chosen people continually works to impart the life of Christ. The victory of His chosen people, or the group of the male Child, is purely by grace. The growth of the life of Christ within us is the work of the Holy Spirit. If we examine the parables of the Kingdom of Heaven (especially in the Gospel of Matthew), we find that there are people of God whose ‘zoe’-life grows, and there are also those whose does not. Some are accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven at Jesus’ coming, while others are rejected. All of this is the sovereignty of the Father, who is pleased to give the Kingdom to the “little flock” (Luke 12:32).

Second, they overcame the devil by the word of their testimony. The term ‘word’ here is ‘Logos’, meaning not merely good words, but words that contain the thoughts, feelings, and will of Elohim. They speak of the purposes, plans, and will of Elohim. The old human life, symbolized by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, also produces ‘good’ words, because humans ate from the tree of the knowledge of evil and ‘good’.

If we pay attention to the word ‘Logos’ spoken by His overcomers, then all of this is the result of the fact that His overcomers live by the life (‘zoe’). A particular kind of life will produce a particular kind of word. For example, dogs bark and cats meow because they possess different kinds of life. Therefore, the overcomers are able to speak words of ‘Logos’ because the Spirit of Christ gives growth to the Life. THIS IS PURELY THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE; THIS IS GRACE.

Third, they overcame the devil because they did not love their own soul-life (the old life). His overcomers willingly allow themselves to be destroyed or “swallowed up,” their old life being swallowed by the life (‘zoe’). The life (‘zoe’) will surely “swallow up” the old life, just as light “swallows up” darkness. This too is grace. Therefore, the victory of this male child is purely grace and purely the sovereignty of the Father who desires to give the Kingdom.

We now enter Revelation chapter 13, which speaks of the beast that comes out of the sea and the beast that comes out of the earth. Revelation 13:1–18 declares, “Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads were blasphemous names… And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon…” There are two things that must be noted before we can understand Revelation chapter 13. First, the beasts in the book of Revelation are symbols of systems of human government. Second, the terms heaven, earth, and sea are symbols of realms (realities), where “heaven” represents the heavenly realm, “the sea” represents the lowest realm, and “the earth” represents a realm lower than heaven but higher than the realm of the sea.

The beast that comes out of the “sea” appears ferocious, like a leopard, with feet like those of a bear and a mouth like the mouth of a lion (verse 2). But the beast that comes out of the “earth” is like a lamb. We know that a lamb is not a ferocious or dangerous animal. Nevertheless, when this “lamb” speaks, it speaks like a dragon. We know that the “dragon” is a symbol of the devil. Who, then, is this beast that comes out of the earth? Revelation 19:20 and Revelation 20:10 clearly state that the beast that comes out of the earth is the false prophet.

Furthermore, we observe that both beasts have horns, which are symbols of power. Thus, the beast that comes out of the sea has power as a system of human government in this world (the kingdoms of the world). Meanwhile, the beast that comes out of the earth has power as a system of human government within the Christian world. We should not be surprised that the book of Revelation describes the Christian world as a ‘false prophet’. For the Christian world came into existence because the church fell and was divided into tens of thousands of denominations. And the division of the church was caused by leaders who established their own authority and drew the Lord’s disciples after themselves (Acts 20:28–30). The Christian world consists of the kingdoms of its leaders, and this is not the church as Jesus established it. For in the church that Jesus established, there must be no leaders in the sense of people exercising authority over the church other than the Lord Jesus Himself (Matthew 23:1–12). In the church that Jesus established, there must be no human system of government. There must be no ‘hierarchy’, because the church is an organism led directly by the authority of the life of Christ. Therefore, it is not surprising that Revelation 13 describes the Christian world as “the beast that comes out of the earth,” and as the false prophet.

Next, there is something that generally attracts the attention of Christians, namely the mark or name of the beast that is placed on a person’s hand or forehead, and the number of the beast, which is 666 (verses 16–17). The key to understanding the number of the beast is the wisdom of Christ (verse 18). Without the wisdom of Christ, it is impossible to understand the meaning of the number 666, because 666 is not a mathematical number but a symbolic number. If we receive grace before Him, then we will understand that the mark or name of the beast is none other than the basic nature of our old man (the “beastly nature”). We do not need to struggle to find the mark 666 on someone. If a person lives by or is driven by the old man, then we have already seen the mark 666. Or if we see a Christian serving with the strength of the old man (the flesh), then we have already seen the mark 666 in that person.

The number 6 is the number of man, and man works for six days. Therefore, the number 666 is actually a symbolic number for fallen churches (false churches), where all activities are driven by the flesh, human ambition, the pursuit of profit, money, and position, always busy with religious programs but never within the Divine government and the mind of Christ.

Before entering chapter 14 of the book of Revelation, we need to remember that with the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God is fulfilled, namely that the kingdoms of the world, including the human kingdoms (denominations) in the Christian world, are taken over and handed to the Lord Jesus and His chosen people (the firstfruits), who will function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek and reign on the earth in the ages to come (Revelation 11:15). The subsequent chapters in the book of Revelation explain the details of the fulfillment of the mystery of God. The climax of the fulfillment of the mystery of God is realized in the age of the New Heaven and the New Earth, where there is no longer death, which is the wages of sin, and where the Father can be all in all (Revelation 21–22).

We have briefly discussed the details of the appearance of the sons of God (Revelation 12) and the systems of human government, both in this world and in the Christian world (Revelation 13). We now enter Revelation 14, where the main theme of this chapter is the harvest. Revelation 14:1–5 discusses the firstfruits (His overcomers) who will reap together with the Lord Jesus. Then Revelation 14:6–13 discusses three proclamations or messages of judgment. Finally, Revelation 14:14–20 discusses the harvest on the earth.

Let us look at Revelation 14:1–3: “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads… And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.”

Mount Zion is the highest hill in Jerusalem. In Psalm 48:1–3, Zion is called the city of the Great King, and also the mountain of God, or the Kingdom of God. Jesus, as the King above all kings, is depicted as the Lamb standing on Mount Zion. Jesus, as the Victor, is still depicted as the Lamb who is fully obedient to the Father to become the sacrifice for the redemption of sin. But Jesus does not stand alone on Mount Zion; He stands together with 144,000 people who have the name of the Lord Jesus and the name of the Father in heaven written on their foreheads.

We know that the number 144,000 is a symbolic number, where 12 is the number of Divine government, and 12 multiplied by 12 multiplied by 1,000 signifies Divine government brought into perfection and fullness. From Mount Zion, Jesus together with His overcomers will exercise Divine government in all its perfection and fullness.

It is emphasized above that the name of the Father is written on the foreheads of His overcomers. We know that a name represents a person’s work, reputation, glory, character, and basic nature. Therefore, His overcomers do not have their own Divine reputation, glory, or basic nature; rather, all of these come from the Father. This is different from those who bear the mark 666 on their foreheads or hands. These people strive to achieve reputation, glory, and works by their own strength and for themselves.

Furthermore, His overcomers are able to sing a song that cannot be learned by others. A song is an expression or response of those who have experienced the deeds or works of the Father in heaven. By His grace, the overcomers experience the touch or works of the Father in their lives. The Father in heaven desires to do this to His overcomers purely because the Father “…has been pleased to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Let us continue with the description of the overcomers (the firstfruits) in chapter 14. Revelation 14:4–5 states, “These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth no deceit was found, for they are blameless before the throne of God” (ILT).

There are several things concerning His overcomers mentioned in the verses above. First, it is emphasized that they are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. This does not speak of physical women, because women in the book of Revelation are symbols of the church. Who, then, are the “women” with whom His overcomers were not defiled?

Certainly not the “woman” described in Revelation 12, who gives birth to the sons of God. Rather, it is the woman described in Revelation 17:5–6: “…Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots… and the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.” At this time we are not discussing in detail the mother and her daughters (the women) described here. However, those who are able to see the Christian world as the Word of God sees it will understand that the women referred to in Revelation 14:4 above are the Christian world, which is the fragmentation of the early church.

The teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have infiltrated and been widely accepted in the Christian world (Revelation 2–3). By His grace, the overcomers do not take part in them. His overcomers do not defile themselves in the “games” of money, position, and human glory/honor that abound in the Christian world. This is the meaning of “not defiled with women, for they are virgins,” as emphasized in Revelation 14:4 above.

Second, His overcomers are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Jesus affirmed that His sheep surely hear His voice (John 10:27). His overcomers do not listen to or become followers of any leader or any movement in the Christian world. This is not because the overcomers do not learn from leaders, but because of the anointing within them that makes it so that “…you have no need for anyone to teach you” (1 John 2:27).

Third, in the mouth of His overcomers no deceit is found, for they are blameless before the throne of God. The term ‘deceit’ is translated from the Greek word ‘pseudos’, which means falsehood, untruth, false religion. Certainly, the primary reason His overcomers do not practice deceit is because they have been touched by the “burning coal from the altar,” as Isaiah was before being sent by God (Isaiah 6:7). But also in their ministry, the overcomers have no personal interest or desire for any gain, whether money, position, or human glory. By His grace, the overcomers are able to speak the truth of God’s Word as it is, before anyone, without needing to be “cautious” or to practice deceit in hopes of gaining something from their proclamation.

Such are some of the characteristics of the “firstfruits,” who by the sovereignty of the Father are chosen from among men and processed by Him. James 1:17–18 affirms, “…the Father of lights… who determined that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures…” (ILT).

After discussing the firstfruits (Revelation 14:1–5), we now enter into the three proclamations of the Word written in Revelation 14:6–13. Let us begin with the first proclamation (Revelation 14:6–7): “Then I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth… Fear God and give glory to Him, because the hour of His judgment has come…” (ILT).

We must continue to remember the principle of interpretation for the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the personal revelation of Jesus Christ and His church in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). The verses above should not be interpreted literally, as if at the end of time there will be an angel with wings flying around the earth to preach the everlasting gospel. If that were our interpretation, then the book of Revelation would not be good news, but frightening news about wars, disasters, calamities, and eternal hell.

There are several things we must understand in order to see how beautiful the three proclamations above are. First, the angel or messenger who proclaims the everlasting gospel is people who are sent by the Lord; indeed, the expression “the angel who proclaims the everlasting gospel” is the revelation of the Word or the revelation of the everlasting gospel itself. If we see the entire context of Revelation 14, which speaks of the “harvest,” then we know that this proclamation/revelation of the gospel is carried out by the Lord Jesus and the “firstfruits” we have discussed (verses 1–5).

Second, the expression ‘everlasting gospel’ comes from the Greek ‘euaggelion aionios’, which means ‘the good news of the ages’. What does ‘the good news of the ages’ mean? Ephesians 1:9–10 states, “having made known to us the mystery of His will… for the administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth” (ILT). This means that the mystery of the Father’s will is to sum up all things in Christ, and this occurs in the dispensation of the fullness of the times (Young’s Literal). Thus, the Father in heaven has a plan (the mystery of His will), namely to work through the ages (dispensations) to unite all things in Christ.

We have often discussed the Greek term ‘aion’, which in many Bible versions is translated as ‘eternal’ or ‘everlasting’, in the sense of an endless duration of time. Such an understanding causes Christians to fail to understand the Father’s plan or the mystery of His will. The Bible reveals to us the Father’s plan through ages (dispensations) to establish the Kingdom of His Son, so that all things may be summed up in Christ. The Bible hardly speaks of ‘eternity’, which is the dimension of God. The Bible speaks of the FATHER’S PLAN WITHIN THE DIMENSION OF TIME. Therefore, ‘the good news of the ages’ means the good news that all things will ultimately be summed up (united) in Christ. This speaks of the total restoration of all things.

Third, how can all things be summed up in Christ? The verse above clearly states that it is through the judgment of God. But we must understand the meaning of God’s judgment, namely, “…when Your judgments come upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9). God’s judgment does not mean casting human beings into hell forever (eternal hell punishment). The message of eternal hell is not good news at all. It is not the gospel revealed by the Bible, even though it has been widely accepted in the Christian world.

We will now enter into the proclamation of the second angel written in Revelation 14:8, as follows: “And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who made all nations drink of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.’”

We must continue to remember the context of the whole of Revelation 14, which is about the harvest on the earth (verse 16). The term ‘earth’ here is a symbol of the Christian world, as we have discussed regarding “the beast that comes up out of the earth,” which is the false prophet (Revelation 13:11–18). When the Lord Jesus comes (commonly called the second coming), He will come as Judge over His people, and those whom He has chosen (the firstfruits) will be glorified—meaning they will receive glorified bodies and reign on the earth. This event is called by Paul in Romans chapter 8 ‘glorification by faith’, or the event of ‘the resurrection of the body’ as explained in 1 Corinthians 15.

Jesus does not come to take the entire Christian world (His people) to heaven far away there, although this concept is generally believed and proclaimed within Christianity. We know that in Christianity many are called, but few are chosen (the firstfruits), or as Luke 12:32 calls them, “the little flock,” to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom. Thus, at His coming, Jesus and the “firstfruits” will reign on the earth with glorified bodies and will harvest the Christian world.

Let us look at this second proclamation in the context of the harvest of the Christian world. Our verse above clearly states, “fallen, fallen is Babylon.” What does “Babylon” symbolize? Revelation 17:18 clearly states that the harlot woman seen by John is Babylon, the great city. Why is the Christian world symbolized as “Babylon” or “the great city”? Let us consider the facts.

Babylon in Genesis 10–11 was a literal city (not a symbol) built by Nimrod. Nimrod was the first person on earth to exercise authority and build a kingdom. Nimrod is called ‘a mighty hunter before the LORD’, which means that he was a rebel who gathered people to rebel against God as well. The name ‘Nimrod’ means ‘one who leads others to rebel’.

If so, why is the harlot woman (the Christian world) symbolized as ‘Babylon, the great city’? In the book of Revelation, a city is a symbol of a system of government. The New Jerusalem is a symbol of the divine system of government; therefore, it is called the Holy City. Babylon, however, is called the great city because it is ruled by humans. Since the Roman emperor Constantine accepted Christianity, human systems of government began to dominate the Christian world. Christianity indeed became great, but not holy.

In fact, in Acts 20:28–30, Paul had already warned church leaders that the time would come when leaders would draw the disciples to themselves and build their own kingdoms through false teachings (the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans). The behavior of such leaders has caused the church to split into tens of thousands of denominations, as we see today in Christianity. In every denomination there is surely a “Nimrod” who holds authority over God’s people. That is why the Christian world is symbolized as Babylon.

The message of the second angel clearly declares that Babylon will fall. The Christian world, which consists of human kingdoms (denominations), will surely collapse at the coming of Jesus. Yet in the end, the Christian world will be harvested (saved) through the ministry of Jesus and the “firstfruits.”

We now enter into the proclamation of the third angel written in Revelation 14:9–11, as follows: “…If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim… he will be tormented with fire and sulfur…” (ILT). We have emphasized that the mark or name of the beast is none other than the basic nature of our old humanity (“beastly nature”). All humans inherit this nature because all are descendants of Adam.

Before discussing these verses, let us remember that the proclamation of the three angels in Revelation 14 is primarily directed to the Christian world (“the earth”), because after these three proclamations, the “earth” will be harvested (14:14–20). Perhaps many Christians think that once someone is born again (becomes a Christian), worships, and serves within Christianity, it is impossible for him to receive the mark/name of the beast on his hand or forehead. We will explain this as follows.

The two trees in the Garden of Eden actually symbolize two kinds of life. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes the kind of life of ‘death’, which is controlled by the devil. For Romans 6:23 affirms that the wages of sin is death, and the devil has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14). Death does not only mean physical death. When Adam ate from the tree of ‘death’, he immediately received the kind of life of ‘death’, which in turn led to physical death. This is the meaning of the Hebrew expression ‘mut tamut’ found in Genesis 2:17.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil (the tree of death) causes all humans descended from Adam to have a strong inclination toward religion. Let us consider what Jesus said to the Pharisees and scribes—the religious people of His time. John 8:44 states, “You are of your father the devil…” Jesus’ words were not meant as an insult, but to reveal an important truth. Religious people of His time who practiced various rituals and religious regulations without faith were actually living the kind of life of ‘death’ controlled by the devil. Although the Pharisees and scribes were very religious, they were living the kind of life of ‘death’ dominated by the devil. That is why Jesus said that the devil was their father—not that the devil literally had children like them, but that the devil is the “father” of the life of ‘death’. Whoever lives this kind of life of death has the devil as his father.

But Jesus came so that we might have life (John 10:10), namely the life of Christ (‘zoe’). As a Christian’s faith grows, the life of Christ “swallows up” the life of death. Paul affirms that it is no longer he who lives, but Christ who lives in him. Let us observe the facts concerning the Christian world. Revelation 2–3 affirms that the church has fallen through the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. If we receive grace before Him, we understand that these three false teachings are what have made the Christian world into a religion—namely, the Christian religion. In such a condition, many of God’s children worship and serve within a religious framework, just as the Pharisees and scribes did. Therefore, the “mark/name of the beast” is very prevalent in religious people.

Those who are religious and live the kind of life of ‘death’ will drink of the wine of the wrath of Elohim and will be tormented with fire and sulfur. Fire and sulfur are symbols of ‘purification’. We will discuss this later when we reach Revelation 20:14 regarding the second death and the lake of fire. Clearly, this fire and sulfur are not literal fire or literal sulfur, nor do they mean eternal hell as commonly believed in Christianity.

After the proclamation of the three angels (Revelation 14:6–13) concerning judgment upon the Christian world (“the earth”), we now arrive at the harvest on the “earth” (Revelation 14:14–20). We must again emphasize the purpose of Elohim’s judgment, namely: “…when You come to judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9). Thus, although judgment involves the wrath of Elohim, its purpose is that people may come to know what is right.

Let us look at several points regarding the harvest of the Christian world as written in Revelation 14:14–20: “And I looked… and behold, one like the Son of Man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand… Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, because the harvest of the earth is ripe… Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are ripe… and blood came out from the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred stadia” (ILT).

First, the Son of Man is the Lord Jesus who will harvest the Christian world through His judgment, for that is the purpose of His coming—to judge His people.

Second, the Lord Jesus uses a “sickle” to harvest His people. This sickle is not a literal sickle, but His overcomers or the firstfruits as written in Revelation 14:1–5, which we have discussed. Thus is fulfilled what is written in Luke 10:2: “The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” These laborers are the firstfruits of His creation (James 1:18). Therefore, the firstfruits will be used by the Lord Jesus to harvest the “earth” or the fallen Christian world, which is now ready to be harvested because of the three proclamations discussed earlier.

Third, the verses above use the symbol “gather the clusters of grapes from the earth, for her grapes are ripe… and blood flowed from the winepress up to the horses’ bridles for one thousand six hundred stadia” to explain the harvest on the earth. Once again, our principle of interpretation must not be literal, because it speaks of “blood flowing from the winepress.” Likewise, the blood flowing “up to the horses’ bridles for one thousand six hundred stadia” does not refer to human blood from an end-times war, as some interpreters understand.

What then is the meaning of this symbol? The clusters of grapes of the earth that are ripe speak of Christians who have come to know the truth through the judgment of Elohim. The blood flowing for one thousand six hundred stadia speaks of the blood of Jesus that cleanses His people. Note that one thousand six hundred stadia is approximately 321 km, since one stadion equals 201.16 meters. The distance of 321 km is roughly the distance between the cities of Dan and Beersheba in Israel (from one end of the land to the other). This means that all of God’s people are washed by the blood of Jesus. This is how we must understand this symbol. Remember also that the context of the whole of Revelation 14 is not warfare, but harvest.

From the truth of God’s Word in Revelation 14 concerning the harvest on the earth, how strange it is that Christianity so often proclaims, “believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” The truth, however, is ‘believe in Jesus and receive the life of zoe, and be judged by Jesus at His coming’. After knowing the truth and becoming mature, then one is harvested—and the harvesters are the ‘firstfruits’ who have matured earlier.

We have discussed chapter 14 concerning the harvest, and now we enter chapters 15 and 16, concerning other symbols seen by the apostle John in heaven: “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of Elohim is completed” (Revelation 15:1, ILT). John had seen many symbols (signs), including the golden lampstands, the seven stars, the throne with four living creatures and twenty-four elders, the opening of the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the woman and the dragon, the beasts from the sea and the earth, the Lamb on Mount Zion with His 144,000 followers—and now he sees another symbol: seven angels with the seven last plagues.

Although the book of Revelation presents many signs or symbols to the apostle John, the revelation conveyed through them is the same—the revelation of Jesus Christ and His church, and certainly His kingdom. The symbol of “seven angels with seven plagues” involves the wrath and judgment of Elohim. To whom, especially, is this judgment and wrath directed? Note Revelation 16:1: “And I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of Elohim on the earth’” (ILT). We have seen that the symbol ‘earth’ here refers to the Christian world. Therefore, the seven angels with the seven plagues are primarily directed toward the Christian world. This judgment is intended so that the Christian world may come to know what is right.

And before the judgment begins, John sees: “…something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had overcome the beast and its image and its mark and the number of its name…” (Revelation 15:2, ILT). Here the apostle John again sees His overcomers, the firstfruits of His creation. These overcomers sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. The song of Moses speaks of deliverance from Egypt, where the overcomers praise, “Great and marvelous are Your works…” (15:3). Meanwhile, the song of the Lamb, the Redeemer of sins, speaks of the deliverance or redemption of all humanity: “…for all nations shall come and worship before You…” (15:4).

After all that John sees, “…the sanctuary of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the sanctuary came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, and girded with golden sashes around their chests” (Revelation 15:5–6, ILT). From within His temple—namely, the church of His overcomers—comes forth a ministry of judgment symbolized by the “seven angels with seven plagues.” We see here that His overcomers carry out the judgment of Elohim, fulfilling what Paul told the saints in Corinth: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). His overcomers will execute the judgment of Elohim upon the Christian world so that the Christian world may know the revelation of the Lord Jesus, His church, and His kingdom.

We continue with the symbol of “seven angels holding the seven last plagues,” whose ministry is directed toward the Christian world so that God’s people may know what is right. We have seen that this ministry is carried out by the ‘firstfruits’ or His overcomers. The overcomers (firstfruits) have not avoided all the “plagues or calamities” described in chapter 16; rather, they have experienced them first. For ‘firstfruits’ means a group that matures earlier to be harvested.

We will not discuss in detail the ministry of the ‘seven angels’ with all its symbols, but we will focus specifically on the ministry of the ‘seventh angel’, which is directed toward ‘Babylon, the great city’ (Revelation 16:17–21). Nevertheless, we will quote J. Preston Eby regarding part of the meaning of the symbols in the ministry of the seventh angel as follows: The symbol ‘earth’ means the soulish/human religious realm. The symbol ‘sea’ means the fleshly realm related to the body. The symbol ‘springs of waters’ means the sources of ideas, concepts, traditions, teachings, doctrines, and worldly wisdom, while the symbol ‘rivers’ represents the ‘flows’ through which all these ideas, concepts, doctrines, and traditions are taught and promoted by religious institutions. The symbol ‘sun’ represents ‘external light’, namely rules, authorities, and hierarchies from the old heaven and earth. The symbol ‘the throne of the beast and its kingdom’ means the deceitful ‘human heart’ from which all evil proceeds, including ‘spiritual’ or ‘religious’ evils. The symbol ‘the river Euphrates’ represents the power that keeps God’s people enslaved within the religious ‘Babylon’. The ‘Euphrates’ also speaks of the separation between the religious kingdom of Babylon and our Promised Land—our inheritance in Christ. The symbol ‘air’ speaks of the atmosphere created by human programs, human promotions, and religious systems of understanding. Such, more or less, is the meaning of these symbols, in which the seven angels to pour out the bowl of Elohim’s wrath upon the Christian world, so that the Christian world may come to know what is true.

As the conclusion of this section, we will directly enter into the ministry of the seventh angel who pours out his bowl into the air (Revelation 16:17–21). Revelation 16:19 affirms, “…And the great Babylon was remembered before Elohim, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath” (ILT). We have emphasized that ‘Babylon’ is a symbol placed on the forehead of “the harlot woman and her children” (Revelation 17:5). As we already know, the symbol “woman” always refers to the church, but here it is called a “harlot” church. The Christian world is the early church that has fallen and been fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations, and this fall is explained in Revelation 2–3 because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. The Christian world is not that it does not receive the pure Word of God, but that besides receiving the pure Word of God it also receives the words of the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Just as a prostitute receives many “seeds” from many men, so in general the Christian world receives the “seed” of the pure Word of God and the seed of the three false teachings above.

Certainly, within the Christian world it is commonly proclaimed and taught that denominations are the church. But in His time, the basic nature of the “churches” within the Christian world will be uncovered. The Bible firmly states that there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. One of the things that will be revealed on the day of His judgment is the basic nature of the “churches” in the Christian world.

We continue with the ministry of the seventh angel who pours out his bowl into the air (Revelation 16:17–21), a ministry related to the judgment of “Babylon.” Indeed, the explanation of the seventh angel’s ministry related to “Babylon” continues until chapter 18, and is concluded by the song of victory in heaven in Revelation 19:1–5. Why is it so long? Because after the judgment of “Babylon” is completed, then the marriage of the Lamb can take place. The true Bride of Christ needs to be prepared and revealed (19:7). For after the marriage of the Lamb takes place, the kingdom of Christ (Head and Body) begins to judge and to wage war in righteousness in order to restore all things (19:11–16). It is this ministry of the kingdom of Christ that finally brings forth the New Heaven and New Earth, where there is no more death, which is the wages of sin (21:4).

Let us enter into this judgment of Babylon. Revelation 17:1 affirms, “And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying to me, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters” (ILT). Who is the “great harlot” that will be judged? Revelation 17:18 affirms that the woman seen by the apostle John is “the great city,” and that “the great city” is “Babylon” (18:2). Thus, the “harlot woman” IS the “great city,” namely Babylon.

We must always remember that the city of Babylon described in Genesis 10–11 is a physical city that truly existed in history. Meanwhile, the city of Babylon written about in the book of Revelation is a symbol. We can know the meaning of a symbol by paying attention to its history. Babylon was one of the royal cities built by Nimrod (Genesis 10:8–10). Nimrod was the first man to rule on the earth and, “he was a mighty hunter before YAHWEH…” (Genesis 10:9).

Many people think that Nimrod was someone who served and lived BEFORE the Lord (Gen. 10:9). But we know that Strong’s Concordance reveals facts about the Hebrew term PANIM, translated ‘before’, which has a very wide range of meanings. In Genesis 10:9, as for example in Numbers 16:2, the Hebrew term PANIM translated ‘before’ also has the literal meaning ‘to rebel against’. And in the Jewish Encyclopedia, the name Nimrod means one who causes all people to rebel against God. The ILT (Indonesian Literal Translation) Bible provides a footnote for the translation ‘before’, namely ‘defiantly opposing’. It can be concluded that Nimrod was a rebel who stubbornly opposed God, and Nimrod established his own kingdom, one of which was Babylon.

The harlot woman and the city of Babylon seen by the apostle John have the same meaning. Both symbols equally refer to the church, but a church that will be judged. The church that bears the symbol of the “harlot woman” or the “city of Babylon” is judged so that the true Bride of the Lamb may appear.

Let us continue our discussion on the judgment of “Babylon” or the judgment of the “harlot woman” (Revelation 17:1). We have discussed that Babylon is a royal city built by Nimrod. Nimrod was a powerful leader, and not only did he mobilize people to build a city (Babylon), but also a tower (Genesis 11:1–9). Nimrod’s motivation in building the city and the tower is clearly written, namely to make a name for themselves so that they would not be scattered (11:4). A name is an expression of reputation, glory, works, and also a person’s character. Nimrod’s goal was that through his reputation, glory, works, and character, he could attract people to himself so that they would not be scattered. This was indeed Nimrod’s intention in building his kingdom.

The kingdom built by Nimrod immediately received the judgment of Elohim. By confusing their language so that they could not communicate, the efforts of Nimrod and his followers immediately failed and were destroyed. For it was indeed through his strength as a leader and his power of communication that Nimrod succeeded in mobilizing many people to have one common goal, mission, and vision to build a kingdom.

Let us return to the judgment of the “harlot woman” or “Babylon” in the book of Revelation. Why is the church (the harlot woman) that bears the symbol “Babylon” judged by Elohim so that it collapses and “Babylon” is found no more (Revelation 18:21)? The explanation is as follows. We need to understand the meaning of the church that bears the symbol “Babylon” on its forehead as written in Revelation 17:5: “And on her forehead a name was written: a mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” In fact, the church bears the symbol “Babylon” because there are “Nimrods” who build their own kingdoms. Thus, the church is dominated by a system of human government (hierarchy), or in other words, within the church there exists “Nimrod” authority. And the Lord Jesus does not desire that there be “Nimrod” authority within His church.

To make this clearer, let us pay attention to the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:1–12. This portion of Scripture is a kind of introduction before Jesus rebukes the religious leaders of His time with the words, “woe to you” (Matthew 23:13–36). In Matthew 23:1–12, Jesus speaks to two groups of people, namely ‘the crowds’ and ‘His disciples’ (verse 1). And the context of this passage is the ‘seat of Moses’, which is a symbol of authority. Jesus firmly taught that the crowds should not rebel against the Pharisees and scribes, because they had sat in the “seat of Moses,” meaning that they possessed a certain authority. But to His disciples, Jesus said that no one should be called rabbi, leader, or father (verses 8–10). Jesus did not mean that in His church there should be no leaders, teachers, or spiritual fathers. Rather, according to the context of the “seat of Moses,” Jesus meant that IN HIS CHURCH THERE MUST BE NO ONE WITH AUTHORITY EXCEPT JESUS. That is, within His church there is only the authority of Life, because Jesus is Life (zoe), and He also came to give Life (John 10:10). His church is an organism in which only the authority of the Life of that organism applies, namely Jesus the Life.

Paul clearly explains the fall of the church, namely because leaders DRAW disciples to themselves (Acts 20:28–30). Church leaders are supposed only to EQUIP the saints (Ephesians 4:11–12). The behavior of church leaders who draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves is EXACTLY THE SAME as Nimrod’s behavior in building his kingdom, namely Babylon. That is why the “harlot” church bears the symbol “Babylon.”

Why is the church also given the symbol of a “harlot woman”? We know that a harlot receives many “seeds” from many men. In the early church there was no “seed of Nimrod authority,” only the seed of Life. Paul, Peter, and John had absolutely no authority over His church. They only equipped the Lord’s disciples. They never drew money from the Lord’s disciples for their personal lives or to build their own ministries. They certainly received occasional gifts from congregations or certain individuals according to their willingness, but they did not draw the Lord’s disciples—let alone their money—for themselves, nor did they build their own kingdoms.

The Christian world has been filled with “Nimrod authority.” In every denomination there is certainly its own “Nimrod.” Not only has “Nimrod authority” generally entered the Christian world, but also the “seeds” of the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3). That is why we know that the Christian world bears the symbols of “Babylon” and the “harlot woman,” and will be judged at the coming of Jesus, and will exist no more.

We have discussed why the church that bears the symbol “Babylon” will be judged at His coming, so that it is destroyed and found no more (Revelation 18:21). Now we will discuss the call from heaven that says, “…Come out of her, My people, so that you do not partake of her sins and so that you do not receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4). This means that within the church symbolized as “Babylon” there are sins that bring the judgment of Elohim, and God’s people are commanded not to partake in those sins.

The expression “to partake” in Revelation 18:4 is translated from the Greek phrase ‘me sugkoinoneo’, which means ‘not to have fellowship’. This reminds us of 1 John 1:3, which says, “…so that you also may have fellowship with us…”. The apostle John sent his letter to the churches in Asia Minor (the seven churches) so that the members of the churches who received the word he proclaimed could have fellowship with the apostle John and his team. The apostle John and his team did not have ‘fellowship’ (koinonia) with the seven churches in Asia Minor, because those churches had fallen due to the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3). The apostle John did not refrain from delivering God’s messages or ministering to these churches, but he could not have fellowship with them because of the sins caused by those three false teachings. The apostle John and his team did not partake in the sins of these seven churches.

In Revelation 14:4, which we have discussed, it is affirmed that the “firstfruits” do not defile themselves with “women.” God’s chosen people have been processed by God in such a way that they do not defile themselves with fallen churches. Once again, we need to remember that the “firstfruits” are not special church members in the sense of being better than other church members. This is purely the will of the Father to make and appoint us as the “firstfruits” of His creation (James 1:18).

Let us take an example from the case of Israel coming out of Egypt to better understand this matter. The people of Israel who came out of Egypt were very numerous, perhaps nearly two million people, but only two families entered the Promised Land, namely the families of Joshua and Caleb. This was because the majority of the Israelites had come out of Egypt, but “Egypt” had not yet come out of them. That is why, whenever there were difficulties, Israel always tended to want to return to Egypt. The root of the problem was that in their hearts there was still a longing for the “pleasures of Egypt,” as they themselves said (Numbers 11:5). But by His grace, Caleb had a ‘different spirit’, and he followed the LORD wholeheartedly (Numbers 14:24).

Now let us apply this truth to our present lives. We know that the Christian world consists of churches that bear the symbol “Babylon,” where the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted. By His grace, the “firstfruits” can easily obey the command in Revelation 18:4 above, to “come out and not partake in it.” Why? Because by the determination and process of the Father in heaven, not only have the “firstfruits” come out of “Babylon,” but “Babylon” has also come out of their hearts. There is no longer any longing in the hearts of the “firstfruits” for the pleasures of “Babylon,” such as money, position, or human glory offered to someone who “ministers” in the Christian world.

After the lengthy exposition from Revelation 16:17 to Revelation 18 regarding the seventh angel who pours out the bowl of Elohim’s wrath upon the churches that bear the symbol “Babylon,” we then enter chapter 19 concerning the song of victory in heaven, as follows: “And after these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelu-YAH! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to YAHWEH our Elohim, because true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her fornication. And He has avenged the blood of His servants at her hand” (Revelation 19:1–2, ILT).

There are several things we need to observe from these verses. First, although the great multitude in heaven praises Yahweh for His judgments, they cry out that salvation belongs to Yahweh our Elohim. The judgments of Elohim are indeed intended so that people may know what is true (Isaiah 26:9). Without the judgments of Elohim, it is impossible for people to know what is true. That is why Jesus said, “…I came into the world for judgment…” (John 9:39). Jesus came into the world not only to give His Life (John 10:10), but also to judge. Without the judgments of Elohim, it is impossible for the seed of the Life of Christ (zoe) within His people to grow, in the sense that His people obtain ‘zoe’ in all its abundance (John 10:10).

Second, the great multitude in heaven praises Yahweh because He has judged the ‘great harlot’. The identity of this “great harlot” is indeed hidden from many people in the Christian world, because this “great harlot” is a “secret” or “mystery” (Revelation 17:5). A secret or mystery is a hidden truth that requires the revelation of Elohim to be understood. However, for His overcomers, the identity of the “great harlot” is no longer a mystery. As we have emphasized in this writing, this “great harlot” is none other than the Christian system (kosmos) or the Christian world, or the churches that bear the symbol “Babylon.”

Third, the judgment of Elohim upon the Christian world is related to the matter of “avenging the blood of His servants at her hand.” Is it possible that the Christian world “pours out” the blood of God’s servants or those sent by God to it? Jesus said in Matthew 23:35, “so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.” In this verse, Jesus was speaking to the religious leaders of His time, who were bound to the Mosaic Covenant. These religious leaders, or the Jewish Religious Court (Sanhedrin), were God’s people, whom Jesus even said had sat in the “seat of Moses” (Matthew 23:2).

Indeed, Jesus Himself was killed by the Jewish Religious Court, where the High Priest Caiaphas led its seventy members. Pontius Pilate was merely an “instrument” in their hands The Jewish Religious Court, because at that time the Roman Empire ruled over the nation of Israel. Actually, Pontius Pilate had wanted to release Jesus, but due to the instigation of the Pharisees and the scribes, the crowd cried out for Jesus to be crucified, and they chose Barabbas (Matthew 27:20).

Unfortunately, in the Christian world there is a statement written in the widely accepted ‘confession of faith’ that Jesus ‘suffered under Pontius Pilate’, as though Pilate were the main perpetrator. But the truth is that the shedding of Jesus’ blood was carried out by the religious world of His time.

At His coming, Jesus will speak plainly to the Christian world (Matthew 7:21–23). At present we do not yet know who are servants of God and who are servants of Mammon. But Paul firmly states that if he were still trying to please people, he would not be a servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). Let the Lord Jesus Himself reveal on His day who are His servants and who are not.

We continue our discussion in chapter 19 concerning the ‘song of victory in heaven’ related to the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. Revelation 19:4–6 affirms, “And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped Elohim who sits on the throne, saying, ‘Amen! Hallelu-YAH!’ And a voice came from the throne, saying, ‘Praise our Elohim, all you His servants, and you who fear Him, both small and great… Hallelu-YAH! For YAHWEH, Elohim Almighty, reigns’” (ILT).

After the ‘song of victory in heaven’ related to the judgment of the “great harlot” (the Christian world) takes place, the ‘song of victory in heaven’ continues with the worship of the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures, as written in the verses above. We have discussed that the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures are symbols of the saints from all nations who have been processed by God to become kings and priests and who will reign on the earth (Revelation 5:9–10). Then a voice comes from the throne calling “all His servants, and you who fear Him, both small and great” to praise our Elohim, because Elohim, the ruler of the universe, reigns.

We know that the judgment upon the Christian ‘kosmos’ does not mean rejecting God’s people within it. The churches symbolized as “Babylon” are still God’s people who have been called out (ekklesia). God judges His people in the Christian world so that they may be freed from the slavery of the Babylonian system. Just as Israel, God’s people, was cast into Babylonian captivity because of their idolatry, so God’s people in the Christian world have fallen into bondage to the Babylonian system because of idolatry through the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans from their leaders. But in the end, God’s people in the Christian world will be freed from the slavery of the Babylonian system, and then from His throne a voice will go forth calling everyone, both small and great, to praise Elohim.

The command or voice from the throne of Elohim for everyone to praise Him is related to the coming of Elohim’s reign on this earth. This is a truth that is generally hidden in the Christian world. Many Christians have the concept that the focus of God’s plan is heaven—praising God forever in heaven. But in fact, this misconception is caused by bondage to the Babylonian system, where it is commonly preached that “believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” In reality, the focus of God’s plan is the earth. He will reign on this earth through the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures as kings and priests.

The old system in the Christian world, where the church was equipped by apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, and pastors, has collapsed and fallen into bondage. Even though praises are continually offered in the Christian world, it is like when Israel was by the rivers of Babylon and cried out, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?” (Psalm 137:4). But in time, through the judgment of Elohim, God’s people in the Christian world will be freed and will praise Him solely because Elohim will reign on the earth.

Let us continue chapter 19 concerning the song of victory in heaven, related to the ‘marriage of the Lamb’. Revelation 19:7–9 states, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself… Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (ILT). Who is the bride of the Lamb, and who are those who are called to the marriage supper? This is what we will discuss in this section.

We will explain the identity of the Lamb’s ‘bride’ from the basic nature of both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Concerning the Old Covenant, Jeremiah 31:32 states, “not like the covenant that I made with their fathers (the Old Covenant)… which they broke, though I was a husband to them” (ILT). It is clear here that the basic nature of the Old Covenant is a husband-and-wife covenant: Yahweh as the husband and Israel as His wife. Meanwhile, the New Covenant has the nature of a father-and-children covenant. Jesus taught His disciples to call God “Father” in their prayers. Paul also taught that those who are bound to Elohim through the New Covenant are heirs. As children, we will certainly receive an inheritance from our Father in heaven.

Therefore, the ‘bride of the Lamb’ in particular comes from the nation of Israel as the wife of Yahweh. But as we have discussed concerning the 144,000 sealed from the tribes of Israel as the “firstfruits” or the overcoming church, so also the bride of the Lamb comes from the overcoming church. We know that Galatians 3:7 states, “… those who are of faith, these are sons of Abraham.” Thus, the bride of the Lamb comes from Israel and also from other nations who are part of the overcoming church.

But it must be emphasized that the ‘bride of the Lamb’ is the ‘virgin’ church described in Revelation chapter 12, not the ‘harlot’ church described in Revelation chapter 17. Indeed, the marriage of the Lamb takes place after it becomes clear who His bride is. At present it is not yet clear or prepared who His bride is. But at His coming, when He judges His people, then it will be made clear and His bride will appear.

One more point we need to remember concerning the ‘virgin’ church described in Revelation chapter 12. In Revelation 12, it is explained that the ‘virgin’ church (feminine) gives birth to the sons of Elohim (masculine) who will shepherd all nations with a rod of iron (12:5). Just as the ‘bride of the Lamb’ is corporate (many people), so also the bridegroom is corporate. Thus, at the marriage of the Lamb, Jesus and the sons of Elohim (masculine) will be united with the bride, the ‘virgin’ church.

Now, who are those who are invited or called to take part in the marriage supper of the Lamb? Certainly, these are not the ‘bride’ of the Lamb herself. We are reminded of the parable of the five wise virgins and the five foolish virgins (Matthew 25:1–13). It is possible that the five wise virgins come from the ‘harlot’ church that has been judged and thus comes to know what is true. They take part in offering the praises commanded by the voice from the throne (Revelation 19:5).

In closing this section, we should not think that the ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’ is a physical wedding feast as we know it in this world. The marriage is a symbol of ‘union’. I Corinthians 6:17 affirms, “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” The marriage supper of the Lamb is the union of the Lord with His people in the Spirit.

We have discussed in chapter 19 the ‘song of victory in heaven’ related to the judgment of the great harlot, the worship of the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures, and the marriage of the Lamb. Next, heaven is opened and we are shown the next revelation of Jesus Christ related to the “white horse.” Revelation 19:11–15 states, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war… having a name written that no one knows except Himself… And the armies in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And from His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He may strike the nations. And He will shepherd them with a rod of iron…” (ILT).

There are several things we need to note from these verses. First, Jesus Christ is seated on a white horse. We have discussed the rider on a white horse at the opening of the first seal in Revelation 6:1–2. There, Jesus Christ wages war alone to conquer. But in chapter 19, Jesus Christ wages war together with the armies of heaven to conquer.

These armies of heaven are not winged angels, because it is emphasized that they wear “fine linen, white and clean,” which is a symbol of the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). Thus, Jesus Christ with His saints will wage war and conquer all things. This fulfills the prophecy of Enoch in Jude 14–15: “Behold, YAHWEH comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all…” (ILT).

Second, Jesus Christ has a name that no one knows except Himself. A name speaks of one’s character, glory, reputation, and works. Thus, here Jesus Christ has works, glory, and a reputation that people do not know. But to His overcomers, the name of Elohim, His Father, will be written (Revelation 3:12; 14:1). For many Christians, Jesus Christ is known as Lord and Savior: whoever believes in Him goes to heaven, and whoever does not believe will be cast into eternal hell. Christians who hold the concept of eternal hell clearly do not know the true name of Jesus. After Jesus Christ and His overcomers conquer all things, including ‘death’ (the wages of sin), which is the last enemy, then all people will know the name of Jesus.

Third, the verses above affirm that Jesus Christ will strike the nations with the ‘sharp sword that comes out of His mouth’. For interpreters who read the text ‘physically’ or ‘literally’, this is understood as Jesus punishing and destroying the nations at His coming. Such interpreters do not understand the ‘symbolic language’ of the book of Revelation (Revelation 1:1). Even the expression ‘lake of fire’ in Revelation is understood as eternal hell. We will discuss this later.

But in truth, the meaning of these verses is that Jesus Christ together with His overcomers will judge and shepherd the nations with the word of Elohim, so that the nations may come to know what is true. The Messianic Kingdom—Jesus and His overcomers—will come and be fully manifested on earth not to destroy the earth, but to shepherd the nations with the word of Elohim so that the earth moves toward the New Earth and the New Heaven where righteousness dwells.

We now enter chapter 20, after the revelation of Jesus Christ in chapter 19 that Jesus with His overcomers will wage war to conquer all things. We will discuss Revelation 20:1–3: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended; after that he must be released for a little while.”

Here we see that the Devil is cast into the ‘abyss’ so that he cannot deceive the nations. The expression ‘abyss’ comes from the Greek term ‘abussos’, meaning a ‘bottomless pit’. Because this pit has no ‘bottom’, the Devil has no ‘footing/foundation/ground’ to operate. That is why he cannot deceive the nations.

Let us take an example of how the Devil could not operate or do anything because he had no “ground” in the life of Jesus. John 14:30 states, “… the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” Even though the Devil did work through Judas, the Jewish Religious Court, and many others who took part in the crucifixion of Jesus, against Jesus Himself the Devil could do nothing. Why? Because within Jesus there was no ‘ground’ for the Devil to attack Him.

In Jesus there was not the slightest ‘opening’ or sin that would give the Devil any ‘ground’ to act. This is different from the case of Job. Notice Job 3:25: “For the thing I feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” Here we see that within Job there was fear and anxiety about certain things that eventually came upon him. Job’s fear and anxiety became a ‘ground’ that allowed the Devil to attack him.

But we should not quickly conclude that the Devil has the freedom to attack anyone he desires. The Devil could attack Job and his family because the Father in heaven indeed had a plan for Job—that Job might come to know Him truly (Job 42:5). The Devil is merely a ‘servant’ or an ‘instrument’ in the hands of the Father in heaven to process Job. The Devil was not free to attack Job unless permitted by the Father in heaven (Job 1:12; 2:6).

In the verses above, the Devil is bound only for a thousand years. Then he is released for a little while, because the Father in heaven has a certain plan for him. The Devil is bound for a thousand years because during this thousand-year period Christ and His overcomers will reign as kings and priests on the earth (Revelation 20:4).

We see that against Christ and His overcomers, the Devil can do nothing during the thousand years. What about our lives today? Can the Devil do anything to attack our lives now? By His grace, even now we can say as Jesus did, that the Devil can do nothing in our lives. What can happen in our lives now is only His will and His plan. For us, THE DEVIL IS AS IF HE DOES NOT EXIST. Everything that happens in our lives is the will of the Father; therefore, all is good. Amen.

We continue our discussion of the ‘thousand-year kingdom’ by looking at Revelation 20:4–5: “And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of JESUS and for the word of Elohim, and those who had not worshiped the beast… had not received its mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years… This is the first resurrection” (ILT).

There are several things we can observe from these verses. First, to His overcomers, in the thousand-year kingdom, grace is given to judge on the earth (Revelation 5:10). The purpose of the judgment of Elohim entrusted to them is, “… when You come to judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isaiah 26:9). Therefore, their judgment is ‘corrective’ in nature, not merely ‘punitive’, because indeed, whatever a person sows, that he will also reap.

Second, it is emphasized here that His overcomers were “beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus.” This does not mean that His overcomers are people whose ‘physical heads’ were cut off. The beheading here is a symbol that speaks of replacing the ‘carnal mind’ with the ‘mind of Christ’. Furthermore, His overcomers do not worship the beast nor receive the mark of the beast, because on the foreheads of His overcomers are written the name of the Lamb and the name of the Father in heaven. This means that His overcomers possess the mind of Christ.

Third, His overcomers reign for a thousand years together with Christ because they experience the ‘first resurrection’. I Corinthians 15 explains to us about the resurrection. Of course, we will not discuss the entire chapter, but only a few facts.

The first fact: all people die in union with Adam, and likewise all people will be made alive in union with Christ.

The second fact: each person will be raised in his own order (verse 23).

The third fact: Christ Jesus as the ‘firstfruits’, meaning the first to be raised (verse 23).

The fourth fact: at His coming, the group of His overcomers will be raised (verse 23). In Revelation 14:4, the group of His overcomers is also called the ‘firstfruits’. This means that His overcomers partake ‘earlier’ in the resurrection of Christ.

The fifth fact: according to the context of 1 Corinthians 15, in the end ALL people will be raised in Christ, so that the Father may be ALL in ALL (verse 28).

Paul also explains this matter of the resurrection in the book of Romans. In this letter, Paul explains salvation with three consecutive expressions: justification by faith, sanctification by faith, and glorification by faith. Glorification by faith is hardly discussed in the Christian world, yet it is precisely the culmination of salvation. Romans 8:18–30 explains it as follows. Glorification by faith is the same as adoption as sons and the redemption of our physical bodies (verse 23). The sons of Elohim will be revealed on the earth with bodies of glory in order to liberate creation (Romans 8:19–21).

When the millennial kingdom is established on this earth, it is the time when the sons of Elohim as the ‘firstfruits’ are glorified (revealed) to all creatures. This also means the coming (the full manifestation) of the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Let us continue our discussion of the millennial kingdom in relation to the ‘second death’. What is the meaning of the expression ‘the second death’? Revelation 20:6 states clearly, “Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority.

But they shall be priests of Elohim and of Christ, and they shall reign with Him a thousand years” (ILT).

The common view in the Christian world considers the ‘second death’ as following the ‘first death’ (the fall of Adam and all humanity into sin), and then for those who do not believe in Jesus to be cast again into the ‘second death’, commonly called ‘eternal hell’. Is this really so?

To understand the meaning of the ‘second death’, we must know the meaning of the ‘first death’. Genesis 2:17 says that on the day you (Adam) eat of it, you shall die. The term ‘die’ is translated from the Hebrew expression ‘mut tamut’, which means that at the moment you eat it, you immediately receive the kind of life called ‘death’ (for the wages of sin is death), and then you will proceed toward physical death. This is the meaning of the ‘first death’.

The term ‘death’ often used in the Bible does not have to mean physical death. Paul affirms that a person (a widow) who “lives in pleasure and self-indulgence is dead even while she lives” (1 Timothy 5:6). This means that a person who lives a kind of life characterized by ‘death’ is already ‘spiritually’ dead, even though physically he is still alive on the earth.

In fact, death is a ‘transition’—a ‘movement’ from one realm to another. When Adam fell into sin, he actually moved from the realm of the ‘Garden of Eden’ (the heavenly realm) into the ‘realm of death on earth’. Adam continued to live on earth until he eventually died physically.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15, where the entire context of the chapter speaks about the ‘resurrection’ of all people, which we have briefly mentioned. Verses 45–47 state, “…The first man, Adam… but the last Adam… The first man is from the dust of the earth… the second man is from heaven.”

The term ‘man’ and the expression ‘the last Adam’ used by Paul here are extremely important. Adam in the Garden of Eden is called the FIRST MAN, meaning Adam is the HEAD of all humanity (the human race); therefore, Adam’s fall means the fall of all humanity. Jesus is called the LAST ADAM, meaning that through His death on the cross as the LAST ADAM, Jesus erased (put to death) all the consequences of Adam’s death in the Garden of Eden. Jesus is also called the SECOND MAN, meaning that Jesus is the HEAD of a new human race. If we understand this very important truth, then we will understand why Paul says in Romans 5:18–19 that through one trespass all people received condemnation, and through one act of righteousness all people receive justification for life.

Therefore, the meaning of the ‘second death’ is not eternal hell as commonly understood in the Christian world. RATHER, THE SECOND DEATH IS THE DEATH THAT ERASES ALL THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE FIRST DEATH.

We have discussed the meaning of the second death as the death that erases all the consequences of the ‘first death’. Let us speak a little more about the ‘second death’. We have affirmed that ‘death’ means a transition (a movement) from one realm to another. Thus, in reality, a person who experiences the ‘second death’ together with Christ moves from the realm of death to the realm of life, from the realm of death to the realm of resurrection, from the realm of worldly thinking to the realm of the mind of Christ.

Paul expressed his longing to move from the realm of death to the realm of resurrection, saying, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10–11). Here Paul speaks of death and resurrection WITH JESUS. Paul longs to know the ‘fellowship of His sufferings’ so that he may know the ‘resurrection together with Jesus’.

The process of sharing in His death and His resurrection will certainly be experienced by ALL HUMANITY. Why is this so? Consider Hebrews 2:9, which states, “But we see JESUS… by the grace of Elohim He might taste death on behalf of everyone” (ILT). In fact, the death of Jesus as the LAST ADAM is the SECOND DEATH. And all people have experienced the second death together with Jesus, but the resurrection of all people together with Jesus is determined by the ‘order’ of each person (1 Corinthians 15).

Consider Revelation 2:11, “…He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” The overcomers, or the ‘firstfruits’, are those who are called and chosen by the sovereignty of the Father Himself. The overcomers are not people who do not experience the ‘fellowship of His sufferings’; rather, by the grace and process of the Father in heaven, they experience it ‘earlier’, so that they experience the resurrection to reign with Christ for a thousand years.

As we know, in the Christian world many are called, but few are chosen. These called ones are truly Christians who have been born again. Let us look at the following verse, where Christians who have been called suffer or are wounded by the process of the ‘second death’. Matthew 25:30 states, “And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The context of Matthew 25 concerns the kingdom of heaven, especially at the coming of Jesus, commonly called the second coming. Both the parable of the talents and the wise and foolish virgins speak about Christians. Yet some are received to reign together with Christ for a thousand years, while others are not. Christians who do not take part in the millennial kingdom experience “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” meaning they are wounded by the process of the ‘second death’. We need to know that the coming of the Lord Jesus to this world is not to evacuate or rapture Christians to heaven far away. Rather, the coming of the Lord is to ‘judge His people’, where those who are chosen will reign together with Jesus on the earth for a thousand years, while those who are not will experience the process of the ‘second death’. This is the meaning of the process of the ‘second death’ that must be experienced by all people.

We have discussed the ‘millennial kingdom’, as well as the ‘second death’. Now we come to Revelation 20:11–12, which states, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it… And the dead were judged according to their works…”

Let us look at several thrones written about in the Bible. Revelation 4:2 says, “…a throne stood in heaven…”. Revelation 3:21 says, “He who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 20:4 says, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them…”. Revelation 22:1 says, “…the throne of the Lamb…”. And Matthew 19:28 says, “…you also will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Revelation 4:4 says, “…twenty-four thrones…”.

We see here that there are several thrones: the great white throne, the throne in heaven, thrones in the millennial kingdom, the throne of the Lamb, twelve thrones, and twenty-four thrones. Are these thrones different from one another? In reality, Elohim has only ‘one throne’. The various thrones speak only of different aspects or foundational attributes of the one throne, namely the ‘Throne of Elohim’. Clearly, a throne is a ‘symbol’ of authority to judge, and it also speaks of a kingdom.

Let us consider the ‘great white throne’ in the verse above. White is a symbol of purity and truth. Let us look at the following verses. Proverbs 16:12 says, “…a throne is established by righteousness.” Psalm 89:15 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before You.” Proverbs 20:28 states, “…by mercy a throne is upheld.” From these verses we see that the foundation of the throne of Elohim is JUSTICE and LAW, and the supporting pillar of His throne is LOVE. Therefore, the judgment of Elohim (the throne) does not violate justice and law, nor does it violate the principle of love.

That is why Isaiah 26:9 says, “…for when You judge the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn what is right.” The judgment of Elohim aims to ‘correct’ so that people may know the truth, not to punish and cast people into hell forever. Therefore, the dead who are judged in the verse above are judged so that they may come to know the truth.

Let us close this section by looking at the case where Jesus was brought by the religious leaders to a woman caught in adultery (John 8). The intention of these religious leaders was to accuse Jesus (verse 6). Jesus’ response or judgment toward this woman was forgiveness and counsel to sin no more. Jesus did not ignore sin, but His redemption indeed takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2). Jesus’ counsel to sin no more was so that the woman might learn what is right. Thus, Jesus’ judgment does not violate the principle of JUSTICE (sin must be dealt with at the cross for all people), nor does it violate the principle of LOVE (forgiveness).

In the Christian world, religious leaders generally teach the doctrine of ‘eternal hell’. This teaching fails to understand the foundational nature of the throne of Elohim, which is love and justice. How could Elohim entrust such religious leaders to carry out His judgment or to sit together on His throne? No wonder Jesus said to the religious leaders of His time that tax collectors and prostitutes would enter the kingdom of heaven before them (Matthew 21:31).

Let us continue our discussion of the judgment of the ‘great white throne’. Revelation 20:13–15 states, “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death: the lake of fire. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” These verses are very important for us to understand correctly, because after the judgment of the ‘great white throne’, the apostle John sees a ‘new heaven and a new earth’.

There are two things we must pay attention to in order to understand the judgment of the great white throne, namely the lake of fire and the second death. We have discussed the meaning of the second death in relation to the first death, as the death that erases all the consequences of the first death. Now we will discuss the second death in relation to the lake of fire. Observe the verse above that defines the second death very clearly: THE SECOND DEATH IS DEATH AND HADES BEING THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. We must not arbitrarily define the second death as eternal hell forever, as is commonly understood in the Christian world.

The teaching about the lake of fire is found in the Bible only in the book of Revelation (Revelation 14:10–11; 19:20; 20:10; 20:13–15; and 21:8). Therefore, the lake of fire is a symbol, consistent with the nature of the book of Revelation, which uses symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). Let us carefully understand the meaning of the lake of fire, which in other parts of Revelation is also called the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 14:10; 19:20; 21:8).

Let us quote the writing of J. Preston Eby on this topic:

“The Lake of Fire and Brimstone refers to fire burning with brimstone. The word ‘brimstone’ or sulfur defines the nature of the fire. The Greek word THEION, translated ‘brimstone,’ is the same word that means ‘Divine.’ Sulfur was something sacred to the gods among the ancient Greeks, and was used to fumigate, purify, cleanse, and consecrate to the gods. For this purpose sulfur was burned in their censers…. The verb derived from THEION is THEIOO, which means ‘to sanctify,’ ‘to make divine,’ or ‘to consecrate to a god’ (see the Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell and Scott, 1987 edition). To the Greeks, or to those trained in the Greek language, the ‘lake of fire and brimstone’ meant a ‘lake of divine purification.’ The idea of judgment need not be set aside. Divine purification and divine sanctification are the plain meanings in ancient Greek. But in the everyday understanding of our language, the basic meaning of the word has been removed and associated with eternal torment” (end quote).

Please take note again of the definition of the second death above, namely death and the realm of death being thrown into the lake of fire. We know that the wages of sin is death, not eternal hell (Romans 6:23). Those who are in ‘death and the realm of death’ are clearly identified in Revelation 21:7–8, which says, “The one who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be Elohim to him, and he shall be a son to Me. But as for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their portion is in the lake which burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (ILT).

Only those whom the Father has appointed to be overcomers and to inherit the kingdom of heaven (Luke 12:32) are the ones who do not experience the judgment of the “lake of fire and sulfur.” But all others will experience ‘divine purification’ through the judgment of the great White Throne. Such is the meaning of the ‘second death’ in connection with the ‘lake of fire’.

We have discussed the meaning of the “second death,” both in relation to the first death and in relation to the “lake of fire.” We know that the “second death” was carried out by Jesus on the cross as the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15). The death of Jesus has removed all the consequences of Adam’s death. However, the removal of all the consequences of Adam’s death upon all humanity does not occur without a process. The process of removing all the consequences of Adam’s sins is through the “lake of fire,” which we have discussed.

After the process of divine purification through the “lake of fire,” the apostle John then sees a new heaven and a new earth. Note Revelation 21:1, which says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” At this point we will discuss the new heaven and the new earth.

Isaiah 65:17–18 affirms, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth… for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy….” Elohim’s creation of the new heaven and the new earth here is not like His creation of the first heaven and the first earth. THE CREATION OF THE NEW HEAVEN AND THE NEW EARTH OCCURS BECAUSE OF REDEMPTION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. The new heaven and the new earth created by Elohim are not entirely ‘unrelated’ to the first heaven and the first earth. The term ‘new’ in Revelation 21:1 is translated from the Greek term ‘kainos’, not ‘neos’. Kainos means new in the sense of fresh, unused, and VERY CONTRASTING with the former, whereas neos refers to new in relation to age (young). Thus, the new heaven and the new earth are created by Elohim in the sense that a ‘very radical change’ has occurred to the first heaven and the first earth. This very radical change takes place because of Christ’s redemption.

2 Peter 3:12–13 states, “…on that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements will melt with intense heat. But according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” Here Peter affirms that the heavens and the elements of the world will be destroyed and melted by blazing fire. There is a process carried out by blazing fire to bring forth the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Let us consider 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, the new has come.” The Greek term translated as ‘new’ here is also ‘kainos’. When believers are made new in Christ, do not their personality and consciousness remain? Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” This certainly does not mean that Paul’s personality disappeared and Elohim created an entirely different Paul. Thus, emphatically, the new heaven and the new earth are presented/created by Elohim through a process of radical transformation, and this radical transformation occurs because of Christ’s redemption.

In the Christian world, it is common for people to hope that Jesus will come and take them to a ‘place’ called heaven. In fact, Jesus never promised at all that He would take us to a ‘place’ called heaven. Even in His conversation on the last night with His disciples (John 13–17), Jesus mentioned the term heaven only once, and that was in the context of His prayer to the Father. Thus, Jesus did not speak about ‘heaven’ to His disciples on that last night. Jesus came to give us new life (zoe), and this ‘zoe’ life continues to grow in such a way that at His coming, Jesus together with His overcomers will restore all things (the first heaven and earth), so that they become the new heaven and the new earth.

We continue our discussion of the new heaven and the new earth. We have seen that the creation of the new heaven and the new earth occurs through Christ’s redemption. In fact, the new heaven and the new earth are symbols of the new humanity, humanity newly created in Christ. Elohim affirms that He makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).

Let us again consider 2 Peter 3:12–13, which states, “…on that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements of the world will melt with intense heat. But according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” The term ‘element’ in this verse is translated from the Greek ‘stoicheion’, which means ‘basic principles’. The Greek term ‘stoicheion’ is used seven times in the New Testament. Paul uses this term to describe Christians who have not yet ‘come of age’ and are subject to the basic principles of this world (Galatians 4:3; 4:9; Colossians 2:8; 2:20). Even though a Christian is an heir, if he has not yet ‘come of age’, he is no different from a slave (Galatians 4:1).

Indeed, Elohim uses the ‘basic principles’ of this world to educate His children in the early stages. But Elohim sent Jesus, His Son, into this world precisely to redeem us and bring us into a higher level (order, principle), and to give us His life (zoe), in which we are placed as His children and become joint heirs with Him.

Note Paul’s warning to the Colossian church: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, according to human tradition and the elemental spirits (stoicheion = basic principles) of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). The Colossian believers tended to subject themselves to various regulations such as rules about food and drink, festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths—all of which are only shadows, while the reality, the substance, the fulfillment, is Christ (Colossians 2:16–17).

If we understand Elohim’s purpose in giving the Old Testament and the New Testament to His people, we know that the Old Testament is only an ‘initial stage’ to lead His people to the truth. But there comes a time when Elohim destroys the ‘basic principles’ (stoicheion) with ‘blazing fire’, as written in Peter’s letter above, in order to bring forth the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells.

It seems that God’s people indeed have a tendency to ‘go back’, as did the Hebrew Christians. The author of Hebrews exhorts the believers to look forward to what Elohim has done. We can explain this tendency to ‘go back’ by remembering that humans naturally like religion. Christians generally feel ‘comfortable’ when bound by religious regulations such as having to go to a certain building on a certain day, having to tithe, having to do this and that, and so on.

In fact, this tendency to ‘go back’ actually brings God’s people into religious bondage. The term ‘religion’ itself comes from the Latin ‘religare’, where ‘re’ means ‘again’ and ‘ligare’ means ‘to bind’. Thus, Christians who are religious or who submit to religious regulations are essentially bound again and enter into religious bondage. But in the age of the new heaven and the new earth, God’s people are freed from religious bondage through ‘blazing fire’.

We are still discussing Revelation 21:1, which says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” We have seen that Elohim’s creation of the new heaven and the new earth does not mean that the first heaven and the first earth are completely abolished, as if the new heaven and the new earth were entirely unrelated to the first. Rather, Elohim brings forth or creates the new heaven and the new earth through a ‘process of radical transformation’ because of Christ’s redemptive work. Peter’s letter and the book of Revelation call this radical transformation process ‘blazing fire’ or the ‘lake of fire’, which we have discussed.

Now we will speak about the new heaven and the new earth in which ‘the sea is no more’. Certainly, the ‘sea’ here is symbolic. In Revelation 13, we see a beast coming out of the ‘sea’, which is a symbol of worldly systems of government (unrenewed humanity). The ‘sea’ can mean ‘a multitude of people’, or in a personal sense, it can symbolize human turmoil or fleshly passions. Thus, in the order/age of the new heaven and the new earth, there is no longer any human governmental system, and there is no longer any turmoil of fleshly passions. All have been renewed by the redemptive work of Christ.

To better understand the new heaven and the new earth where there is no longer a ‘sea’, we need to discuss briefly about ages and dispensations. The Hebrew term ‘olam’ and the Greek term ‘aion’ should be translated as ‘age’ or ‘era’, which has a beginning and an end. Meanwhile, the term ‘dispensation’ is translated from the Greek ‘oikonomia’. It is hoped that an understanding of ‘ages’ and ‘dispensations’ will help us see that the first heaven and the first earth are not completely abolished, but are still ‘connected’ to the new heaven and the new earth where there is no longer a ‘sea’.

The Bible distinguishes between ages (Greek: ‘aion’) and dispensations (Greek: ‘oikonomia’). In the Bible there are at least four ages: the first age, written in 2 Peter 2:5 (the ancient world); the second, found in Galatians 1:4 and 2 Corinthians 4:4 (the present wicked age); the third, written in Mark 10:30 (the coming age); and the fourth, written in Ephesians 3:21 and Hebrews 1:8 (the age of the ages).

The term dispensation (‘oikonomia’) appears in 1 Timothy 1:4, which in the ILT Bible is translated as ‘the stewardship of Elohim’. The Greek term ‘oikonomia’ consists of two words: ‘oikos’ (house) and ‘nomos’ (management or distribution of laws, blessings, food, etc.). Thus, ‘oikonomia’ means the arrangement or distribution of laws/blessings within a household. The ILT translation, “the stewardship of Elohim,” is quite accurate. Therefore, the dispensation we mean is the way Elohim arranges, manages, or deals with humanity in a particular period. We identify the following seven dispensations: first, the Adamic dispensation (from the Garden of Eden to the Flood); second, the Noahic dispensation (from the Flood to the Tower of Babel); third, the Abrahamic dispensation (from the Tower of Babel to Israel’s bondage in Egypt); fourth, the Mosaic dispensation (from Egyptian bondage to the coming of Jesus); fifth, the dispensation of the overcomers (from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to the “second coming” of Jesus); sixth, the millennial kingdom dispensation; and seventh, the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth.

In each dispensation, Elohim deals with humanity in a particular way. Next, we will discuss what happens and what exists in the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’. Ephesians 1:10, in Young’s Literal Translation, states, “in regard to the dispensation of the fullness of the times, to bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth—in him.” The dispensation of the fullness of times is none other than the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth, in which all things, both on earth and in heaven, will be brought into unity in Christ.

Generally, in Christianity, we are taught that God’s grace ends after the second coming of Jesus. But in fact, in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth, as we will see later, the water of life is offered freely to whoever is thirsty (Revelation 22:17).

We are still discussing the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21:2 states, “And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from Elohim out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (ILT). Here we see that in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth there is a holy city called the New Jerusalem. This is certainly a symbol, consistent with the basic nature of the book of Revelation. Whom does the New Jerusalem symbolize?

Consider Revelation 21:9–10, which says, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Elohim” (ILT). From these verses it is clear that the New Jerusalem is the bride of the Lamb, because when the angel was about to show the bride of the Lamb, he showed the city of the New Jerusalem. If so, who is the bride of the Lamb?

We must understand that there are two women described in the book of Revelation: the first in chapter 12, and the second in chapter 17. These two women have very different basic characteristics. The woman in chapter 12 is a virgin who gives birth to the sons of Elohim, just as Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of Elohim. But the woman in chapter 17 is a prostitute (17:5). This prostitute woman is also called Babylon the Great, or the great city (18:2).

There are three facts we need to discuss to understand who the bride of the Lamb is. First, the one who comes to John to show him the bride of the Lamb is one of the angels who holds the seven bowls of the wrath of Elohim (Revelation 15:5–7). This angel is not a winged creature, but a messenger of Elohim, and this messenger comes out of the Temple, which is a symbol of the church. This angel also wears clean white linen, which is a symbol of the righteous deeds of the saints (19:8). If we consider the sequence of revelation received by John, we know that this church is the overcomers (chapters 2–3), or the sons of Elohim (chapter 12), or the firstfruits (chapter 14), or those who are given authority to judge (20:4).

Second, we know that these bowls of the wrath of Elohim are poured out upon the earth, as opposed to the ‘sea’, which is a symbol of worldly people (16:1). Then, the seventh bowl is poured specifically upon the great city, namely Babylon, which is the prostitute woman (16:17–19). Thus, the judgment of Elohim carried out by His overcomers (the firstfruits) is directed against the ‘prostitute woman’, or the ‘prostitute’ church.

Third, consider again Revelation 21:9–10 above. After the seven angels have finished carrying out the judgment of Elohim against the ‘prostitute’ church, then one of these angels introduces the bride of the Lamb to the apostle John. Do we not see an interesting fact here? IN TRUTH, THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB IS THE CHRISTIANS WHO ARE THE RESULT OF THE MINISTRY OF ELOHIM’S JUDGMENT CARRIED OUT BY THE OVERCOMERS.

As a conclusion to this section, let us once again look at the meaning of the ‘prostitute’ who receives much seed from many men. From the messages to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, we know that His overcomers are Christians who, by His grace, do not partake in three false teachings, namely Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Briefly, the teaching of Jezebel is a false teaching that justifies the seizure of Ahab’s authority (church leaders who usurp the authority of the Church’s ‘husband’, namely the Lamb). The teaching of Balaam is a false teaching that justifies commerce within the church. The teaching of the Nicolaitans is a false teaching that draws the Lord’s disciples to build their own kingdoms, and of course equips them with the Word of God. This teaching of the Nicolaitans destroys the priesthood of all believers, so that the church is divided into two groups: the clergy–laity group (Protestant), and the priest–people group (Catholic). Originally, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers were meant only to equip the saints, not to draw the Lord’s disciples to build their own denominations or kingdoms, or to divide the church into two groups. Up to this point, we certainly know that the teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted in the Christian world.

We continue our discussion of the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21:3 states, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and Elohim Himself will be with them as their Elohim’” (ILT).

At this time we will discuss the ‘tabernacle of Elohim’ or the ‘House of Elohim’, where He dwells. We need to understand the basic concepts of the ‘House of Elohim’ from the books of the Old Testament. The striking difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that

the Old Testament consists of symbols, shadows, and prophecies, whereas the reality is found in the New Testament.

We will briefly look at the basic concepts of the ‘House of Elohim’ from the Old Testament, namely in the case of Jacob’s dream at Bethel, because in this case the expression ‘House of Elohim’ appears for the first time. The first basic concept is that Elohim wants to build His House on earth by uniting heaven and earth through a ‘ladder’, and this ‘ladder’ is Jesus, the Son of Man. Second, Elohim makes a covenant and gives His law to the person or community He will use to build the ‘House of Elohim’. His covenant and His law differ in each dispensation (age).

Third, the House of Elohim consists of ‘living stones’ poured out by the Holy Spirit and arranged neatly so as to become a ‘pillar’, to remember the work of Elohim on earth. The stone that Jacob used as a pillow was the ‘cornerstone’, namely Jesus, upon whom the other stones are built. These are the three basic concepts of the ‘House of Elohim’ upon which other understandings are built, according to the principle commonly known as the ‘first mention principle’.

The next understanding is found in the case of Moses’ tabernacle, namely that Elohim will give spiritual experiences to His chosen people, and all these spiritual experiences are symbolized by the furnishings of Moses’ tabernacle. Then, all His chosen people must follow only the ‘cloud of the Lord’s glory’. Next, in the case of David’s tabernacle, in building His House, Elohim will form His chosen people into kings and priests. Then, in the case of Zerubbabel, what is called the ‘House of Elohim’ must be built in the place He has chosen.

We now directly enter into the understanding of the ‘House of Elohim’ that is the ‘reality’, not a symbol, shadow, or prophecy. The reality of the ‘House of Elohim’ is the physical body of Jesus, and through His death and resurrection it is ‘expanded’ into the physical body of His people, in whom Elohim, who is the ‘True Family’ (Father, Son, and the Spirit who has a feminine nature), dwells within the inner being of His people. This is the ‘reality’ of the House of Elohim or the ‘tabernacle of Elohim’ where He dwells.

The verse above explains the reality of the ‘House of Elohim’ or the ‘tabernacle of Elohim’ in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21:22 states, “And I saw no sanctuary in it, for YAHWEH, Elohim Almighty, is its sanctuary, and the Lamb” (ILT). All symbols, outward regulations, buildings, specific places—anything symbolic—are no longer seen in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Thus the words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman in John 4:23 are fulfilled: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (reality) …”

We continue our discussion of the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21:3 states, “And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is with men. And He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and Elohim Himself will be with them as their Elohim’” (ILT).

At this time we will discuss the ‘tabernacle of Elohim’ or the ‘House of Elohim’, where He dwells. We need to understand the basic concepts of the ‘House of Elohim’ from the books of the Old Testament. The striking difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that the Old Testament consists only of symbols, shadows, and prophecies, whereas the reality is in the New Testament.

We will briefly look at the basic concepts of the ‘House of Elohim’ from the Old Testament, namely in the case of Jacob’s dream at Bethel, because in this case the expression ‘House of Elohim’ appears for the first time. The first basic concept is that Elohim wants to build His House on earth by uniting heaven and earth through a ‘ladder’, and this ‘ladder’ is Jesus, the Son of Man. Second, Elohim makes a covenant and gives His law to the person or community He will use to build the ‘House of Elohim’. His covenant and His law differ in each dispensation (age).

Third, the House of Elohim consists of ‘living stones’ poured out by the Holy Spirit and arranged neatly so as to become a ‘pillar’, to remember the work of Elohim on earth. The stone that Jacob used as a pillow was the ‘cornerstone’, namely Jesus, upon whom the other stones are built. These are the three basic concepts of the ‘House of Elohim’ upon which other understandings are built, according to the principle commonly known as the ‘first mention principle’.

The next understanding is found in the case of Moses’ tabernacle, namely that Elohim will give spiritual experiences to His chosen people, and all these spiritual experiences are symbolized by the furnishings of Moses’ tabernacle. Then, all His chosen people must follow only the ‘cloud of the Lord’s glory’. Next, in the case of David’s tabernacle, in building His House, Elohim will form His chosen people into kings and priests. Then, in the case of Zerubbabel, what is called the ‘House of Elohim’ must be built in the place He has chosen.

We now directly enter into the understanding of the ‘House of Elohim’ that is the ‘reality’, not a symbol, shadow, or prophecy. The reality of the ‘House of Elohim’ is the physical body of Jesus, and through His death and resurrection it is ‘expanded’ into the physical body of His people, in whom Elohim, who is the ‘True Family’ (Father, Son, and the Spirit who has a feminine nature), dwells within the inner being of His people. This is the ‘reality’ of the House of Elohim or the ‘tabernacle of Elohim’ where He dwells.

The verse above explains the reality of the ‘House of Elohim’ or the ‘tabernacle of Elohim’ in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Revelation 21:22 states, “And I saw no sanctuary in it, for YAHWEH, Elohim Almighty, is its sanctuary, and the Lamb” (ILT). All symbols, outward regulations, buildings, specific places—anything symbolic—are no longer seen in the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Thus the words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman in John 4:23 are fulfilled: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (reality) …”

We continue our discussion of the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth. Ephesians 3:21 states, “To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” The Greek expression translated ‘forever and ever’ is ‘aion ho aion’. We know that ‘aion’ refers to time, which has a beginning and an end. The Greek expression ‘aion’ (singular) ‘ho aion’ (plural) cannot be translated as ‘forever and ever’ in the sense of having no end, nor as ‘eternal’ in the sense of endlessness. This Greek expression must be translated as ‘age of the ages’, meaning the ‘culmination’ of an age that is different from the previous ages. Therefore, the dispensation of the New Heaven and New Earth is the ‘culmination’ of all previous ages.

The context of Ephesians 3:21 above is Paul’s prayer for the church (Eph. 3:14–21), not only that the church might know the Father, but also that the church might understand the ‘eternal purpose’ or the purpose of the ages, according to the meaning of the Greek text in Ephesians 3:11, namely that through the church the manifold wisdom of Elohim might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms (Eph. 3:10).

So that the church may understand what it means to ‘make known the manifold wisdom of Elohim to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms’, let us look at what happens in this ‘culminating’ age, namely the age of the New Heaven and New Earth. Many Christians think that in the age of the New Heaven and New Earth (commonly understood as ‘heaven’), the church will have nothing to do except sing and praise God forever. But as we will see later, in this ‘culminating’ age, the church (the Bride of the Lamb) will reign and offer the ‘water of life’ freely to whoever is thirsty (Revelation 22:17).

Let us begin to see what happens, or the conditions of this ‘culminating’ age of the New Heaven and New Earth, as a result of the ministry of the Bride of the Lamb (the church). Revelation 21:4 states, “And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” This verse affirms that there will be no more death, and that all former things have passed away. Death is the wages of sin (Romans 3:23). And if there is no more death, then there will be no more things that are the consequences of sin. Through the ministry of the Bride of the Lamb, ‘death’ as the wages of sin will be subdued.

Sadly, in the Christian world, the majority of Christians believe that some people enter ‘heaven’ and sing there forever, while those who do not believe in Jesus will be thrown into hell forever. The doctrine of eternal hell, which has been so widely believed, causes Christians not to know the Father, nor to know the ‘eternal purpose’ or the purpose of the ages, which is precisely what Paul prayed for the church in the verses above.

Indeed, the Christian world must experience the judgment of Elohim at the coming of Jesus, as we have discussed. This judgment will cause the Christian world to know the Father and His purpose in creating the ages (Hebrews 1:2; Ephesians 3:11).

We continue our discussion to see what happens, or what the conditions are, in the ‘culminating’ age of the New Heaven and New Earth, as a result of the ministry of the Bride of the Lamb (the church). Revelation 22:3–4 states, “And there shall be no more curse. And the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (ILT).

First, we see that there will be no more curse. The curse pronounced in the Garden of Eden when Adam fell into sin will be no more, because Elohim ‘makes all things new’. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Elohim has the authority to begin all things and to end all things as He wills. Romans 11:36 states, “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things …” (ILT).

Many Christians think that the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden happened because humans have ‘free will’, and therefore Elohim could do nothing when Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan. Let us set aside human opinions, whoever they may be, and pay attention to Romans 8:20: “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but BECAUSE OF HIM WHO SUBJECTED IT IN HOPE” (ILT). To be subjected to futility means to be subjected to the realm of death, which is the wages of sin.

Who willed to subject creation to the realm of death? NOT ADAM, BUT ELOHIM. Thus, the fall of Adam and all creation into the realm of death WAS PART OF HIS DESIGN. Elohim indeed willed and planned the fall of Adam with a purpose. He subjected all creation to the realm of futility (the realm of death), not without reason, but IN HOPE. What is that hope? Look at the next verse, Romans 8:21: “that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim” (ILT). The hope is clear: that all creation will ultimately be delivered by the ministry of the children of Elohim. All creation will ultimately enter into the glory of the children of Elohim, who are the firstfruits of creation (James 1:18).

Thus, Elohim is the Alpha. He is the One who begins and designs all things. His will is sovereign and determines everything. There is no free will, even though this has been believed by the majority of Christians. As individuals, we certainly have will, but our will is ORDERED and DIRECTED by HIS WILL. Proverbs 21:1 states, “The king’s heart is like streams of water in the hand of YAHWEH; He directs it wherever He desires.” Romans 9 also explains the sovereignty of Elohim in determining all things. If Elohim determines everything, why must humans be responsible for their actions? The answer is because Elohim has indeed established the law of sowing and reaping that applies to humans.

Furthermore, He is also the Omega. He has the authority to bring all things back to Himself. The curse upon all creation because of Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden will end in the glory of the children of Elohim. Jesus Christ bore the curse of all creation resulting from sin. And Jesus Christ together with the children of Elohim (the firstfruits) will bring all creation into His glory, where there is no more curse.

We continue our discussion of the condition of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’ in Revelation 22:3–4: “And there shall be no more curse. And the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (ILT). We have discussed that there is no more curse in the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’; now we will discuss the next point.

Second, from the verses above we see that the end of the curse is due to the presence of the throne of Elohim and the throne of the Lamb. We have previously emphasized that Elohim has only one throne. If the Bible mentions many thrones, these thrones merely explain aspects of that one throne of Elohim. Yet there is an important truth revealed by the presence of the throne of Elohim and the throne of the Lamb in the verse above.

The throne of Elohim in the verse above speaks of the sovereignty or authority of Elohim in determining all things. Matthew 10:29 states, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” This verse speaks of the sovereignty of Elohim in determining everything. Next, Psalm 139:16 affirms, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; and in Your book all of them were written—the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” This verse speaks of the fact that all the days of every human being have been determined beforehand by Elohim. It also speaks of the sovereignty of Elohim in determining the course of every human life. For this reason, we have emphasized that although human beings possess a will as personal individuals, they do not have freedom in determining the course of their lives. Jeremiah 10:23 also affirms this, saying, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

Then, the throne of the Lamb in the verse above certainly speaks of the Messianic Kingdom. How did Jesus build His Kingdom? Through His death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven, Jesus was able to impart His life (‘zoe’) into the inner being of believers, because unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone (John 12:24). Jesus, as the Son of Elohim, who is in the image and likeness of the Father, through His death, resurrection, and ascension, ‘reproduced’ many sons of Elohim who are likewise in the image and likeness of the Father. This Messianic Kingdom (Jesus and the sons of Elohim) is the one that will reign and subdue all things. Certainly, after the Messianic Kingdom has subdued all things, Jesus will hand over the Kingdom to the Father, so that the Father may be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:24, 28).

Therefore, the throne of Elohim speaks of the sovereignty of the Father in determining all things, while the throne of the Lamb speaks of Elohim reigning over all things ‘through and within His chosen people’. The curse and death as the wages of sin will no longer exist once the throne of the Lamb has been fully manifested on earth. This is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray for the Kingdom of heaven to come and be fully manifested on earth.

In the Christian world, many people hope that one day they will enter heaven and leave the earth behind, even leaving those who have not believed in Jesus in hell forever. Such a concept is certainly strange and foreign, and is not found at all in the book of Revelation. Rather, His chosen people will continue to pray and hope for the coming of the Kingdom of heaven on earth.

We continue our discussion regarding the condition of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’ in Revelation 22:3–4: “And there shall be no more curse. And the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads” (ILT). We have discussed the ‘curse’ and ‘the throne of Elohim and the throne of the Lamb’. We will now discuss the next matters in these verses.

Third, it is affirmed that His servants shall serve Him. The Greek verb ‘latreuō’, translated as ‘serve’ in the verse above, can also be translated ‘worship.” However, we must remember that in the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’, there is no longer a Temple in it, as affirmed in Revelation 21:22: “And I saw no sanctuary in it, for YAHWEH, Elohim Almighty, is its sanctuary, and the Lamb” (ILT). Therefore, the meaning of ‘worship’ here is not related at all to rituals, regulations, or anything connected with the Temple.

Let us look into the Old Testament to understand the meaning of ‘worshiping’ Elohim. We will use the principle of ‘first mention’. This principle is used to obtain the basic meaning of a term. This means that later meanings found in subsequent occurrences must be built upon that basic meaning. The basic meaning must not be ignored or eliminated by later interpretations.

Let us consider the Hebrew term ‘shachah’, translated as ‘worship’, which first appears in the account of Abraham offering Isaac in Genesis 22:5: “…I and the lad will go over there, and we will worship (shachah)….” Notice that Abraham did not do anything such as singing praises or performing rituals in worshiping Elohim, except offering Isaac according to what God required. From this account, we understand that to ‘worship’ Elohim is none other than ‘offering our Isaac’ according to the leading of God. Worshiping Elohim involves sacrifice. There is a price to be paid, but all of it must be in accordance with God’s leading. This is the basic meaning of ‘worshiping’ Elohim. Later meanings, such as David adding singing and music to worship, do not eliminate this basic meaning.

It is interesting to note that in the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’, the Person of Yahweh and the Lamb themselves are the Temple, as affirmed in Revelation 21:22. Worship in this dispensation is focused on the Person of Elohim Himself. Consider Jesus’ conversation with His disciples on the last night before His crucifixion (John 13–17). We know that a person’s final conversation before death is extremely important. Yet Jesus did not speak at all about heaven to His disciples, even though heaven is commonly considered the goal of Christian life. In fact, the term ‘heaven’ appears only once in John 17:1, and even then only in Jesus’ prayer to the Father. Thus, Jesus did not speak to His disciples about heaven at all.

However, on that last night, Jesus spoke extensively about ‘personal relationship’—the relationship of the disciples with the Holy Spirit, with the Father, with Jesus, with the world (the religious system that hated Jesus), and also the relationship among the disciples themselves, that they might love one another. The goal of the Christian life is the Person of the Father, and the way to that goal is also the Person of the Lord Jesus. John 14:6 affirms, “…no one comes to the Father (a Person) except through Me (the Person of Jesus).”

Therefore, worship of Elohim in the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’ is focused on the PERSON OF THE FATHER AND THE LAMB. The Person of the Father and the Lamb is the Temple. His servants will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads.

We continue our discussion of the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’, where the city of the New Jerusalem—the Bride of the Lamb—is located. We will discuss the ministry of the Bride of the Lamb in this dispensation. Consider Revelation 22:17: “And the Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who is thirsty come; and whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

We see in the verse above that the Spirit of Elohim and the Bride of the Lamb both cry out, ‘Come!’ But in chapters 2–3, only the Spirit of Elohim cries out to the churches. We see that the churches mentioned in chapters 2–3, which had indeed been polluted by the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, could not cry out together with the Spirit of Elohim to offer the water of life. However, after the church undergoes the judgment of Elohim, as we have discussed, then the Spirit of Elohim and the church can together cry out, ‘Come!’

Even in the dispensation of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’, it is not only the Spirit of Elohim and the church that cry out ‘Come’, but everyone who hears is also commanded to join in crying out to offer the water of life. In the end, the ‘water of life’ that is continually offered in this dispensation will ‘swallow up’ death, so that there will be no more death (Revelation 21:4). Thus is fulfilled what is written in 2 Corinthians 5:4: “…so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.”

Next, consider Revelation 22:1–2: “And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of Elohim and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life… and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (ILT). Notice that this river of the water of life flows from the throne of Elohim. The throne speaks of a kingdom and of authority to judge. Yet it is precisely from the throne that the ‘water of life’ (grace) flows.

We must understand that salvation is not a matter of ‘human response’, but a matter of the authority of Elohim. Jesus said in John 12:32, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” Then, after Jesus was ‘lifted up’ in the sense of dying, rising, and sitting at the right hand of the Father, He said that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). By His authority, Jesus will draw all people to Himself. Therefore, the water of life that flows from the throne and is offered to whoever is thirsty cannot be rejected by anyone. Why? Because authority is in the hands of Jesus. All people, in the end, will receive the water of life for their salvation. It is also affirmed that there is the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

This is the ministry of the Bride of the Lamb, which in the end will cause all people to come to Jesus. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (kurios = sole ruler). In the Christian world, it is commonly believed that the present age is the age of grace, and that after the coming of the Lord there will be no more grace. But we see in Scripture that grace continues to apply and is given, even into the age of the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’.

We will discuss the coming of the Lord Jesus as written in Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” We will discuss the meaning of the ‘coming of the Lord Jesus’, especially in the book of Revelation. In the Christian world, it is generally believed that Jesus will come “physically,” and many also believe that He will rapture the saints to heaven. It is also believed that the Lord Jesus comes only twice, hence the expression “the Second Coming,” even though the New Testament never uses the expression “the Second Coming of the Lord.”

To gain a correct understanding of the coming of the Lord Jesus, we need to examine six Greek terms that are usually translated as ‘coming’.

First, PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the New Testament and comes from the verb paremi, meaning ‘to be present’. The noun means ‘presence’. Parousia never indicates the act of coming or arrival, but rather the presence of someone who has already come. Its use in the New Testament is never related to a “physical” coming of the Lord. Thus, parousia means presence. Where two or three are gathered in His name, there the Lord is present. That is His presence. That is His coming.

Second, APOKALUPSIS. Revelation 1:1 uses this term. It comes from the verb apokaluptō, meaning ‘to unveil’ or ‘to reveal’, emphasizing a revelation. It means the unveiling of someone who was previously concealed. Thus, the apokalypsis of the Lord Jesus is the unveiling of the Person of the Lord Jesus, which in the context of Revelation is the unveiling of His redemption as the Lamb of Elohim, which had previously been concealed.

Third, EPIPHANEIA. This term appears six times in the New Testament. It comes from a verb meaning ‘to bring into the light’ or ‘to make manifest’. The noun means ‘manifestation’. This term is used to express the glory and splendor manifested by the Lord’s coming.

Fourth, PHANEROO. This term means ‘to make visible’ or ‘to make manifest’. It does not necessarily mean a presence visible to the eyes, but rather a perception.

Fifth, ERCHOMAI. This term is used to indicate the actual act of coming. It is not the same as parousia, which refers to the presence of one who has already come. Erchomai is used in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming (AN ACTUAL COMING) with the clouds….” This term is also used in Revelation 22:20.

Sixth, HEKO. This term emphasizes coming to a particular place. It appears in Revelation 2:25: “But what you have, hold fast until I COME.”

Of course, these six Greek terms do not mean that there are six different kinds of the Lord’s coming. Rather, their different uses help us understand the meaning intended by a text that speaks of the Lord’s coming. For now, it is sufficient to understand that the coming of the Lord does not have to take the form of a physical coming.

In the New Testament, Christ is said to come “with the clouds,” to come “as lightning,” to come “as a thief,” to come “as the voice of an archangel,” to come “with the trumpet of Elohim,” to come as “the bridegroom,” to come as “King,” to come as “the morning star,” to come as “judge,” to come as “Savior,” to come into “His Temple,” to come “to the Mount of Olives,” to come riding on a “white horse,” to come as “the good shepherd,” to come in “His Kingdom,” to come “in glory,” to come “upon His throne,” to come with “His angels,” to come with “His saints,” to come to “His saints,” to come ‘in’ “His saints,” and so on and so forth. None of these comings refer to a so-called “second coming.” Our understanding of His coming becomes extremely confused if we limit it to only two comings: His coming 2,000 years ago, and a “second coming” in the future. In fact, Scripture affirms that the Lord ‘has come’, ‘is coming’, and ‘will come’. He comes continuously, and He progressively reveals Himself until His entire plan is fulfilled. Therefore, the meaning of the coming of the Lord Jesus in the book of Revelation is the ‘coming’ of a progressive revelation of His Person and His redemption.

We continue our discussion of the coming of the Lord Jesus and bring this brief writing to a close. Let us again consider Revelation 22:20: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” We have discussed that the Lord’s coming is progressive and continuous until the entire will and plan of the Father in heaven are fulfilled. In the context of Revelation, the Lord’s coming is the ‘coming’ of the revelation of the PERSON OF THE LORD JESUS AND HIS REDEMPTION.

Let us now consider what the Father’s plan and will actually were when He created humanity. This understanding is necessary in order to properly understand the meaning of the coming of the Lord Jesus. Genesis 1:26–28 affirms: “And Elohim said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them have dominion… over all the earth… fill the earth and subdue it…” (ILT). The Hebrew term translated ‘subdue’ is ‘kabash’, which means ‘to bring into bondage’ or ‘to tread down’. Clearly, the Father in heaven willed and planned to create humanity in His image and likeness so that they might rule and have dominion over the whole earth, in the sense of treading down and bringing all things into subjection. This implies that there are enemies to be subdued by humanity on the earth.

Therefore, the coming of the Lord Jesus was never intended to take His people to heaven, as many Christians believe. After the Lord Jesus prepares His Bride, He comes to subdue all things on earth according to the Father’s plan. The Lord Jesus together with His Bride will bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth. The earth remains the focus of the Father’s plan, and the Lord Jesus together with His Bride will fulfill it. They will subdue all things so that the ‘First Heaven and First Earth’ move toward the ‘New Heaven and New Earth’.

In the book of Revelation it is written concerning His coming in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him… and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Yes, Amen.” The coming of the Lord Jesus ‘with the clouds’ is His coming IN AND THROUGH HIS PEOPLE, for the clouds (plural) are a symbol of the Lord’s witnesses. This is also what is meant in Romans 8:19–21, where the Lord Jesus comes in and through the sons of Elohim to deliver creation from its bondage to corruption.

The apostle John cries out in the verse above, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Every son of Elohim longs for the coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth, not in order to be “raptured” to heaven, but in order to subdue all things on earth, so that the earth moves toward the new earth—and, of course, also the new heaven.

The context of Romans 8:19–21 is ‘glorification by faith’. Paul explains salvation by the redemption of Christ in the letter to the Romans using three important expressions: ‘justification by faith’, ‘sanctification by faith’, and ‘glorification by faith’. Just as justification by faith and sanctification by faith are experienced by the saints on earth, so glorification by faith is also experienced by the saints on this earth. Indeed, ‘glorification by faith’ is the coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth ‘in and through His chosen people’. Hallelujah—the Kingdom of heaven will be established on earth, and His chosen people together with the Lord Jesus will subdue all things and bring forth the New Heaven and New Earth. Amen.

Summary

The Greek, lecture-centered model of education has deeply shaped the modern church, turning it into a space for listening and knowledge accumulation rather than obedience, discipleship, and mission. While powerful, this model reflects Athens more than Galilee, producing informed believers but weak disciple-makers. A true return to the church Jesus established requires redeeming education itself, restoring life-on-life, obedience-based, and mission-centered formation.

Call to action

If education reshaped the church, it can also restore it. We must abandon spectator Christianity and reform our training to produce obedient, multiplying disciples. At CKMC, we commit to using academics to recover the church Jesus left—rooted in homes, driven by mission, and faithful to making disciples of all nations.

Education Shapes Civilizations—and the Church Is No Exception

As a Bachelor of Education holder, one of the most formative and fascinating disciplines in my training was the History of Education. It exposes a simple but sobering truth: education does not merely transfer knowledge; it shapes how societies think, organize power, define success, and reproduce themselves across generations. Today's education system has been greatly influenced by Greeks philosophy.

You are who you are as a result of education you attained weather formal or informal. 'As man thinks so is he'. Nothing else reshapes our thinking more than Education.

Few civilizations illustrate this better than ancient Greece. Through education, Greece conquered the world without armies. Athens and Sparta present a striking contrast: Sparta trained the body for dominance; Athens trained the mind for influence. History vindicated Athens after Sparta physically conquered Athens but over time Athens transformed Spartan through Education, they literally conquered them mentally. Mental formation outlived physical force. Ideas traveled farther than spears.

That same educational power—ideas shaping reality—has profoundly influenced the modern church, often in ways we have failed to critically examine.

The Greek Educational Model: Powerful, Persuasive, and Persistent

Greek education was not neutral. It was intentionally designed to produce a certain kind of person and society. Central features included:

- Teacher-centered instruction (the philosopher as authority).

- Lecture-based knowledge transfer.

- Formation of elite thinkers rather than whole communities.

- Audience gathered to listen, not to reproduce the message.

Plato lectured. Aristotle reasoned. Students listened, admired, debated—but rarely replicated the philosopher’s life or mission. Education produced intellectual heirs, not movement carriers.

This model proved remarkably effective—and dangerously adaptable.

When Greek Philosophy Entered the Church

As Christianity moved from the margins to the mainstream, especially after Constantine, it unknowingly baptized the Greek educational model. Over time:

- The teacher became the center.

- The lecture replaced apprenticeship.

- The sermon replaced obedience-based discipleship.

- The church gathering became a weekly classroom.

Today, many churches function like philosophical academies:

- One elevated speaker

- A passive audience

- Weekly lectures

- Minimal expectation of imitation, obedience, or mission

Every Sunday, we reproduce Athens—not Galilee.

Even Bible schools, seminaries, and theological institutions—often with sincere intentions—have largely adopted this same framework. We train students to know, explain, and defend theology, but rarely to obey, model, and multiply disciples.

The result is devastating: a knowledgeable church that does not disciple, a theologically articulate church that does not multiply, and a well-taught church that does not finish the mission.

The Church Jesus Left Was Not Greek

Jesus did not start an academy. He formed a movement.

His model of education was radically different:

1. Life-on-life apprenticeship (“Follow Me”)

2. Obedience-based learning (“Teach them to obey”)

3. Reproducible training (ordinary people, everywhere)

4. Mission-centered formation (“I will make you fishers of men”)

Jesus taught while walking, eating, traveling, healing, praying, and suffering. Knowledge was always tied to practice. Revelation demanded response. Learning was incomplete until obedience occurred.

The early church continued this model:

- They met house to house.

- Every believer participated.

- Leadership was plural, local, and relational.

- Growth came through multiplication, not attraction.

This was not philosophical education. It was kingdom formation.

Why Structural Reform Without Educational Reform Fails?

Today, many are calling for a return to:

House churches

Disciple-making movements

Missional communities

Organic expressions of church

These instincts are right—but often with challenges.  

Why?

Because you cannot build a biblical church using an unbiblical educational model. I have met people practicing home churches but also in conventional bible schools. This the danger.

Those bible schools courses, curricula, and training systems still:

- Elevate the expert.

- Reward information over obedience.

- Produce listeners rather than disciple-makers.

Then structural change alone will collapse. Old wineskins cannot hold new wine.

A return to the biblical church requires a return to biblical education.

Education Is Powerful—So It Must Be Redeemed

If Greek education reshaped the world, then redeemed, biblical education can restore the church.

This means designing courses that:

- Measure success by obedience and fruit, not grades.

- Require learners to practice immediately what they learn.

- Emphasize spiritual formation, not academic performance.

- Train believers to teach others, not impress audiences.

- Integrate theology, mission, community, and daily life

Biblical education must be:

1. Missional, not merely informational.

2. Reproducible, not elite.

3. Relational, not institutional.

3. Spirit-dependent, not lecture-dominated.

CKMC: Using Academics to Undo Academic Damage

At CKMC, this is the mission we are committed to.

Not to abandon learning—but to redeem it.

We use academic tools, frameworks, and discipline against the very distortions they created. Our goal is not to produce philosophers of Christianity, but obedient disciples of Jesus who can:

- Live out the gospel

- Multiply house churches

- Engage mission cross-culturally

- Integrate faith with real life (work, family, community)

Our courses are designed to:

- Restore obedience as the measure of learning.

- Return theology to the streets and homes.

- Form disciple-makers, not sermon consumers.

- Recover the church Jesus actually left behind.

This is not anti-intellectualism. It is rightly ordered education—where the mind serves obedience, and knowledge fuels mission.

From Athens Back to Galilee

1. The church does not need better lectures, It needs better formation.

2. It does not need more philosophers in pulpits. It needs faithful disciple-makers in homes, marketplaces, and nations.

The future of the church will not be secured by refining Greek methods—but by recovering Jesus’ model.

And that recovery must begin where the damage began: education.

If education is powerful enough to shape empires, it is powerful enough—when redeemed—to restore the church.

From Athens, we learned how to think.

From Galilee, we must relearn how to follow.

“Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20)

Yours in Christ 

Onesmas Murithi

By a theologian and educationist committed to discipleship, mission, and the recovery of the church Jesus left.

Summary: The Gospel of Matthew presents the Messianic Kingdom to the Jewish people. In this book, there are teachings about the Messianic Kingdom that will be established on earth.

Call to action: By His grace, let us learn to live out the Kingdom of Heaven on earth now, in our daily lives, day by day.

Our theme this time is the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel of Matthew. This brief writing does not intend to interpret the book of Matthew verse by verse, but only to discuss the theme of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ found in this book. Indeed, Matthew is the gospel for Christians of Jewish background, in which its main theme is the kingdom of heaven. In fact, the central theme of the books in the New Testament is the kingdom of heaven, because Jesus and His apostles proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the subject of the kingdom of heaven is very important for us to understand together.

Unfortunately, within Christianity the expression “believe in Jesus and go to heaven” has become commonly accepted, where “heaven” is usually understood as a certain geographical place somewhere in the universe. It is also taught that Christians will be raptured when the Lord Jesus returns, although not all Christians hold this teaching. Through this brief writing, we will attempt to understand what Jesus and His apostles actually proclaimed regarding the kingdom of heaven.

Let us begin with the genealogy of Jesus Christ written in Matthew 1:1–17. We will not discuss this genealogy in detail, but we will observe a kind of conclusion found in verse 17: “So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the exile to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.”

If we count these sets of fourteen generations, we find that from Abraham (1) to David (14), then from Solomon (1) to Jeconiah (14), and next from Shealtiel (1) to Jesus we only find (13), meaning the fourteenth is Christ. Verse 16 says: “and Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.” Thus, Jesus (13) “begot” Christ (14). What does this mean?

In Paul’s letters, the term ‘Christ’ does not only mean ‘the Anointed One’ (Greek: Christos = the anointed), but carries several meanings we should see. First, Christ is corporate in nature (1 Corinthians 12:12). This means Christ is a body composed of the Head (Jesus) and the Body (the church). Second, Christ is the kingdom (Ephesians 5:5). Third, Christ is our life (Galatians 2:20). Fourth, Christ is within our inner being (Colossians 1:27). Therefore, the kingdom of Christ is within our inner being, and it is our hope of the glory of God (Colossians 1:27).

After understanding the meaning of Christ, what does it mean that Jesus “begot” Christ? Consider Isaiah 53:10: “…If he would place his soul as a guilt offering, he will see his seed; he will prolong his days…” (ILT). This verse is a prophecy of the Messiah as a guilt offering. After the Messiah offers Himself as a guilt offering, He will “see His seed” and prolong His days. The Hebrew word for ‘seed’ is ‘zera’, which means offspring. Thus, through His death and resurrection, Jesus has ‘offspring’, which is Christ, and through Christ He prolongs His days on earth.

Jesus once said that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Jesus also told His disciples that they would do greater works than He did. Furthermore, Jesus said to Pilate that His coming into the world was to establish His kingdom on earth (John 18:37). If we understand these statements, then we see that Jesus as King prolongs His days on earth through Christ, who is His ‘offspring’. The kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth through Christ, the offspring of Jesus. And the kingdom of Christ will accomplish even greater works on the earth.

Let us continue our discussion on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew by looking at the Magi from the East. Matthew 2:2 says, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” The Magi from the East had received a vision concerning the ‘star’ of Christ, as it is written: “…a star shall come out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel…” (Numbers 24:17). By the grace of God, the Magi saw the “star” of Christ, but they assumed that the King of the Jews must be born in Jerusalem, the city chosen by Yahweh for Israel to establish His Name.

When the Magi inquired, the chief priests and scribes confirmed from Scripture that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, according to the prophecy of Micah: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… from you One shall come forth for Me who will rule over Israel…” (Micah 5:2). After hearing the scriptural prophecy, the Magi went to Bethlehem to worship Him.

Here we observe an interesting fact. The Magi received a vision regarding the “star” of Christ, but that alone was not enough for them to know where the King would be born. They still needed the guidance of Scripture. Conversely, the chief priests and scribes knew exactly from Scripture that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, yet they did not come to worship Him. Why?

The answer is in Matthew 22:29: “And answering, JESUS said to them, You are mistaken, because you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of God” (ILT). The Magi, by God’s grace and power, were ready to worship the newborn King, but they were misled in Jerusalem because they did not know the Jewish Scriptures. Conversely, the chief priests and scribes knew the Scriptures, but they refused to worship Him because their hearts had not experienced the power of God.

The Magi then offered gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). Gold symbolizes the divine nature. The aroma of frankincense symbolizes resurrection. Myrrh symbolizes suffering and death. The gifts of the Magi portray the journey of Jesus’ life, who possesses the divine nature and through His suffering, death, and resurrection is seated at the right hand of the Father.

From this brief description, we learn that to worship Jesus, the King, one needs not only knowledge of Scripture but also the transforming power of God in the heart day by day. Scriptural knowledge has its place, but we must not think that knowing Scripture alone enables a person to worship Him or enter His kingdom. Christians need to study the Scriptures well, but they also need grace to experience the power of God in their inner being day by day. Only after understanding Scripture and experiencing God’s power can someone worship Him and enter His kingdom.

Now let us reflect on the phrase that appears frequently in Matthew’s Gospel: “so that what was written might be fulfilled.” The Greek term ‘pleroo’ (verb), translated ‘to fulfill’, appears 86 times in the New Testament. In Matthew, similar expressions appear about 13 times; in Mark, once; in Luke, twice; and in John, six times. Matthew uses this phrase more often because his gospel is addressed to the Jews. The Jewish people needed to understand that the coming of Jesus and His proclamation of the kingdom of heaven (the Messianic kingdom) was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

All Old Testament prophecies indeed focus on Jesus and His kingdom, but we will look at only a few, especially those in Matthew. First, Matthew 4:15–16: “…Galilee… the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great Light, and upon those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death, Light has dawned.” Jesus began proclaiming His kingdom in Galilee to fulfill this prophecy. The prophecy emphasizes that the region was overshadowed by “death” (Greek: ‘thanatos’ = physical and spiritual death). Thanatos is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). The proclamation of Jesus’ kingdom will defeat death, just as light overcomes darkness.

Many Christians think that the Messianic kingdom, as the kingdom of Light, defeats the kingdom of darkness only partially and not completely. It is as if the kingdom of Light and the kingdom of Darkness must always coexist. But consider the prophecy of Isaiah 9:7 concerning the Messianic kingdom: “Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon His kingdom…” (ILT). The kingdom of the Messiah, as the kingdom of Light, will never cease its advance over darkness, just as physical light, traveling at nearly 300,000 km/second, continually eliminates darkness. That is why Scripture affirms that in the new heaven and new earth, there will be no more ‘death’ (thanatos—Revelation 21:4). The victory of the Messianic kingdom over the kingdom of darkness is absolute, complete, and final. His chosen people must proclaim this absolute victory.

Second, Matthew 21:5: “Tell the daughter of Zion: Behold, your King is coming to you, meek and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” At first glance, Jesus riding a donkey may seem insignificant. But in the Old Testament, horses symbolize the “strength trusted in by man,” and God disapproves of this (Isaiah 30:16; 31:1). Meanwhile, a donkey is a slow-moving animal, yet God has His own timing for every step. Every citizen of the Messianic kingdom must learn God’s timing in all things. The advancement of the Messianic kingdom cannot be forced according to our desires. His chosen people must grow in the meekness of Christ and therefore understand God’s timing. These are some examples of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messianic kingdom that Jesus fulfilled.

Now we turn to Matthew 3 concerning John the Baptist: “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3:1–2). Compare John’s proclamation with Mark 1:1,4: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God… John… preached…” Clearly, the beginning of the gospel—the good news—of the kingdom of heaven was proclaimed by John the Baptist.

But John the Baptist himself was not ‘in’ the kingdom of heaven. Jesus makes this clear in Luke 16:16: “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone is forcing his way into it” (ILT). Likewise, Matthew 11:11 states: “…Truly, among those born of women there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Let us observe some facts about John the Baptist. First, the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven began with John the Baptist. Second, John himself was not in the kingdom of heaven. What does this mean? We must clearly distinguish between the SOVEREIGNTY of God and the GOVERNMENT of God. God is sovereign, meaning He determines all things—even the fall of a sparrow does not happen apart from the Father’s will (Matthew 10:29). But the government of God proclaimed by Jesus is not something that previously existed. The government of God proclaimed by Jesus is the kingdom of heaven within the human inner being. “The kingdom of God is within you.” We will discuss this later. God sovereignly determines all things OUTSIDE of man, but He governs and arranges all things THROUGH and WITHIN man.

John the Baptist was not in the kingdom of heaven because he only proclaimed the WORD concerning the kingdom of heaven. All prophets before John proclaimed the word of God. But Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of heaven, and then died, rose, ascended, and sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within the human inner being to govern man and through man govern all things. John the Baptist was “greater” than all previous holy men who proclaimed God’s word. But the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Third, John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus, so he began his ministry at about age thirty. He ministered perhaps only one to two years before being imprisoned and beheaded. Yet his preparation as the one who would prepare the way for the Lord likely took about thirty years. John was prepared by the Father in the wilderness like an “ascetic.” John did not grow up like other Jewish children, who from an early age learned the Torah in the synagogues from the rabbis. Yet clearly John had fellowship with the heavenly Father. This fact is worth reflecting on.

Let us apply this to our context today. In Christianity, generally, anyone who wishes to serve “full-time” must go through formal theological schools. We are not against theological schools, but Christianity has indeed become a religion. And as a religion, Christianity is filled with rules established by man. Strangely, the teaching of the kingdom of heaven in Christianity is generally summarized as: “believe in Jesus, go to heaven,” meaning to be evacuated to “a beautiful place far away” called the Father’s House. As we shall see later, neither the Gospel of Matthew nor the books of the New Testament proclaim such a thing.

Continuing our discussion of John the Baptist, let us examine the message he preached. Matthew 3:1–2 says, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” We know that John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord. More precisely, John “made straight the path” so that the kingdom of heaven could arrive, for it was already very near.

John made straight the path for the kingdom of heaven by calling the Jewish people to repent. The Greek verb translated ‘repent’ is ‘metanoeo’, meaning ‘to change the mind’ or ‘to change one’s concept’, particularly regarding the acceptance of God’s will. A person must change his mind or concept in order to receive God’s will, or to receive the kingdom of heaven.

The change of mind here concerns not only evil behavior but also religious behavior. Let us reflect carefully on this. John the Baptist and Jesus both preached the good news (gospel) of the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven was not something previously proclaimed. The good news of the kingdom of heaven was something extremely radical, and the Jewish people had never heard of this before. Although the Old Testament prophetically spoke of the Messiah and His kingdom, in reality they did not understand it.

The kingdom of heaven that will be manifested is the governance of Elohim within the human inner being. The way of worship of those who receive the kingdom of heaven within their inner being is not the same as the worship practices of the Jewish religion (Judaism). The Jewish people had to radically change their thoughts and concepts, especially their religious concepts, in order to receive the kingdom of heaven. Worship within those who receive the kingdom of heaven is worship in spirit and in reality. Jesus emphasized to the Samaritan woman that worship is not about this ritual or that ritual, not about this place or that place. Worship is a matter of the heart that obeys the governance of Elohim within.

It was not easy for the Jewish people to receive the kingdom of heaven, especially their religious leaders. They thought that the Messiah was the son of David, and therefore the Messianic kingdom must be a physical kingdom like that of David. The Messianic kingdom, in their view, had to deliver Israel from their physical enemies, and in that era, those enemies were the Roman Empire. Meanwhile, the kingdom of heaven that was about to come was a kingdom from the heavenly dimension. The kingdom of heaven would liberate humanity from the slavery of sin and the slavery of destruction. That is why the Jewish people needed to repent not only from evil behavior, but also from their religious behavior.

When the Jewish religious leaders came to John the Baptist, John rebuked them sharply, saying, “…You brood of vipers… therefore bear fruit worthy of repentance. And do not think that you can say within yourselves: ‘We have Abraham as our father…’” (Matthew 3:7–9). Notice here that John did not point to certain specific sins of these religious leaders, but rather to their ‘religious pride’—their pride as Yahweh’s chosen people for having Abraham as their father. We will later see that the coming of the kingdom of heaven would end the dispensation of the Law of Moses with all its rituals. In 70 A.D., the Temple was destroyed, and practically all Jewish religious rituals ceased. If the Jewish religious leaders were willing to change their religious concepts, only then could they receive the kingdom of heaven. That is why they needed to repent.

Today, the Christian world has also become a religion with its own rituals and rules. A person who receives the kingdom of heaven within and follows the governance of Elohim inside cannot

fit into the present Christian system. Religious leaders in the Christian world must also repent in order to worship according to the governance of Elohim within.

We now move on to discuss Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. Matthew 3:13–15 states, “Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him… But in response Jesus said to him, Permit it now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness…” (ILT). We must remember that John’s baptism was a baptism with water ‘unto repentance’ (Matthew 3:11). And we have emphasized that repentance means a change of thought and concept—not only regarding evil behavior but also religious behavior.

The reason Jesus was baptized by John was ‘to fulfill all righteousness’. Surely Jesus was not baptized because He had sinned. But at least two important matters must be considered here. First, Jesus was baptized as a sign of ‘identification’. Jesus, as the Lamb who would become the atoning sacrifice, had to identify Himself—becoming ‘the same’ as sinners—in order to die on behalf of sinful humanity. 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “For He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of Elohim in Him” (ILT).

Second, Jesus was baptized by John in His ‘identification as a Jew’ who needed to undergo the process of ‘changing religious thinking’. The salvation program of Elohim was moving forward. Hebrews 8:13 states, “In that He says, ‘a new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” About ten years after the writing of Hebrews, the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed. The Old Covenant with all its rituals could no longer be practiced. And God’s salvation program for the Jewish people and the nations would now be ‘in and through the New Covenant’. Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, and He never prophesied the building of a third Temple. All the Jewish people had to undergo a ‘change of mind’ (repentance) from their religion (Judaism) in order to receive the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus identified Himself with them by being baptized by John.

Since the early church fractured into tens of thousands of denominations, there has been a ‘decline’ in the church. The church no longer fully preserves the New Covenant. The Christian world, with all its ‘mixed rituals’—organizational rules, Old Testament rules such as tithing, firstfruits, and others, as well as rules imposed by leaders—has become a kind of ‘new religion’. This ‘new religion’ is not Judaism, nor is it Christianity in the sense of ‘following Christ wherever He goes’ (Revelation 14:4). Rather, it is the religion ‘called Christianity’. Jesus did not come to establish any religion, including the Christian religion; He came so that we may receive ‘Life (zoe)’, and so that our daily living would be governed by the Life of Christ. We live as the organism of Christ, His Body, and there is no authority other than the authority of the Life of Christ governing the Body. The authority in the Christian world is a mixed authority—the Life of Christ plus the authority of leaders who draw God’s people to themselves and build their own kingdoms, i.e., denominations. If someone receives grace and is appointed by the Father to receive the Kingdom—as stated in Luke 12:32, “Do not fear, little flock! For your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom”—then we will repent and leave behind the religious behaviors found in the Christian world.

We continue by looking at what happened to Jesus after He was baptized by John the Baptist. Matthew 3:17 states, “And behold, a voice from heaven said: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Here we see that the Father in heaven was already pleased with Jesus ‘before’ He began His ministry. For about 30 years of Jesus’ life, the Father was already pleased with Him. A person does not need to be visibly performing “religious activities” in order to be pleasing to the Father. If our daily life is led by Christ within, then we are pleasing to the Father. Once again we observe that religious activities themselves do not automatically please the Father.

Next, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4:1–11). We will not examine the temptations in detail, but we will observe how Jesus faced them. The first and second temptations invited Jesus to “act independently” as the Son of Elohim to meet His own needs. But Jesus rejected these temptations by saying, ‘It is written’. Jesus, as the Son of Man, depended entirely on the Father. In the third temptation, the Devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory if He would worship him. Jesus again rejected it with, ‘It is written’. Here we clearly see that Jesus depended fully on the Father. Jesus would not act based on His own initiative or His own will. The Father sent Jesus as the Son of Man to redeem humanity, and as a human being, He depended completely on the Father.

This is different from the temptation of Adam and Eve in Eden. Adam and Eve acted independently to gain the knowledge of good and evil. Before the Devil tempted them, they knew nothing about good and evil. They depended entirely on the Father in determining what was good or evil. If the Father said something was good, they said it was good; if the Father said something was evil, they agreed it was evil. Their fall, at its essence, was ‘deciding for themselves what is good and what is evil’.

In truth, the Christian world has become a religion—the Christian religion. Through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, Christianity—which was originally an organism governed directly by the Life of Christ—has been transformed into a religious world (a ‘kosmos’). And essentially, the Christian world, through its leaders, has determined for itself what is good and what is evil. Every denomination has its own concepts of good and evil according to its leaders. Certainly, each leader will say, ‘it is written’. But at His coming, Jesus will speak plainly and will judge the Christian world so that we may all know the truth—what is right and what is wrong according to Jesus.

After being tempted by the Devil, Jesus began proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 4:17 states, “From that time Jesus began to preach and say: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.” The Greek term ‘eggizo’, translated ‘has drawn near’, actually means ‘an action begun in the past whose effect continues until now’. This means the kingdom of heaven has arrived, and does not need to be awaited in the future. The essence of Jesus’ message is: God’s time has come—now. His Kingdom has now arrived and has broken into the world where humanity lives.

Luke 17:21 states, “Neither will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst” (LAI). The Greek term ‘entos’, translated ‘in your midst’, actually means ‘within’. So the kingdom of heaven is truly ‘within’ you. The kingdom of heaven is a kingdom from the heavenly dimension; it has already come and is within the human inner being. A person must repent from sins and from religious practices, and believe in Jesus, in order to enter the kingdom of heaven and experience the power of its presence within.

Jesus came into the world proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven. Note Matthew 4:23, “And Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and weakness among the people” (LAI). Jesus did not preach any other gospel except the gospel (the good news) of the kingdom of heaven. Observe the sequence: first, teaching; second, proclaiming; and then demonstrating the power of that kingdom by removing diseases and weaknesses.

The first step Jesus took was to teach about the good news of the kingdom of heaven, then to proclaim the kingdom. One teacher explained the difference between teaching and proclaiming in this way: Teaching is always orderly and systematic. Someone who teaches the kingdom of heaven must explain the what, why, and how of the kingdom. But proclaiming the kingdom is like making a declaration—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near!” This is the proclamation of the kingdom. After the kingdom is taught and proclaimed, then its power is demonstrated.

In the Christian world people often say, “What matters is that the gospel is preached.” But do we realize that the phrase ‘preaching the gospel’ is incomplete? The question is: ‘Which’ gospel? There are many ‘good news’ messages in the world. But Jesus and His apostles proclaimed only ‘one’ good news—the good news of the kingdom of heaven. And Jesus taught, proclaimed, and demonstrated it.

Today, as the people of the Kingdom, we must teach the good news of the kingdom of heaven, according to the gifts/talents God has given us. We must also proclaim it. And finally, we must demonstrate the power of the kingdom of heaven in our daily lives. Jesus promised, “You will do greater works than these.” We believe that when the sons of Elohim are manifested on earth in glorified bodies, we will perform greater works, according to the promise of the Lord Jesus.

We have seen that the kingdom of heaven has already come to Earth. Jesus is the beginning of the kingdom’s manifestation on Earth. In fact, Jesus is the kingdom of heaven on Earth—Jesus is the governance of Elohim dwelling within humanity. When Jesus came 2,000 years ago, the kingdom of heaven arrived on Earth. Jesus stated that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces many fruits. Through His death, resurrection, and ascension, the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the 120 disciples. These are the ‘many fruits’ Jesus spoke of, for He died, rose, and ascended to the Father.

Next, we will discuss Matthew chapters 5–7, commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. Of course, we will not discuss them verse by verse. But before we begin, let us observe Matthew 5:1–2: “Seeing the crowds, He went up the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to speak and teach them, saying…” The term ‘them’ in this verse refers to ‘His disciples’. Jesus was not speaking to ‘the crowds’. It even appears that Jesus avoided the crowds by going up the mountain. Although eventually the crowds listened and were astonished at His teaching (Matthew 7:28), it is clear that the Sermon on the Mount was not addressed to the crowds. Why?

In the Gospels, Jesus’ followers are of various kinds. There were ‘the crowds’, His ‘disciples’, and also the ‘apostles’. Even among the apostles, there were three—Peter, James, and John—whom Jesus brought along in certain situations.

Consider the account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 in John 6. These crowds eventually sought after Jesus (John 6:1–27). We must understand that they followed Jesus because “…they saw the miracles of healing He performed on the sick” (v. 2). Even so, Jesus still blessed the crowds by giving them bread. But when these crowds who had eaten the miraculous bread returned to look for Jesus, He rebuked them, telling them to work for the food that does not perish—the ‘bread of life’ that He would give them (vv. 26–27). So we see that the ‘crowd’ were followers of Jesus, but they followed Him because of miracles and physical bread. Jesus still blessed them, but He also rebuked them.

Returning to the Sermon on the Mount: the Sermon on the Mount is teaching about the kingdom of heaven addressed specifically to Jesus’ disciples. This does not mean that Jesus did not bless the crowds who followed Him, but the teaching of the kingdom of heaven was not intended for the ‘crowds’.

In the Christian world, there are also ‘crowds’ and also the Lord’s disciples. The crowds in the Christian world seek Jesus for physical bread and miracles. Once again, Jesus still blesses the crowds, but the teaching of the kingdom of heaven is not for the ‘crowds’ of the Christian world. That is why, in the Christian world, there are many are called, but few are chosen. Everything depends on the Father’s sovereignty in giving the ‘kingdom’ to whomever He pleases (Luke 12:32).

Let us return to reflect on Matthew 5–7, where we have seen that the Sermon on the Mount is specifically addressed to Jesus’ disciples. This sermon is Jesus’ teaching concerning the kingdom of heaven. We will see later that Jesus repeatedly contrasts His teaching with Judaism, which is, of course, based on the Law of Moses. We may call Jesus’ teaching on this mountain the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. We refer to the Sermon on the Mount as the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven because in Matthew 7:21–23 there are people who violate the Law of the Kingdom. Notice the Greek term ‘anomia’ in verse 23, which means ‘lawlessness’ or ‘violation of law’. Thus, Matthew 5–7 contains Jesus’ teaching on the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps we could title the Sermon on the Mount as “The Law of Moses and the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

However, we must be very clear in distinguishing the Law of Moses from the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. Galatians 3:23–25 states, “Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”

How can the Law of Moses lead someone to Christ? The Law functions to make a person aware of sin. Notice Romans 7:7: “…Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law…” If, by God’s grace, someone becomes aware of his sin and realizes that he cannot fulfill God’s law, he will come to Christ to be justified by faith. Thus, the Law serves as a tutor leading a person to Christ. The Law of the Kingdom of Heaven taught by Jesus in Matthew 5–7 does not function like the Law of Moses, which exposes sin. Rather, by understanding the Law of the Kingdom, a person will live by faith and depend entirely on God’s grace.

Here is another way to distinguish the Law of Moses from the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. When Jesus came and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom, He opened a new dispensation, which we may call the dispensation of the kingdom of heaven. The old dispensation—the dispensation of the Law—lasted until the time of John the Baptist (Luke 16:16). Although John the Baptist also proclaimed the kingdom of heaven as a forerunner, he himself lived and ministered within the dispensation of the Law and the Prophets. Therefore, when Jesus taught the Law of the Kingdom, it had nothing to do with the dispensation of the Law of Moses. This does not mean that the Law of Moses was violated; rather, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law, and now the dispensation of the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived.

Some prefer to call this new dispensation the dispensation of ‘grace’ or the dispensation of the ‘church’. This is acceptable as long as we have a proper understanding of the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, the kingdom of heaven HAS come in the person of the Lord Jesus, IS COMING because wherever two or three gather in His name He is present, and WILL COME in fullness when the sons of God are manifested on earth in glorified bodies (Romans 8:19–21). Thus, the kingdom has already come to earth, is continually coming, and will be fully manifested on earth when the Lord Jesus comes ‘the second time’

We continue discussing the ‘Law of the Kingdom of Heaven’ taught by Jesus in Matthew 5–7. We have emphasized that the Law of the Kingdom is directed specifically to Jesus’ disciples. Let us compare the Law of the Kingdom with what Paul states in 1 Corinthians 9:21: “To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.” Paul clearly states here that he lives under ‘the law of Christ’.

The term ‘Christ’ (‘Christos’) appears 529 times in the New Testament, meaning ‘Messiah’ or ‘the Anointed One’. Matthew uses the term ‘the Christ’ with the definite article to prove that Jesus is the expected Messiah (Matthew 2:4). The Jewish readers of Matthew’s Gospel understood this well. Paul’s writings are filled with the term ‘Christ’ used as a name, as in Romans 5:6; 1 Corinthians 1:6, 13, 17; Ephesians 2:5; Philippians 1:15; 2 Thessalonians 3:5; 1 Timothy 5:11. And Paul frequently uses the expression ‘in Christ’ to describe the believer’s relationship with the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3–14; Philippians 3:8–9). When Paul uses the term ‘Christ’, it carries several meanings. Let us observe a few of them so we may better understand the expression ‘living under the law of Christ’.

First, Christ is the kingdom. Ephesians 5:5 says, “…has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ…”

Second, Christ is our life. Philippians 1:21 states, “For to me, to live is Christ…” Colossians 3:4 affirms, “When Christ, who is your life…”

Third, Christ is the Spirit. Romans 8:9 states, “…And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

Fourth, Christ is within us. Colossians 1:27 states, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Considering these meanings of ‘Christ’ as used by Paul, we can understand that living under the law of Christ is nothing other than living under the law of the kingdom of heaven. But this law of Christ is within us as our Life (‘zoe’). As ‘zoe’ grows within us, our understanding of the law of Christ grows. Thus, day by day, we increasingly live under the law of Christ.

The Law of the Kingdom of Heaven taught by Jesus in Matthew 5–7 is not carried out by our own ability, but by the law of Christ within us. We cannot possibly obey the Law of the Kingdom written in Matthew 5–7. But as the law of Christ grows within us, we become increasingly enabled to fulfill the Law of the Kingdom. It is not we who perform the Law of the Kingdom, but Christ in us.

Therefore, the disciples of Jesus who live out the Law of the Kingdom in Matthew 5–7 are not like the Jews living under the Law of Moses. Jesus’ disciples are not under the Law, but under grace. Jesus taught the Law of the Kingdom to His disciples, but Christ within us fulfills it.

Let us continue our discussion of the ‘Law of the Kingdom’ in Matthew 5–7. We have seen that the Law of the Kingdom is identical to the law of Christ within us. And as the life of Christ (‘zoe’) grows within us, we increasingly live under the law of Christ or the law of the Kingdom. We need not fear or try to escape the demands of the Law of the Kingdom in Matthew 5–7, nor attempt to ‘lower the standard’ of its demands. For these demands are fulfilled by Christ within us.

Let us take one example of these demands in Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Notice this demand: “you must be perfect,” and the level of perfection required is ‘as’ the Father’s perfection. We should not immediately think that such perfection is impossible. Certainly, it cannot be attained as long as we live in this body, even with the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul states that he feels ‘absent’ from the Lord while in the body (2 Corinthians 5:6). In Philippians 3:12 Paul also says, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on…” Paul means that he presses on to know Him, the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, to be conformed to His death, and thus attain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:10–11).

Nevertheless, Paul writes that a person may be saved because righteousness is credited to him through faith. By God’s grace, we BECOME the righteousness of God. Not only do we become God’s righteousness, but we also become the Father’s PERFECTION through faith. Thus, legally—or ‘de jure’—we have ALREADY attained the Father’s perfection. But experientially—or ‘de facto’—we are in the process of arriving there. If so, who is responsible for bringing us to the Father’s perfection ‘experientially’?

Notice Luke 12:32: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” It is emphasized here that inheriting the kingdom is a matter of whether the Father is pleased to give it—not of human effort. If so, who is responsible for making the ‘little flock’ receive the kingdom? Or who is responsible for bringing the ‘little flock’ to the Father’s perfection? Of course, it is the Father in heaven who is responsible for enabling the ‘little flock’ to fulfill the requirements of the kingdom—that is, to be perfect as the Father is perfect.

The requirement of salvation—or of receiving the kingdom—is the Father’s responsibility, not ours. Certainly, we are trained and disciplined by the Father so that we may be worthy of the kingdom. But this remains the Father’s matter. This does not mean that we do not actively work out our salvation, as Philippians 2:12–13 says, but the responsibility for granting the kingdom lies with the Father.

In the Christian world, religious leaders commonly ‘demand’ God’s people to do this or that in order to enter heaven—give tithes or firstfruits or ‘faith pledges’, attend certain buildings regularly, and so on. Such religious demands are not the demands found in the Law of the Kingdom or the Law of Christ. These religious requirements enslave God’s people, although we may understand why religious leaders impose them. But citizens of the kingdom cannot be enslaved by such religious demands.

We continue discussing the Law of the Kingdom in Matthew 5–7. We have emphasized that it is God who demands, but also God who fulfills the demands within and through us. The demands of the Law of the Kingdom cannot be met by us. Yet by His grace we are empowered to fulfill them in His time and way. We will not discuss every point in Matthew 5–7. At this time we will discuss the nine beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3–12. Let us examine these nine statements briefly.

First, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (v. 3). The original text says “poor in spirit,” meaning those who have no desire to be rich.

Second, blessed are those who mourn—those who feel sorrow over the condition of the world where injustice exists, where God’s word is rejected, and where the Lord Jesus is rejected. These cause grief in the hearts of the kingdom people.

Third, blessed are the meek—those who do not resist and can bear pressure.

Fourth, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Righteousness here refers to right behavior. This verse does not say, “Blessed are the righteous,” because no one can claim perfectly righteous behavior. But those who long for righteous behavior will be satisfied.

Fifth, blessed are the merciful—those who give something to those who do not deserve it.

Sixth, blessed are the pure in heart. The original text says “those whose heart is pure,” meaning those with a single purpose—to do the Father’s will and glorify His name.

Seventh, blessed are the peacemakers. The Father reconciled the world to Himself through Christ’s sacrifice. Blessed are those who bring this message of peace to the world.

Eighth, blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake. This refers to the past—saints in the Old Testament persecuted for righteousness will inherit the kingdom.

Ninth, the final beatitude addresses New Testament saints who are persecuted, insulted, and slandered because of Christ.

If we notice the nine beatitudes, all are related to the inner condition of the kingdom people. Not one blessing is associated with having wealth, worldly honor, worldly success, or high achievements. Why? For several reasons. The New Testament focuses on spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3), while the Old Testament—being symbolic, prophetic, and typological—focuses on material blessings. Furthermore, Christ dwells within His people (Colossians 1:27). The kingdom of Christ is within us today. Therefore, the nine beatitudes concern our inward condition before God.

Nevertheless, the kingdom within us will be manifested on earth at His coming (commonly called the second coming). Therefore, it is stated that the meek will inherit the earth. For at His coming, the kingdom people will reign on earth with the Lord Jesus.

We continue with the nine beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–12. But before that, we will divide the Sermon on the Mount into six sections and assign a main theme to each.

Section 1: Matthew 5:1–16 — The identity or fundamental character of the kingdom people.

Section 2: Matthew 5:17–48 — The fulfillment of the Law.

Section 3: Matthew 6:1–18 — The worship of the kingdom people.

Section 4: Matthew 6:19–34 — The devotion of the kingdom people regarding mammon.

Section 5: Matthew 7:1–12 — The fellowship of the kingdom people.

Section 6: Matthew 7:13–29 — The kingdom people, the crowds, and the deception that will occur.

Let us look again at the beatitudes related to the kingdom of heaven and the earth. It is emphasized that the kingdom people inherit both the kingdom of heaven and the earth. What does it mean to inherit the kingdom of heaven and also the earth? We know that the kingdom people are already citizens of the kingdom of heaven, and that the kingdom is already within them. The kingdom people do not need to die physically to enter the kingdom. Even now, by the

Father’s grace and pleasure, the kingdom people (“the little flock”) have inherited the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

At the coming of Jesus, the kingdom people will be manifested on earth with glorified bodies to reign and possess the earth (Revelation 5:10; 20:4; Romans 8:19–21). The kingdoms of the world will become the kingdom of the Lord and His people (Revelation 11:15). Together with the Lord Jesus, the kingdom people will reign on the earth, subduing all things until the Father becomes all in all (1 Corinthians 15:21–28). The last enemy, which is death, will be the wages of sin have been subdued. Through the ministry of the people of the kingdom, the earth moves toward the new earth and the new heaven as well. Thus the people of the kingdom inherit the kingdom of heaven and also possess the earth, according to Jesus’ sermon on the mount.

At the moment the people of the kingdom indeed do not possess many things, yet Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:10, “…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” Paul’s words here seem contradictory, but the people of the kingdom fully believe the promises of the Lord Jesus that we will inherit the earth and will subdue all things so that the Father may be all in all.

In the Christian world, generally, it has been taught and believed that Christians will leave this earth and go to “heaven far away” when they die physically. Some Christians even believe that they will be “raptured” from the earth in order to escape the great tribulation that will come upon the world. All such concepts and beliefs are foreign to the Gospel of Matthew.

Let us take just one example from Matthew 24:37–42 concerning the coming of the Son of Man. Notice verse 24, which emphasizes that the coming of the Son of Man corresponds to the days of Noah. We know that in the days of Noah, the wicked were “taken away” by the great flood, while Noah and his household inherited the earth. Therefore, at the coming of the Son of Man, the wicked will be “taken away” from the earth, while the people of the kingdom will inherit the earth, as in the sermon on the mount. Thus the people of the kingdom possess the earth.

Now we will discuss Matthew 5:13–14 regarding the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This section belongs to the first division in our outline, Matthew 5:1–16, whose main theme is ‘the identity or fundamental nature of the people of the kingdom’. It was emphasized earlier that the identity of the people of the kingdom is ‘the salt of the earth’ and ‘the light of the world’. The people of the kingdom do not need to do anything to become salt and light. Jesus plainly said, ‘You are the salt of the earth’ and ‘You are the light of the world’. Their identity is clear.

After Jesus declares the identity of the people of the kingdom, then come the facts and the commandments: if the salt loses its flavor, it is no longer good for anything. Concerning the light of the world, Jesus commands, ‘Let your light shine before others’. Here we see a very important principle for the people of the kingdom: their identity precedes the commandments. They are not given commandments in order to become salt and light. Rather, because they already ‘are’ salt and light, the commandments come so that they may act in accordance with their identity.

The principle for the people of the kingdom is: they have ALREADY become salt and light, THEREFORE they must act according to that identity. This principle is crucial because being salt and light is entirely due to the grace and choice of the Father in heaven. Inheriting the kingdom of heaven is likewise solely by the Father’s choice and pleasure (Luke 12:32). We become salt and light not because of our works, but solely because of the Father’s choosing.

Paul also says in Ephesians 5:8, “…for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” This principle is the same: you are light and ALREADY light, THEREFORE walk as children of light. This ALREADY–THEREFORE principle is a principle of pure grace.

Consider 1 Corinthians 15:10, “…on the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” Even though Paul worked harder than the others, he said, “not I, but the grace of God.” The principle behind Paul’s words is the same ALREADY–THEREFORE principle we are discussing. There is no grounds for boasting, for everything is grace. The people of the kingdom ‘boast only in the Lord’ because of His grace.

Why do we emphasize this principle? Because Christianity has fallen into merely being the ‘Christian religion’, the prevailing principle in the Christian world is IF–THEN. Religious leaders often say: if you give money, then you will be blessed. If you pray, then you will be blessed. If you faithfully attend a certain building, then you will grow in faith. If… if… and if. Each denomination typically has its own IF–THEN principles. This is the religious attempt to earn heaven or to be pleasing to God. The Christian religion is no different from other religions, for every religion in the world is humanity’s attempt to please God. The IF–THEN principle is the principle of human effort. But the people of the kingdom live solely by His grace.

We will now discuss the second section of the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5:17–48, whose theme is ‘the fulfillment of the Law’. Verse 17 states, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” In verse 18, Jesus emphasizes that not even one iota or one dot will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

The Law and the Prophets here refer to the entire Old Testament. The Old Testament is prophetic, symbolic, typological, and all has been fulfilled through the coming of Jesus. Not a single iota or dot is left unfulfilled, because Jesus said none may pass away ‘until all is accomplished’, meaning until all is fulfilled. Thus the entire Old Testament has been fulfilled by Jesus.

Consider Luke 16:16, “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is pressing into it.” This verse affirms that after John the Baptist a new ‘dispensation’ or ‘era’ in God’s administration began, in which the gospel of the kingdom is proclaimed. Although John preached the gospel of the kingdom, he himself did not belong to this new dispensation.

In this new dispensation, the message preached is the good news of the kingdom of heaven. All the books of the New Testament have only one central theme: the kingdom of heaven. Jesus and His apostles proclaimed only one good news—the good news of the kingdom. Once again, the Old Testament is not abolished; it is fulfilled.

How did Jesus fulfill the Old Testament? Through His death, resurrection, ascension to heaven, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the entire Old Testament was fulfilled. Not a single iota or dot remains unfulfilled. With the fulfillment of the entire Old Testament, Jesus then presented something new: the laws of the kingdom of heaven. Notice this section (Matthew 5:21–48) in which Jesus says six times, “You have heard … but I say to you” (vv. 21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). This does not mean Jesus cancelled the previous word, but since He has fulfilled it, a new word comes—the law of the kingdom.

Jesus warns that whoever annuls one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (v. 19). The meaning is not that Jesus brings the commandments of the Law into the law of the kingdom, but that whoever teaches the Law WITHOUT teaching its fulfillment will be least in the kingdom.

In the Christian world, we see some Bible teachers insisting that tithing laws or first-fruits laws (money)—interpreted as financial obligations—still apply in the New Testament, using various arguments. But the people of the kingdom will teach the Law along with its fulfillment in the context of the New Testament.

We are still discussing the second section of the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5:17–48, focusing on the ‘fulfillment of the Law’. Let us look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:20: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Greek term ‘dikaiosune’, translated ‘righteousness’ or ‘your religious life’ in some versions, actually means ‘righteousness’.

The ‘righteousness’ referred to here is not the ‘objective righteousness’ received by a believer through faith in Jesus (justification by faith), but ‘subjective righteousness’—the righteousness of Christ formed in the believer’s inner being, which leads and governs daily life, and becomes his or her righteousness. This subjective righteousness grows only by living out the ‘Life of Christ’ in our inward being day by day. This subjective righteousness relates to the ‘wedding garment’ in the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1–14), whose conclusion is many are called, but few are chosen.

This subjective righteousness grows day by day, as Paul affirms in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “our inner man is being renewed day by day.” Christians who live by the Life of Christ daily will grow in their subjective righteousness. This is how believers can keep the laws of the kingdom of heaven taught by Jesus. It is not the Christian who performs these laws, but Christ within them. Thus is fulfilled, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Let us look again at Matthew 5:20: unless our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. How can our righteousness surpass theirs? The scribes and Pharisees in the New Testament era kept the Law externally. They emphasized outward rituals—fasting, tithing, lengthy prayers, sabbath-keeping, washings, sacrifices, broad phylacteries, long fringes—to appear zealous for Yahweh.

Jesus rebuked them repeatedly as ‘hypocrites’ (Matthew 23). Hypocrisy is presenting an outward appearance of godliness while being inwardly corrupt, like whitewashed tombs beautiful on the outside but full of dead men’s bones inside (Matthew 23:27). Christian righteousness in worship must surpass the outward righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. Christians must worship daily in spirit and truth (reality), as Jesus said in John 4. Paul prophesied that a time would come when people would have ‘a form of godliness but deny its power’ (2 Timothy 3:5).

Look at today’s Christian world, where worship generally takes place in church buildings on Sundays. Honestly, Sunday services provide wide opportunities for hypocrisy. Not all Christians behave hypocritically, of course, but hypocrisy is far more easily expressed in church buildings than in daily life at home. This is one reason why, in the Christian world, many are called but few are chosen.

Let us again consider Matthew 5:20. Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. These men zealously kept the Law but lacked true understanding. Romans 10:3 states, “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” In Romans 3:21 Paul confirms that we obtain God’s righteousness only through faith in Christ Jesus, and by this we meet God’s standard. We do not build our own righteousness by keeping the Law or religious regulations, but through faith in Christ. Thus our righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees.

The righteousness of God is the standard required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. No one can achieve this standard by keeping the Law—or even by keeping the laws of the kingdom Jesus teaches in the sermon on the mount. Because they did not understand God’s righteousness, the scribes and Pharisees kept the Law outwardly, which not only failed to meet God’s standard but also rendered them hypocrites as they tried to establish their own righteousness.

Indeed, anyone who attempts to please God or reach His standard by keeping His commandments, or religious rules, or any human-devised religious practices, will end up only with hypocrisy and pretense. This is exactly what Paul foretold in 2 Timothy 3:5: “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” This prophecy applies equally to Christians at the end of the age.

To better understand God’s righteousness obtained through faith, let us consider 1 Timothy 1:4, “…rather than the stewardship of God that is by faith.” The term ‘stewardship’ is translated from the Greek ‘oikonomia’, made up of ‘oikos’ (household) and ‘nomos’ (law or regulations). Thus the stewardship of God means the way God arranges His household by giving laws or regulations appropriate for each era. In the Old Testament era, God gave the Law to His people Israel. In the

New Testament era, God has given the laws of the kingdom to the church. But we must remember: this stewardship of God is ‘by faith’. Meaning: both keeping the Law in the Old Testament and keeping the laws of the kingdom in the New must be by faith.

The saints of the Old Testament were called men and women of faith because they believed in Yahweh and expressed their faith through the Law. Likewise, the church today consists of people of faith who express their faith through the laws of the kingdom of heaven. Truly, in every age, from the time of Abel to the era of the New Testament, all the saints were people of faith (Hebrews 11).

Today, the church has fallen into tens of thousands of denominations, each with its own religious regulations. Yet the people of the Kingdom still worship in spirit and in truth, and do not fall into the error of the Pharisees and scribes, who practiced the Law externally.

We now enter the third section of the Sermon on the Mount, whose main theme is the worship of the people of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:1–18). In this section, Jesus teaches about the practice of worship in giving alms, prayer, and fasting. In His teaching, Jesus compares the common worship practices of the scribes and Pharisees with the practices that should characterize the people of the Kingdom.

Let us observe these three acts of worship. First, giving alms (6:1–4). Here Jesus emphasizes giving alms in such a way that “your left hand does not know what your right hand is doing,” meaning it is done secretly. The Pharisees and scribes liked to carry out their religious practices openly so that they would be seen and praised by others. Jesus calls such people ‘hypocrites’. These hypocrites have already received their reward and will not receive any reward from the Father in heaven.

Second, praying (6:5–15). Here too Jesus warns not to pray in order to be seen by others, for such people have already received their reward. Jesus also teaches a prayer we commonly call “the Lord’s Prayer,” which we will discuss later. Third, fasting (6:16–18). Jesus also teaches that we should not look somber or show outward signs when fasting, but fast in secret. Thus we receive our reward from the Father in heaven and avoid hypocrisy.

Jesus’ teaching regarding ‘acts of worship’ here places strong emphasis on the reward from the Father in heaven. Likewise, those who worship must not fall into hypocrisy. The Pharisees and scribes have already received their reward from people—money, position, and human honor.

So then, how should the people of the Kingdom worship? Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4 explains the worship of the people of the Kingdom. Jesus stresses that worship is not about “on this mountain or in Jerusalem” (verse 21). Worship is not a matter of externals or outward forms. Worship must be done ‘in spirit and in truth’ (verse 23). The Greek term ‘aletheia’, translated ‘truth’, also means ‘reality’. Reality is the opposite of symbols, shadows, and outward forms. Worship in ‘reality’ means worship in essence, not in symbols, shadows, or outward rituals.

Old Testament worship was indeed filled with symbols, shadows, and outward forms because the Old Testament itself is symbolic, shadowy, and prophetic. But Jesus came to fulfill the Law; therefore, the people of the Kingdom no longer worship through symbols, shadows, and outward forms.

The essence of worship is in the spirit, in our inner being. Colossians 2:17 emphasizes that Christ is the substance of all Old Testament symbols, shadows, and prophecies. And Christ is in our inner being as our Life (Colossians 1:27; 3:4). Worship for the people of the Kingdom is inward: living out the Life of Christ in daily life—living each day under the leading of ‘Christ within’. The worship of the people of the Kingdom is not ‘on this or that mountain’, nor on this or that day. Their daily life is their worship. Of course, the people of the Kingdom also gather to praise the Lord together as the Spirit leads, just as the early church did.

We know that the church has fallen because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans. These three false teachings have turned the church into the world (a system) of Christianity, where hypocrisy can easily arise in worship, and where leaders can easily benefit from religious activities. Certainly not everyone in the system of Christianity is hypocritical or seeks profit from ministry, but the system created by the three false teachings makes such possibilities very widespread.

We will now discuss the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught in Matthew 6:9–13. But we will not discuss the entire prayer, only the parts that directly concern the Kingdom of Heaven. Observe verse 10: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We have already discussed that the Kingdom of Heaven came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. However, in verse 10 Jesus teaches that we should pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth so that the Father’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 18:20 affirms, “For where two or three gather in My name, there am I in their midst.” Thus, whenever two or three believers gather in the name of Jesus, the Kingdom of Heaven comes to earth. But Revelation 5:10 and 20:4 affirm that after this age, believers will rule on this earth. This means the Kingdom of Heaven has come, continues to come, and will one day come in its fullness upon the earth. Scripture affirms that Jesus Christ will return to establish His Kingdom on earth.

We see here that the earth is the focus of the Father’s plan. Even in the nine Beatitudes we previously discussed, the meek are promised that they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). From all these facts, we learn that the Father’s plan for humanity centers on this earth, even though in the world of Christianity people are commonly focused on “going to heaven after death.”

Let us consider Genesis 1:26, which says, “…Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have dominion… over all the earth…” God’s purpose in making humanity in His image and likeness is that they may rule over the earth. The Hebrew term for ‘have dominion’ here is ‘radah’, meaning ‘to rule’. This refers to human government over the earth. Verse 28 adds not only ruling but also ‘subduing’ the earth. The Hebrew term here is ‘kabash’, meaning ‘to trample’. From Genesis 1:26–28 we learn that God’s purpose for humanity is to rule and subdue the earth. There is an enemy to be subdued and trampled underfoot.

Jesus taught us to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth so that humans may rule over the earth and subdue the kingdom of darkness. Romans 8:19–21 explains that when the Kingdom of Heaven is fully manifested on earth through the sons of God, not only will the Father’s will be done ‘on earth as in heaven’, but all creation will also be freed from the bondage of corruption. Notice Romans 8:20–21: “For the creation was subjected to vanity… the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God” (ILT). Thus, the sons of God, manifested on the earth in glorified bodies, will liberate the entire creation from corruption. This is the purpose behind Jesus’ teaching for us to pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth.

We will now discuss the fourth section of the Sermon on the Mount: “the devotion of the people of the Kingdom concerning mammon” (Matthew 6:19–34). Matthew 6:22–24 states: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness… No one can serve two masters. For he will either hate the one and love the other… You cannot serve God and mammon.” The word ‘serve’ here is the Greek ‘douleuō’, a verb meaning ‘to serve as a slave’.

Thus Jesus clearly states that no one can be both a ‘servant of God’ and a ‘servant of Mammon’. We must not quickly assume that ‘servants of God’ are Christians who serve on pulpits or in full-time religious activities, while ‘servants of Mammon’ are Christians working in business or the ‘secular world’. We must first understand who the Pharisees really were in God’s eyes. Luke 16:14 says: “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they derided Him.”

When Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13), the religious leaders of His day mocked Him. Thus, whether someone is a servant of God or a servant of mammon is not determined by their occupation or religious service in the Temple. It is determined by a person’s ‘eye’—their vision, life purpose, and focus. Since the ‘servants of Mammon’ in Jesus’ day were religious leaders, we will discuss servanthood only in relation to the ‘religious world’, not Christians working in business or secular fields.

To understand the ‘religious world’, we must understand John’s writings concerning the ‘world’ (‘kosmos’), which carry deep theological meaning. The term ‘kosmos’ appears 186 times in the NT; more than half of these are in John’s Gospel (78) and his epistles (24). The basic meaning of ‘kosmos’ is ‘order’ or ‘system’. To understand its meaning in John’s writings, we must look at context. In John 3:16, ‘kosmos’ refers to all humanity loved by the Father. But in John 15:18–25, where the world (‘kosmos’) hates Jesus and His disciples, the reference is to the religious world (Judaism), since verse 25 cites a prophecy from their Law.

This religious world is exactly what John refers to in Revelation 2–3, where the churches in Asia Minor (representing the church age) have become a ‘kosmos’ through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. This religious world arose because the early church fell, resulting in the Lord calling forth His overcomers. Christianity, originally an ‘organism’ (the Body of Christ), has become a ‘system’, a ‘kosmos’. If we receive grace from the Lord, we will understand that the early church split into tens of thousands of denominations because of the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans.

Let us discuss only one, according to our theme: the teaching of Balaam, which has spread throughout denominations. The core of Balaam’s teaching is the support of a wage system for serving God. Many verses appear to support this, such as ‘the worker is worthy of his wages’, or ‘do not muzzle the ox that treads out the grain’. But the teaching of Balaam is false; therefore, there must be a true version. Those who teach ‘Balaam’s doctrine’ often take verses about wages for service to support their teaching. But it is certain that such teachers are servants of mammon.

Before continuing with John’s vision of the scroll that only the Lamb of God can open, let us first discuss the 24 elders and the four living creatures around God’s throne, who will reign on earth (Revelation 4–5). Some say that the 24 elders and the four living creatures are angels or heavenly beings, not saints redeemed and chosen from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue. We must address this view, because it obscures our understanding of Revelation and the Father’s original purpose. Several points must be considered.

First, Genesis 1:26–28 clearly states that God’s original plan for humanity is to rule and subdue the earth. Thus, the earth is the focus of His plan.

Second, God’s plan in choosing Israel was that the entire nation would be ‘a kingdom of priests’, that is, kings and priests to all nations (Exodus 19:5–6). But after Israel fell into the worship of the golden calf, only the tribe of Levi came to Moses when he asked who was on the Lord’s side (Exodus 32:26). Thus God selected only the Levites to serve as priests, representing all the tribes. But God’s original plan was for all tribes of Israel to be kings and priests to the nations.

Third, God’s plan in the NT for all the saints is to make the entire church ‘a royal priesthood’ (1 Peter 2:9). But through the false teaching of the Nicolaitans, the church was divided into clergy and laity, or pastors and congregations. Yet the Father has chosen a “little flock” within Christianity and is forming them into kings and priests (Luke 12:32; Revelation 1:6).

Thus it is clear that the Father’s purpose is to form humanity so they may rule and subdue the earth—and this begins with His chosen people. Therefore, the view that the 24 elders and four living creatures are angels or heavenly beings, not humans, obscures the Father’s original plan. It also makes the focus of Revelation unclear. Why? Because Revelation unveils the person of Jesus Christ. And there are four stages in the revelation of Jesus Christ to His church:

1. Christ revealed TO us — we know Him outwardly.

2. Christ revealed IN us — we experience Him inwardly.

3. Christ revealed AS us — as Paul says in Galatians 2:20, Christ lives as Paul.

4. Christ revealed THROUGH us — Christ expresses Himself through His chosen ones on earth.

In truth, the “second coming” of Christ means Christ is manifested to creation through the sons of God (Romans 8:19–21).

Thus, Revelation is indeed the unveiling of Jesus Christ, but His coming ‘through His chosen people’ is the ‘central’ focus of Revelation. And at this time, His chosen ones are being formed into kings and priests. Not angels, not heavenly beings, but the saints. For how can Jesus come as King of kings if His people remain spiritual infants? How can He come as High Priest if His people still rely on “pastors” or “priests” to meet their spiritual needs? Therefore, the 24 elders and the four living creatures symbolize God’s chosen people, formed into kings and priests.

Let us now discuss a little more about the ‘system’ or ‘kosmos’ in John’s writings, because it is this ‘system’ that hates Jesus and His disciples (John 15:18, 25). We must recognize what this ‘system’ is, because Christianity, which was originally an ‘organism’ (the early church = the Body of Christ), has become a ‘system’ or ‘kosmos’.

In the Indonesian dictionary, a system is ‘a set of elements that are interconnected in an orderly manner to form a totality’. In English, a system is ‘a group of things or parts working together in a regular relationship’. To simplify the concept of a system, we may imagine gears of various sizes, however, each one is connected by a belt. If a certain wheel is turned, then the other wheels will certainly turn as well, although of course at different speeds according to their diameters. If we apply this illustration to the world (system) of Christianity, then the wheels (parts) of this system are the denominations, theological schools, synods, and other components of Christianity. What we must understand well is that there must be energy or power to exert effort so that this system operates. What, then, is the energy or power that drives the Christian system?

Before we answer that, let us first look at John’s writings that speak about this ‘system’ (kosmos). 1 John 5:19 affirms, “… the whole world (kosmos) lies in the power of the evil one.” 1 John 2:15–16 says, “Do not love the world (kosmos) or anything in the world… For everything in the world (kosmos)—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father…” 1 John 5:4 states, “… And this is the victory that overcomes the world (kosmos): our faith.” If so, what drives the Christian system? The answer is, of course, money, because a system will not function without money.

The early church had not yet fallen into a ‘system’ (kosmos). The revelation that the church had become a kosmos was given to the apostle John when the church was dominated by three false teachings: Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3). The early church, which was an organism, was moved solely by the Holy Spirit, or the Life of Christ. Indeed, the servants of the early church also needed money, but only for daily necessities and travel needs such as Paul’s. There was no wage system (the teaching of Balaam) that drove the servants of the early church. This is very different from what happens in the Christian system today.

To conclude this section, the journey of Israel out of Egypt toward the Promised Land may clarify what ‘system’ means. Israel in Egypt is essentially a symbol of God’s people inside a system (the world), for in Scripture, Egypt represents the world. Although the Bible calls Egypt ‘the house of bondage’, God still cared for and greatly blessed the Israelites in Egypt so that they multiplied abundantly. But the inheritance of Israel was not Egypt—it was the Promised Land. Therefore, Israel had to leave the house of bondage to obtain their inheritance. And we know that only the families of Joshua and Caleb received their inheritance because they had faith. Thus, Israel in Egypt symbolizes God’s people enslaved by the system, whereas Israel in the Promised Land symbolizes God’s people receiving their inheritance—the kingdom of heaven.

Likewise with the Christian system today. God’s people within the Christian system are still cared for and abundantly blessed. But that is not proof that the Father’s plan for Christians is to remain inside the system (kosmos). The Christian system (kosmos) will be destroyed at the coming of the Lord Jesus. The kingdom people who receive grace to inherit the kingdom will reign on earth, replacing all worldly systems (political, economic, religious, etc.), including the Christian system (Revelation 11:15).

We now continue our discussion into the fourth section of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:19–34, with the main theme being ‘the devotion of the kingdom people concerning mammon’. Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (ILT). We have already discussed that no one can serve two masters—God and mammon (6:24), and we have also discussed the Christian system (the world = the Christian kosmos). After teaching that one cannot serve two masters, Jesus immediately continues into the teaching about worry (6:25–34). Why is that? We will explore this matter of worry in the context of ‘the devotion of kingdom people concerning mammon’.

Once again, we must remember that this teaching on the mount was addressed to Jesus’ disciples. Jesus certainly knew that the root issue that might cause His disciples to serve mammon was their worry about their daily needs. The essence of Jesus’ teaching here is that the Father knows our needs and will surely meet them; therefore, we do not need to worry.

To interpret this matter of worry correctly, we must return to how the early church eventually fell into the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans in the days of the apostle John (Revelation 2–3). We will focus especially on the teaching of Balaam because this false teaching is what caused the church to implement a ‘wage system’ for those who serve God. Let us look at Numbers 22–24 to understand this false teaching of Balaam.

Balaam appears to be a servant of God because he first asked God when the elders of Moab came to him with ‘the diviner’s fee’ to curse Israel (Numbers 22:7–8). God clearly said that Balaam must not curse Israel (22:12). But when the king of Moab sent more distinguished princes with a much larger diviner’s fee, Balaam asked God the second time (22:19). When Balaam asked God the second time, it became clear that he was actually a servant of mammon and loved the wages of divination. Why? Balaam already knew God’s will not to curse Israel, but because the fee increased, he acted as if he were seeking God’s will by asking again. Because God already knew Balaam’s heart loved the wages, He allowed Balaam to go. And when Balaam went, God’s anger burned against him (22:22).

From this story, it may seem that God changed His mind—initially forbidding Balaam but later allowing him to go. In fact, God did not change His mind; He allowed Balaam to go because He saw that Balaam’s heart loved the wages. This case is similar to Matthew 19:3–8, where the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce. Jesus answered, “… Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so” (19:8). Sometimes God allows His people to take a path that He did not intend from the beginning, but He allows it because of the hardness of their hearts.

If we reflect on why God allowed the false teaching of Balaam into the church—even though it was not His original intention—it is because in the Christian world, the Balaam teaching opened wide opportunities for servants of mammon disguised as servants of God, who appear to seek God’s will but actually seek and love the wages of their ministry. God allowed all this to happen because of the hardness of His people’s hearts.

But for the kingdom people, God speaks: “Do not fear, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell what you have and give alms…” (Luke 12:32–33). This does not mean that we may not own anything in this world, but the Father in heaven is emphasizing that our true treasure is in heaven and that we should not worry about our daily needs.

We now enter the fifth part of the Sermon on the Mount on the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven, Matthew 7:1–12, with the theme ‘the fellowship of the kingdom people’. Several matters are discussed here: do not judge, do not give what is holy to dogs, prayer, and principles of relationship with others.

Let us begin with the matter of judging. Many Christians do not distinguish between judging and rebuking or pointing out error. Paul advised Timothy to “… rebuke and exhort with all patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2). Jesus also taught how to rebuke a brother who sins (Matthew 18:15–17). Therefore, rebuking or pointing out a brother’s sin is not wrong—indeed, as fellow brothers and sisters, we are encouraged to admonish, rebuke, and build one another up.

But judging is something forbidden for kingdom people. Judging is not only pointing out wrongdoing but also pronouncing a verdict or penalty on a brother we consider guilty. That is the task of a judge—to declare guilt and to deliver a sentence.

Jesus’ disciples would never judge one another if they obeyed His teaching in Matthew 23:1–12. In this passage, Jesus is speaking to the crowds and to His disciples (v.1). Jesus says that the Pharisees and scribes sit in “Moses’ seat,” meaning they have authority over the people; therefore the people must do what they teach, though Jesus warns not to follow their deeds.

Then, in verses 8 to 10, Jesus speaks to His disciples, telling them not to let anyone be called Rabbi, father, or leader. In context, Jesus is teaching His disciples that among them there is no “seat of Moses.” No one has authority over another. All members of the kingdom community are brothers—meaning there is no “Moses’ seat.” There is no hierarchy among the kingdom people,

unlike the fallen Christian world. If there is hierarchy among God’s people, a leader can judge his brother because he can not only rebuke but also impose penalties.

In other words, in the context of an ‘organization’, someone can judge his brother. But kingdom people live in the context of an ‘organism’, and therefore they will not judge one another. Kingdom people only admonish, rebuke, and build one another up as fellow members of an organism. Therefore, Jesus’ command not to judge our brother can indeed be obeyed by kingdom people. In fact, it is Christians who live in an organizational context who violate Jesus’ command not to judge.

Another matter in this section is the instruction not to give what is holy to dogs or throw pearls before swine. The teaching of the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven is like ‘what is holy’ or ‘pearls’, meaning this teaching is not for the general public. This is why Jesus first went up the mountain and only taught when His disciples came to Him. We also need to seek God’s wisdom to know when and how to share the teaching of the kingdom of heaven.

We now reach the sixth part of the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew 7:13–29, with the theme ‘kingdom people and the crowds, and the deception that will occur’. Let us begin with Matthew 7:13–14: “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it; but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The Greek term translated ‘destruction’ here is ‘apoleia’, which means ‘ruin or loss’. The term ‘apoleia’ does not necessarily mean destruction in the sense of losing salvation or eternal damnation in hell. In Matthew 26:8 and Mark 14:4, concerning the woman who anointed Jesus with very expensive perfume, the term ‘apoleia’ is translated ‘waste’. Indeed, the meaning of a term depends on how it is used in its context. We know that the Sermon on the Mount was addressed especially to Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 5:1–2), although eventually the crowds also listened in awe (Matthew 7:28).

Thus, the listeners of the Sermon on the Mount were Jesus’ followers consisting of His disciples and also the crowds. In John 6 we read that the crowds followed Jesus because they sought physical bread, and Jesus rebuked them for this (John 6:26–27). Therefore, the term ‘apoleia’ must be understood as ruin or loss FOR JESUS’ FOLLOWERS. 1 Corinthians 3:13–15 explains this loss or ruin for followers of Jesus: “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

So, there are two gates and two roads that may be taken by Christians or followers of Jesus. Jesus affirms that the gate leading to life is narrow and the road is difficult, and few find it. We may reasonably conclude that the ‘crowds’ following Jesus will take the wide gate and broad road. Why?

In the Gospels, the crowds consistently followed or sought Jesus for physical bread, healing, miracles, and other material benefits. These things are not wrong as long as they first seek the kingdom of heaven and work for the food that does not perish. The issue lies in the hearts of the followers. If their hearts already prioritize bread, miracles, healing, and other physical matters, then they will naturally choose the easy path—the wide gate and broad road—which will bring loss at the judgment seat of Christ.

The remaining verses in Matthew 7 speak of deception or false prophets, and also of Christians who have performed many miracles, prophesied, and cast out demons but are rejected on the last day. We may conclude that Christians who focus on worldly and outward matters will not stand at the judgment seat of Christ.

Now let us continue this sixth part of the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven regarding ‘kingdom people, the crowds, and the coming deception’. We will discuss the deception that will occur among followers of Jesus. Matthew 7:15 states, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Now we will discuss or identify who these false prophets are. This is very important because in the Christian world there is a tendency to assume that false prophets or false teachers are Christians who have not been born again and do not know Jesus at all. In other words, they are assumed to be ‘outside’ the Christian world—commonly called ‘not insiders’ or ‘not church people’.

The term ‘false prophet’ is translated from the Greek word ‘pseudoprophētēs’, which appears 11 times in the New Testament. Let us look at 2 Peter 2, which speaks extensively about these ‘pseudoprophētēs’. Note verses 15, 20, and 21: “They have forsaken the right way and have gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness… For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them… It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

We see several facts about the ‘pseudoprophētēs’ here. First, they are people who have FORSAKEN THE RIGHT WAY, meaning they once walked in the right way but then went astray into the way of Balaam. Second, they ONCE KNEW Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and had escaped the defilements of the world, yet became entangled in them again. Third, they are those who TURNED AWAY FROM THE HOLY COMMAND (THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS) and then followed the way of Balaam. From Peter’s description of these ‘pseudoprophetes’, the identity of these false prophets or false teachers becomes clear: they are Christians who have been born again, have personally known Jesus Christ, have once walked in the way of righteousness, and have even escaped the defilements of the world.

The statement in Matthew 7:15 above, that these false prophets “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves,” should not be misunderstood as if their true identity is that of SAVAGE WOLVES pretending to be SHEEP. Not so. Paul spoke to the leaders of the church that savage wolves would attack, causing church leaders to teach false doctrines in order to draw the Lord’s disciples away (Acts 20:28–30). Revelation 2–3 mentions three false teachings: the doctrines of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans. Therefore, false prophets or false teachers are church leaders who ARE TRUE SHEEP but are attacked by SAVAGE WOLVES, which refer to the devil. Thus, to be clear, false prophets or false teachers are SHEEP who have been ATTACKED BY SAVAGE WOLVES.

In the Christian world today, the teachings of Balaam, Jezebel, and the Nicolaitans have been widely accepted in many denominations. So, in the context of today’s Christianity, who are the “sheep attacked by savage wolves”? They are church leaders who teach false doctrines in order to draw the Lord’s disciples to themselves.

We continue our discussion of the sixth section in the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven, written in Matthew 7:13–29, concerning ‘deception’. Let us observe Matthew 7:16: “You will know them by their fruits…” Jesus clearly declares that false prophets or false teachers are recognized by their fruit. Many Christians assume that the fruit refers to a person’s character or to the results of a false prophet’s ministry.

However, seeing the context of Matthew 5–7, which speaks about the ‘teaching’ of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is more fitting to interpret the ‘fruit’ of false prophets or false teachers as their teaching. It is from their teaching that we can know who they truly are. We have already discussed from 2 Peter 2 the characteristics of false teachers, namely that they follow ‘the way of Balaam’ (verse 15). In Revelation 2–3, Balaam has become one of the false doctrines, a doctrine that supports and gives opportunity to those who love the wages of their “ministry.” These false teachers or prophets indeed seek personal gain in their ministry. So, it becomes quite easy to recognize these “Balaam-teachers.” If a “servant” of God frequently preaches about how he obtained money, it can be certain that he is a “Balaam-teacher.”

Let us take two false doctrines that are popular in Christianity today, though not accepted by all groups: the false doctrines of tithing and first fruits (money), which are generally understood as monetary offerings from the congregation to their leaders. Although in the books of the New Testament there is not a single example of the early church practicing tithing or first fruits—let alone a specific command to give monetary tithes or first fruits—these “Balaam-teachers” continue to teach them. Sometimes these teachers interpret Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:23, “You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former,” as though Jesus were recommending tithing for the church. But we know that the context of this verse is a rebuke to the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who were under the Law of Moses. Therefore, those living under the Law must tithe, but the church does not live under the Law; it lives under Grace.

In Acts 20:28–30, Paul reveals the motivation of these church leaders in teaching false doctrines: to draw disciples to themselves. These false teachers build their own kingdoms, and for that they need money—to build buildings and support anything that advances “their ministry.” Such things were never practiced by the Apostles or by the servants of the early church.

Thus, we can test the teaching of “Balaam” from Scripture. But then, how can the people of the kingdom recognize them, since not all of them have wide and detailed understanding of Scripture? In truth, the people of the kingdom have been equipped with the ‘anointing within’, enabling them to recognize true teaching (1 John 2:27). His anointing teaches all things to the people of the kingdom. In this way, they can discern these false teachers.

After speaking about the ‘deception’ His followers must face, Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by emphasizing judgment (Matthew 7:21–27). 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Yet we must see God’s judgment in two aspects: the aspect of punishment (what a person sows, he reaps), and the aspect of restoration, as written in Isaiah 26:9: “…for when Your judgments come upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.”

Let us begin with the first judgment in Matthew 7:21–23: “Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day… we prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and performed many miracles in Your name… Then I will declare to them… you workers of lawlessness.” Here it is clear that the judgment depends on whether someone does the will of the Father in heaven—not on prophesying, casting out demons, or working miracles in His name. The followers of Jesus who are denied participation in reigning with Him when the Kingdom of Heaven is fully manifested on earth (commonly called the millennial kingdom) are those who commit ‘lawlessness’, meaning they do not do the Father’s will.

The Greek term translated ‘lawlessness’ is ‘anomia’, meaning the absence of law. It means these followers of Jesus carry out their ministry in His name but violate the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven. The term ‘anomia’ also appears in the parable of the wheat and the tares: “…all who practice lawlessness (anomia) will be gathered out of His kingdom” (Matthew 13:41). Thus, these followers of Jesus are indeed in the Kingdom of Heaven, but during their earthly ministry they did not do the Father’s will and violated the Law of the Kingdom, and therefore they are rejected from reigning on earth at the Lord’s “second coming.”

The next judgment is written in Matthew 7:24–27 concerning two foundations. Followers of Jesus who hear His words and do them are likened to a foundation built on rock. Those who do not are likened to a foundation built on sand. The Lord’s judgment is likened to “the rain descending and the floods coming.” Naturally, the house built on the rock stands firm.

A similarity appears in both judgments: those who endure in the day of judgment are those who do the Father’s will or hear and obey Jesus’ words. At present, it cannot yet be seen whether a Christian performs ministry according to the Father’s will or not. Likewise, whether a Christian is building on rock or sand is invisible, for the foundation cannot be seen. For now, we only see that all Christians are building a ‘house’. Concerning this, Paul’s counsel in 1 Corinthians 4:5 is fitting for reflection: “…do not judge anything before the appointed time, before the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

Before we continue our discussion on the Kingdom of Heaven in the Gospel of Matthew, we need to observe the structure of ‘discourses’ or ‘teachings’ intentionally arranged by Matthew. There are five major discourses in Matthew, with the remaining content being ‘narrative’—stories about Jesus and the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us observe these five divisions, each ending with the phrase “when Jesus had finished saying these things…” The first section, Matthew 5:1–7:29, commonly called the Sermon on the Mount, has already been discussed. The second, Matthew 9:35–11:1, contains the ‘commissioning of the twelve apostles’. The third, Matthew 13:1–52, contains the seven parables of the Kingdom of Heaven. The fourth, Matthew 18:1–35, concerns forgiveness and the parable of the unforgiving servant. The fifth, Matthew 23:1–25:46, contains the rebuke to the Pharisees and teachers of the Law, as well as teachings about the end times.

We know that Matthew’s Gospel is especially directed to readers of Jewish background. Matthew intentionally divides the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven into five sections, as if presenting Jesus as the ‘new and greater Moses’. The five books—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy—are known as the books of Moses or the Law of Moses. Thus, by dividing the teachings of the Kingdom into five sections, Matthew shows his Jewish readers that, just as Moses was sent by Yahweh, Jesus is sent by the Father to give the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jewish people.

The comparison Matthew makes between Jesus and Moses is seen in the Sermon on the Mount through the repeated expression, “You have heard that it was said to those of old… but I say to you…” (Matthew 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). Thus, by dividing Jesus’ teaching into five discourses, Matthew shows that, just as Moses was sent by Yahweh, Jesus was sent by the Father to give the Law of the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jews. Yet we must remember: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

Before entering the second discourse, let us recall what is recorded in Matthew 9:35: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages… teaching… proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven and healing every disease and sickness.” The sequence is clear: teaching, proclaiming, then healing. Teaching and proclaiming the Kingdom are primarily the King’s concern; healing and removing weaknesses serve primarily human concerns. As His followers, we must first teach the laws of the Kingdom, then attend to human needs. We must not reverse this order.

Many in Christianity focus on human needs. Preachers commonly like to preach what appeals to human interests. But Matthew 26:10, 13 states: “…for she has done a beautiful thing to Me… wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” The woman who broke her alabaster jar did a good deed ‘to Jesus’. And Jesus required that her act be told whenever the gospel is preached. Why? So that we understand that the preaching of the Gospel must produce people willing to break their “alabaster jar” (something precious to them) to do good ‘to Jesus’. Thus, the Gospel is preached so that we may do good to Jesus, not primarily to show how good God is to humans. The Gospel is preached primarily for Jesus’ sake, not for human benefit. By His grace, the people of the kingdom will first teach the laws of the Kingdom so they can do good to Jesus—even breaking their “alabaster jar”—and then attend to the needs of others.

Now we enter the second discourse on the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven: Matthew 9:35–11:1, which concerns the ‘commissioning of the twelve apostles’. The background of this mission is Jesus’ compassion on the crowds, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd, and because the harvest was plentiful but the laborers were few (9:36–37). Therefore, Jesus called His twelve disciples, gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and heal every disease and weakness, and sent them to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Let us examine the instructions Jesus gave when He sent them. First, Matthew 10:5–15 explains the mission of the twelve at that time. Second, Matthew 10:16–23 explains the difficulties they would face in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom—then and in the future. Third, Matthew 10:34–42 explains what Jesus asks of us.

There are at least two things we must notice to avoid directly applying these instructions to our current context. First, this commissioning was directed only to the Jews (Matthew 10:5–6), whereas the commissioning for all of Jesus’ disciples throughout history is directed to all nations (Matthew 28:19–20). Second, Luke 22:35–36 shows that Jesus cancelled His earlier instructions regarding taking gold, silver, copper, a bag, extra clothes, sandals, or staff (Matthew 10:9–10).

However, not all the Lord’s instructions in this commissioning were cancelled. His warnings about difficulties and opposition in proclaiming the Kingdom remain true today. Likewise, His demands in Matthew 10:34–42 still stand: that we prioritize the Lord’s interests above everything—even above our own lives.

One more point must be noted carefully: the authority given to the twelve apostles at that time to perform miracles, cast out demons, heal the sick, and raise the dead. At that time the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on believers because Jesus had not yet been glorified (John 7:39), meaning He had not yet died, risen, and sat at the Father’s right hand. At that time, the twelve apostles were commanded only to perform miracles and proclaim the Kingdom—proclaim, not teach. Meanwhile, we see that the central teaching of the apostles ‘after’ Jesus was glorified was the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, the entire New Testament has the Kingdom of Heaven as its main theme.

The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19–20 emphasizes, “…make disciples of all nations… and teach them…” meaning: make all nations disciples of Christ by teaching them the Kingdom of Heaven, for this is the central theme of the New Testament. In today’s Christianity, in general, a shift has occurred in the preaching of the Gospel. The teaching about the kingdom of heaven is no longer a primary matter. Emphases on miracles or worldly success often shift the importance of Christ’s disciples properly understanding the teaching of the kingdom of heaven. But the people of the kingdom receive grace to understand the kingdom of heaven and to exercise its power in daily life.

We have seen that there are five sections of dialogue or teaching about the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel of Matthew, where the third section speaks about ‘the seven parables of the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 13:1–52). But before we enter the third section, we need to reflect on chapter 12, where Jesus is accused by the Pharisees, saying, “…It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man drives out demons” (12:24).

This accusation by the Pharisees is very serious, because in the following verses Jesus speaks about the sin of blaspheming/opposing the Holy Spirit (12:32), that the Pharisees are a brood of vipers (12:34), and that they are an evil and adulterous generation (12:39,45). Yet we must remember that they were God’s people bound by the covenant of Moses. Even in Matthew 23:2, Jesus explicitly says that the Pharisees and the scribes sit on Moses’ seat (Moses’ authority), so the crowds must obey them. Thus, when Jesus says they are a brood of vipers, it does not mean they are not God’s people. They remain God’s covenant people under Moses.

Let us look more closely at Jesus’ response in the following verses after the Pharisees accuse Him. First, the devil and the spirits form a kingdom (12:26). Satan is the ruler of this world/system = kosmos (John 12:31). The devil and evil spirits are rulers of the darkness of this world/kosmos or world-system (Ephesians 6:12). Second, because Jesus firmly states that the Pharisees are a brood of vipers, it means that the religious world (system = kosmos) of His day was ruled or influenced by the kingdom of the devil. Third, Matthew 12:43–44 is still part of Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes, meaning that “the evil generation” (the religious world of His time) will be inhabited by “seven spirits” more wicked than the first.

What lesson do we learn here? Many Christians do not understand or recognize the religious world during Jesus’ time, which we usually call Judaism. In truth, it was this religious world that crucified Jesus—not Pontius Pilate, who represented the political world of that era. Repeatedly Pilate tried to release Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes stirred up the crowds to have Jesus crucified and Barabbas released. The religious world of Jesus’ time was clearly dominated by the kingdom of darkness.

How about the Christian world? Is the Christian world also ruled or influenced by the kingdom of darkness? If we want to understand the Christian world, we must look, and certainly ask for the revelation of the Holy Spirit, to understand the revelation found in the writings of the apostle John. Many Christians—perhaps including Bible teachers—do not see that the New Testament books must be divided into three sections (a trilogy): revelation through Peter and his team, revelation through Paul and his team, and revelation through John and his team.

The revelation given to the apostle John came when the church had already fallen/declined. Revelation 2–3 clearly describes how the church had become the Christian world through the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and Nicolaitans. Because of this decline, the Lord calls His overcomers to be the representatives of the fallen church. John is the one who frequently uses the term ‘world’/kosmos/system, where the ruler of the ‘world’ is the devil. We will not discuss John’s revelation about the kosmos/world here, but for now we must see that the ‘religious world’ is ruled by the kingdom of darkness, because the devil is the ruler of the world/kosmos.

Now we will study the third section in the Gospel of Matthew that speaks about ‘the seven parables concerning the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 13:1–52). Let us glance through Matthew chapters 1 to 12 so that we may understand chapter 13 well. Matthew 1 speaks about the birth and genealogy of Jesus as King. Matthew 2 speaks about the coming of the Magi and their offerings to the King. Matthew 3 speaks about the forerunner of the King and the baptism of the King. Matthew 4 speaks about the temptation of the King and the calling of His four disciples. Matthew 5, 6, and 7 speak about the King’s Sermon on the Mount concerning the laws of His Kingdom. Matthew 8 and 9 speak about the demonstrations and power of His Kingdom. Matthew 10 speaks about the sending of the twelve apostles. Matthew 12 speaks about how Jesus the King was completely rejected by the Jewish religious leaders. Matthew 13:1 states, ‘On that day’, meaning, on the day after Jesus was fully rejected by the Jewish religious leaders—ON THAT DAY JESUS DEPARTED FROM THE MIDST OF THE ISRAELITE FAMILY AND SPOKE IN PARABLES.

The parables of the kingdom of heaven taught by Jesus were not meant to be understood by all Jews. Notice Jesus’ reason for teaching in parables when asked by His disciples: “…To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13:11). Thus it is clear that Jesus taught the kingdom of heaven in parables so that only those who received His grace would understand. To the Jewish people in general, or what the Gospels call ‘the crowds’, the parables of the kingdom of heaven were given ‘not’ so that they might understand. Their sight and understanding were closed so that the word of God might be fulfilled, in this case the prophecy of Isaiah (Matthew 13:14–15).

This does not mean that the Jewish people will forever be rejected from participating in the kingdom of heaven. But only a few from among the Jews are accepted into the kingdom of heaven ‘in this dispensation’, namely the chosen ones to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the kingdom (Luke 12:32). These chosen ones are called “the little flock” in Luke 12:32, in contrast to the “multitude” or “great flock” of the Jewish nation.

Let us begin with the first parable in Matthew 13—the parable of the sower. In fact, this parable does not yet speak about what the kingdom of heaven to be established on earth will look like. The parable of the sower merely speaks about the ‘response’ of people to whom the “seed” of the word of the kingdom, or the “seed” of Jesus as Life (zoe), is sown.

But the other six parables in this chapter are all introduced with the phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (verses 24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47). Therefore, these six parables tell us what the kingdom of heaven to be established on earth will be like.

Let us summarize the parable of the sower. Jesus as the sower—and later His disciples as well—sows the ‘seed of the word of the kingdom’ and receives different responses depending on the “type of soil” (the heart of a person) where the seed falls. There are four types of soil: first, the path; second, rocky ground; third, thorny ground; and fourth, good soil.

The soil on the path represents those who hear the word of the kingdom but do not understand it, so the evil one snatches it away, and it never grows (v. 19). Rocky ground represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and initially grow because they receive it with joy, but they have no root (v. 21). When trouble or persecution arises because of the word of the kingdom, they quickly fall away. Thorny ground represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and begin to grow, but bear no fruit because of the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth (v. 22). Good soil represents those who hear the word of the kingdom and understand it, and thus bear fruit—some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

There are several lessons from this parable. First, Jesus—and of course His apostles—preached the word of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus certainly also spoke about the church, but the ‘focus’ of His teaching was the word of the kingdom. Second, this parable shows that a person’s response determines whether the word of the kingdom will bear fruit or not. But we must not quickly draw the conclusion that everything depends on human response, as is often taught in the Christian world.

Notice again verse 11, which we have discussed: some receive grace to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, while others do not. Thus the conclusion is that everything depends on the will of the Father in heaven—whether He is pleased to give someone the kingdom (Luke 12:32). Human hearts that have fallen into sin are corrupt and no one seeks God (Romans 3:11). If someone understands the word of the kingdom, it is because the Father works in his heart.

The third lesson we must see concerns “fruit.” In the Christian world we often hear about the “fruit” of a Christian—how many souls he wins, his character, or even material blessings resulting from his “ministry.” These are ‘not’ the fruit meant here.

The fruit referred to is what James 1:18 describes as becoming part of the ‘firstfruits’ of creation. The firstfruits in the NT context are the chosen ones who mature earlier and are ready to be harvested by the Lord Jesus to reign with Him in establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth, so that the earth moves toward the new earth. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has sown Himself as Life into His chosen people, and therefore He will receive fruit—those who will carry out the Father’s will with Him on the earth.

Now we enter the second parable in Matthew 13—the parable of the weeds among the wheat. This parable says that the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. The Lord Jesus is the one who sows the good seed, and the wheat represents the children of the kingdom. The devil is the one who sows the bad seed, and the weeds are the children of the evil one.

Generally in the Christian world “weeds” are understood as people who claim to be Christians but are not born again or have not received the “seed” of Christ or Christ’s Life (zoe). Such an interpretation does not understand the fall of the church described in Revelation 2–3. The revelation given to John concerns the fall of the church from John’s time onward—throughout church history—as represented by the seven churches of Asia Minor. After the church fell, the Lord calls His overcomers, and we will see that the “wheat” represents these overcomers.

We must understand that the devil sowed the bad seed ‘in the Lord’s field’, so that both weeds and wheat are in the Master’s field. At first, weeds and wheat are very similar, making it impossible to distinguish them. Therefore the Master forbids His servants from pulling up the weeds before the harvest, lest they uproot the wheat as well.

This parable describes what the kingdom of heaven is like, because it begins with “the kingdom of heaven is like…” At the beginning, only Jesus sowed the good seed—the children of the kingdom. When the church was born at Pentecost, only “good seed” was sown. But later the devil sowed bad seed into the church, causing it to split into thousands of denominations—the Christian world today. Initially the church consisted only of “wheat-seed,” but it expanded into the Christian world containing both “weed-seed and wheat-seed.” Within the Christian world there are “weeds,” meaning people who commit lawlessness (Matthew 13:41).

It is interesting that the word ‘lawlessness’ (v. 41) is ‘anomia’ in Greek, the same term used in Matthew 7:21–23, where people say ‘Lord, Lord’ and perform many miracles, prophesy, and cast out demons in the Lord’s name—but are rejected by Jesus because they practice ‘anomia’ (lawlessness). Clearly the people described in Matthew 7:21–23 are from within the Christian world—perhaps even famous figures who conduct large miracle-filled meetings.

Furthermore, verse 41 states that at the harvest, everything that ‘causes stumbling’ will be gathered. We must pay attention to the term ‘causes stumbling’ (Greek: ‘skandalon’) in this verse, also used in Revelation 2:14: “…you have there those who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to cause Israel to stumble (skandalon) so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.” Thus, causing others to stumble refers to false teaching (Balaam) sown by the devil into the church, leading God’s people to idolatry and immorality. In fact, there are three false teachings sown by the devil into the church as described in Revelation 2–3: the teaching of Jezebel (usurping the authority of Life in the church), Nicolaitans (subjugating the laity so the church is divided into two classes), and Balaam (a doctrine that legitimizes commercialism in the church).

Such is the condition of the kingdom of heaven, where “weeds” and “wheat” exist together. In truth, the “weeds” are Christians who have been born again but have accepted or even teach the false doctrines of Balaam, Nicolaitans, and Jezebel. But at the time of the harvest, weeds and wheat will be separated, so that “…the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father…” (Matthew 13:43).

Now we enter the third parable in Matthew 13—the parable of the mustard seed (13:31–32): “…the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed… Although it is the smallest of all seeds, when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

We must understand that the mustard seed is a type of ‘vegetable seed’, the smallest of them. And when this vegetable seed is planted, it should produce a ‘vegetable plant’ according to the law of growth God established: “…each yielding seed according to its kind…” (Genesis 1:11). But when this mustard seed is planted in the Lord’s field, it becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches (13:32).

The growth of the mustard seed into a tree is unnatural, abnormal, and violates the ‘law of growth’ established by God. Indeed the kingdom of heaven established on earth begins as merely a ‘seed’ in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. But after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the kingdom of heaven then bore fruit into 120 people (the church) on the day of Pentecost. The church should have grown and produced ‘fruit according to its kind’, which in this parable is the type of vegetable. If the church later grows into a ‘large tree’ so that birds nest on its branches, then there is a ‘violation of the law of growth here’.

A ‘tree’ in the Bible is a symbol of people (Psalm 1:1–3; 52:8; 92:12–14; 128:3). Meanwhile, “birds” are a symbol of the evil one in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:4,19). But the Bible also speaks of good birds, as the Holy Spirit is symbolized as a “dove” (Matthew 3:16). Therefore, the church that grows into a “large tree” is the result of both the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the devil.

God’s chosen people certainly understand how the church has become this big Christian world. The church, which should have manifested the ‘kingdom of heaven on earth’, is now presenting “little kingdoms” (denominations) belonging to their leaders. If someone objects, saying that God also works and blesses within the Christian world, this is indeed true, because the Christian world has become large due to the work of the Holy Spirit, but also due to the work of the devil. On one hand, the church has indeed become large and blessed by the Holy Spirit, just like the Christian world today; but on the other hand, this remains a violation of the law of growth God has established.

Jesus has declared the laws of the kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). At the end of His sermon, Jesus stressed that on the last day there would be many who say ‘Lord, Lord’, and who perform many miracles, prophecies, and cast out demons in His name. But at that moment Jesus frankly declares, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23). The term ‘lawlessness’ comes from the Greek ‘anomia’, which means ‘without law’ or ‘violation of the laws of the kingdom’, which in the parable above refers to the ‘law of church growth’. So this is not ‘evil’ in the sense of murder, adultery, or other crimes, but that these ‘servants of God’ violate the laws of the kingdom of heaven.

The kingdom of heaven on earth will indeed grow, and its expansion will have no end (Isaiah 9:6). However, its growth or expansion must follow the laws of the kingdom established by God. Matthew 15:13 affirms, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” The denominations, which are the “little kingdoms” belonging to their leaders, are not the “plants” planted by the Father in heaven, even though God indeed blesses them. In the Christian world there is a misunderstanding—one might even call it a “blunder”—that God’s blessings are proof of His approval. The Father in heaven has blessed the whole world by giving His only Son to take away the sin of the world. But this does not mean the Father is pleased with the way of life of sinful people. TO BLESS and TO BE PLEASED are two completely different things. In His time, the Father in heaven will uproot the plants that He did not plant.

Next, we enter the fourth parable of the kingdom of heaven, the ‘parable of the woman and the leaven’ (Matthew 13:33). This parable begins with the expression ‘the kingdom of heaven is like’ a woman who mixes leaven into three measures of flour until all of it is leavened. To understand this parable, we must understand what the “woman” and the “leaven” symbolize here.

Throughout the Bible, a woman always symbolizes the church as the bride of Christ. Meanwhile, leaven appears about 38 times in the entire Bible, and the expression unleavened appears 60 times. In the OT context, Israel understood leaven as something evil before Yahweh, because there were many prohibitions against using leaven. However, Israel did not understand why leaven was forbidden.

But in the NT context, we understand why leaven is something ‘evil’ in God’s sight. Jesus and Paul reveal this. First, Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the ‘leaven’ (teaching) of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:5–12). Luke 12:1 defines leaven as the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Second, Jesus warned about the ‘leaven’ of Herod, which is his wicked lifestyle (Mark 8:15). Third, Paul advised the church in Corinth to celebrate with ‘unleavened bread’, meaning purity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8). Fourth, in his letter to the Galatians, Paul warned about the ‘leaven’ of Judaistic teaching that is legalistic and ritualistic (Galatians 5:9). So clearly, ‘leaven’ always depicts a teaching, lifestyle, or hypocrisy that is displeasing to God.

Thus, the woman who inserts ‘leaven’ into the dough is the church, particularly its leaders, inserting ‘leavened/false teachings’ into it. The NT reveals very clearly how leaders insert ‘leaven’ into the church. Paul in Acts 20:29–30 explains how savage wolves attack the church so that leaders DRAW the disciples of the Lord to themselves with false teaching. Revelation 2–3 also explains to us three false teachings: the teaching of Jezebel (usurping Jesus’ authority), Balaam (commerce/merchandising), and the Nicolaitans (dividing the church into two classes: Priest–People, Pastor–Congregation).

For the “little flock” or kingdom people to whom the Father has been pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, it is not difficult to understand the parable of the ‘woman and the leaven’. We must understand that leaven works secretly, slowly, but inevitably will leaven the whole dough. Since the days of the apostle John, the church has been leavened by the three false teachings above. Therefore, Scripture calls for the overcomers—simple people who do not take part in these three false teachings.

Indeed, the Christian world has been entirely leavened; therefore the Lord calls the kingdom people to “Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

We now discuss the fifth parable of the kingdom of heaven, the parable of the ‘hidden treasure’ in Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

It is emphasized that the kingdom of heaven is like a ‘treasure hidden in a field’. Thus, it is clear that the ‘hidden treasure’ is the kingdom of heaven. The verse states that this ‘hidden treasure’ or ‘kingdom of heaven’ is found by a man. Who is this man who, upon finding this ‘hidden treasure’, rejoices, sells all he has, and buys the field where the treasure is?

If we remain consistent in interpreting the parables in Matthew 13, then we know that the man who buys the field containing the ‘hidden treasure’ is Jesus Christ. The sower in the first parable is Jesus; the one who sows good seed in His field is also Jesus; therefore it is natural to interpret the man who buys the field containing the hidden treasure as also Jesus. Besides, no one can ‘buy’ the hidden treasure (the kingdom of heaven) except Jesus Christ.

The field in this parable is, of course, the world. Jesus, as the ‘Lamb of God’, has redeemed the sin of the world/taken away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 1 John 2:2 affirms that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Jesus is the Savior of the world—not just of believers. Although Jesus ‘bought’ the field (the world), His attention is directed toward the ‘kingdom of heaven’ (the kingdom people) ‘hidden’ within the world.

Some interpreters say that the ‘hidden treasure’ is the church, meaning the Christian world as a whole. But if we observe all NT teaching about the church and the kingdom of heaven, we know that this is not correct. Jesus indeed said, ‘I will build My church’, but the Christian world is not the church as built by Jesus. The Christian world is the early church that has been fragmented into tens of thousands of denominations by the three false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2–3).

So then, who are the kingdom people or the ‘hidden treasure’? Luke 12:32 explains: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” This is the decision and sovereignty of the Father, who has been pleased to give the kingdom of heaven to the little flock. The kingdom of heaven is given by the Father to the little flock ‘freely’, because Jesus has ‘bought’ and fully paid for the ‘hidden treasure’ with His own blood.

One more thing to remember about this parable: Jesus did not only buy the ‘hidden treasure’, but also the field (the world). This means all humanity has been bought and redeemed by His blood. That is why Jesus said in John 12:32, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” All people have been bought and redeemed by the blood of Jesus; therefore all people rightfully belong to Jesus, no longer to the devil. It is only in this present age that Jesus’ focus is on the kingdom people. How will Jesus draw all people to Himself? The Bible teaches that Jesus, together with the “little flock,” will take back the captives of the devil in the ages to come. Hallelujah.

We continue with the sixth parable, the ‘merchant and the fine pearl’, in Matthew 13:45–46: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

This sixth parable is essentially the same as the fifth parable of the ‘hidden treasure’. The fine pearl here is certainly the ‘kingdom of heaven’, and the merchant seeking it is ‘Jesus Christ’. It is emphasized that when the merchant found the pearl of great value, he sold all he had to buy it.

Let us consider briefly how Jesus ‘sold all He had’ to obtain the kingdom of heaven. Philippians 2:6–8 affirms: “He, being in the form of God… emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (ILT). It is affirmed that He existed in the form of God and was equal with God. This speaks of His existence before incarnation—equal with God. But in that equality, He “emptied Himself” by taking the form of a servant. The meaning of “emptied” (‘kenoo’, a verb) does not mean He “abandoned” His divine equality, but rather that He ADDED the form of a servant (humanity) to His divine existence. The apostle John explains that the Word (‘Logos’) became flesh (John 1:1,14). He, who is equal with God, became a human named JESUS. That Jesus died on the cross is the meaning of ‘selling all He had’.

We must always remember that the price of the fine pearl (the kingdom of heaven) has been bought/paid in full by JESUS. The kingdom people, to whom the Father is pleased to give the kingdom of heaven, DO NOT PAY ANYTHING TO RECEIVE IT (Luke 12:32). If so, why did Jesus say that those who want to follow Him must take up their cross (Matthew 10:38; 16:24)?

To answer this, we need a correct concept of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ that has been ‘bought’ and paid in full by Jesus on the cross. Christians struggle to understand the kingdom of heaven because in the Christian world it is commonly accepted that “believe in Jesus and go to heaven.” The “heaven” meant here is a pleasant place where the streets are made of gold, where believers merely sing, and even the famous Pastor Erastus Sabdono claims there will still be dogs in heaven—in that pleasant place.

Such a concept of “heaven” is far from the meaning of the ‘kingdom of heaven’ as revealed to John in Revelation. Consider Revelation 5:10: “You have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the earth” (ILT). The term ‘us’ refers to the kingdom people symbolized as the ‘twenty-four elders’ and the ‘four living creatures’ (Revelation 4:4,6). At the coming of Jesus, the kingdom people, with glorified bodies, will function as kings and priests (according to the order of Melchizedek) and will serve ON EARTH UNTIL THE EARTH MOVES TOWARD THE NEW EARTH AND THE NEW HEAVEN.

In order for the kingdom people to function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek, they must be processed or shaped by the Father in heaven. When the Father processes, trains, and shapes us, we will experience much tribulation (Hebrews 12:11; Acts 14:22). But these trials and sufferings are not the price we pay to enter the kingdom of heaven—they are the shaping of the Father so that we can function as kings and priests when the kingdom

of heaven is established on earth. JESUS DESCRIBES THE SUFFERING OF THE KINGDOM PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW HIM AS “TAKING UP THEIR CROSS.” Thus, it is clear that we pay no price at all to enter the kingdom of heaven, for the price has been paid in full by Jesus on the cross.

We will discuss briefly the ministry of the High Priest, Jesus, symbolized by ‘another angel’ in Revelation 8:1–3. Let us observe verse 3: “…And he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne.” Notice the symbolic action of this ‘other angel’—he not only offers much incense but also the prayers of all the saints. What is the meaning of this symbolic act?

We must look at several NT verses regarding the function of Jesus as our High Priest. John 17:9 affirms, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” This prayer was offered by Jesus on the last night He gathered with His disciples, and Judas—the betrayer—was no longer with Him. Note that Jesus prays only for His disciples—those given to Him by the Father. Here Jesus explicitly says He does not pray for the world. Who is the ‘world’ that Jesus means here?

We must assign the correct meaning to the term ‘world’ according to its context in the writings of the apostle John. If the term ‘world’ appears in John 3:16, then we know that the world here means all human beings, that is, all those whom the Father loves. If the term ‘world’ appears in 1 John 2:15–16, where we are forbidden to love the world, then the ‘world’ referred to there is the religious system. Pay attention to the entire context of Jesus’ discourse on His final night with His disciples. When Jesus said that the world hated Him and His disciples, the ‘world’ referred to is the religious world, namely Judaism, which possessed the Torah (John 15:25). Thus, if we observe the entire context of Jesus’ conversation on that last night, we know that the ‘world’ Jesus referred to in His prayer is the religious world—Judaism. Therefore, we understand what Jesus meant in His prayer above: that He was not praying for the world, that is, the religious world (Judaism), which killed Him and hated His disciples.

This does not mean that Jesus, as the High Priest, will not save the religious world, or the world in the sense of all humanity. For in John 12:32, Jesus clearly stated that He will draw ALL PEOPLE to Himself. However, the work of Elohim has its own stages or order, just as written in 1 Corinthians 15:23–28. So, in the end Jesus will save the whole world, as He has been given the title ‘Savior of the world’.

But in this age, as the High Priest, Jesus prays for and forms only those who have been given to Him by the Father. As the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, Jesus forms those given to Him by the Father so that they themselves become priests according to the order of Melchizedek. Thus, at His coming, Jesus will be the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek among priests—those given to Him by the Father.

Observe Jesus’ next prayer in John 17:21: “that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE that You have sent Me.” When, at His coming, His chosen people have been formed into priests and kings, and Jesus has become the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek among the priests, and the King above all kings, then the stage will have arrived in which the whole world will be saved.

Thus, the symbolic act of ‘another angel’ offering incense and the prayers of all the saints (priests and kings) is the offering of ‘fragrant’ prayers before the Father for the salvation of the world. The prayers of His chosen ones (the kings and priests) are included in the offering of ‘incense’ that rises as a sweet aroma before the Father, through Jesus Christ as the High Priest.

We conclude the teaching on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13 with a question and statement by Jesus to His disciples (vv. 51–52): “JESUS said to them, ‘Have you understood all these things?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ And He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who brings out of his treasure things new and old’” (LITV).

Here Jesus emphasizes that a ‘scribe’ who receives and understands the teachings of the kingdom of heaven is likened to a householder who brings out treasures both old and new. This means that Jesus’ disciples who understand the teachings of the Kingdom of Heaven are like “scribes” who teach and distribute their “treasures,” both new and old. The treasure of Jesus’ disciples is stored in “earthen vessels,” which is “the kingdom of heaven is within you” (Luke 17:21). These disciples teach the message of the Kingdom of Heaven with an understanding expressed as “the new and the old.”

The Jews understood the expression “the new and the old,” for it appears several times in the Old Testament. Let us take a few examples. First, in the case of Yahweh’s blessing (Leviticus 26:10). Second, in the case of “manna” (Joshua 5:12). Third, in the case of “the beloved” (Song of Songs 7:13). Fourth, in the case of the covenant (Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8). Jesus also used the expression “new and old” when He taught (Matthew 9:17; Luke 5:36–39). Therefore, the expression “new and old” carries important meaning in the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us look at two key meanings within the expression “the new and the old” in relation to the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven. First, the Old Testament and the New Testament. Every teacher or proclaimer of the Kingdom of Heaven understands that the OT is merely symbols, prophecies, and shadows, while the NT is the fulfillment or reality of the OT—its fulfillment being “Christ, or the kingdom of heaven within the believer” (Colossians 1:27; 2:17; Luke 17:21). Second, the expression ‘New Heaven and New Earth’ (Revelation 21:1–4). We know that Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ given to the Apostle John in symbolic language (Revelation 1:1). The New Heaven and New Earth are actually symbols of the new man, where there is no longer the consequence/wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:4). Therefore, the first (old) heaven and earth created by Elohim in Genesis 1:1 are in fact all human beings who possess the ‘heavenly’ and ‘earthly’ dimensions—the spiritual and the physical. Thus, the Father’s plan is to create humanity (in two dimensions), then through a process of “falling,” bring all humanity to be restored as new human beings. This is the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by its messengers.

Generally, the Christian world does not understand the expression ‘new heaven and new earth’, teaching instead an eternal hell where some human beings who are not chosen (possibly the majority) are cast into a place to be tormented forever. Likewise, the Christian world fails to understand the teaching of the Kingdom of Heaven by mixing the worship systems of OT–NT, priesthood models of OT–NT (Aaron vs. Melchizedek), God’s blessings in OT–NT forms, and even doctrines such as a “fairy-tale heaven” far away, tithing and firstfruits (money), ‘visible and invisible church’, and the doctrines of Jezebel, Nicolaitans, and Balaam in Revelation 2–3.

The people of the kingdom will certainly be outside the ‘system (cosmos) of Christianity’ that has been deeply influenced by the teachings above. Just as Jesus, John the Baptist, and His apostles stood outside the religious system of Judaism, so also are the people of the kingdom.

Before we enter the fourth teaching on the kingdom of heaven in Matthew’s Gospel—namely Matthew 18—let us look at the moment when Jesus asked His disciples at Caesarea Philippi about who the Son of Man is (Matthew 16:13–20): “… Simon Peter said, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living Elohim!’ … ‘You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…’”

Here we limit our discussion to Jesus’ words about ‘the church’ and ‘the kingdom of heaven’. We have learned that Jesus, John the Baptist, and also the twelve apostles (Matthew 10), all proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven is near. Indeed, Jesus would build His church, but His proclamation—the good news—was the kingdom of heaven.

The term ‘church’ appears only twice in Matthew’s Gospel, in chapters 16 and 18, but the term ‘kingdom’ appears about 58 times. Notice Jesus’ words above: “I WILL build My church.” This means that at the moment Jesus spoke, the church He would build did not yet exist. However, as we know, the kingdom of heaven was already present on earth in the person of Jesus Christ. When Jesus cast out demons by the power of Elohim, the kingdom of heaven had already come upon the earth (Matthew 12:28). The church was born at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem.

To bring the church into existence on earth, Jesus had to die, rise, sit at the right hand of the Father, and pour out His Holy Spirit upon the disciples. Many Christians speak of the Holy Spirit as the power of Elohim equipping the church to be witnesses of Jesus. But in truth, the Holy Spirit is the LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT. Note 1 Corinthians 15:45: “… the first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” The last Adam is certainly Jesus Christ, and the expression “life-giving spirit” (Greek: ‘pneuma zoopoieo’) should be translated as THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT (the life of Christ = ‘zoe’). This is why John 10:10 affirms that Jesus came to give His life—‘zoe’—and that His disciples may have ‘zoe’ abundantly. This means that this ‘zoe’ life must grow, for indeed this ‘zoe’ life, when given, is still a “seed.” The seed of ‘zoe’ life must grow so that we may know the true Elohim and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3).

Now let us come to our theme: the kingdom of heaven. The parable of the sower, which we previously discussed, illustrates Jesus sowing the life of ‘zoe’. There are two types of soil—stony and thorny—where the seed of ‘zoe’ does not grow or bear fruit. These two soils represent Christians who have been born again, for they have received the seed of Christ’s life (‘zoe’). We will see later that the entire teaching of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew’s Gospel proves that NOT ALL BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS WILL BE RECEIVED INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Unfortunately, in the Christian world it is widely believed that “BELIEVING IN JESUS MEANS GOING TO HEAVEN.” The concept “believe in Jesus, go to heaven” does not exist at all in the New Testament writings—much less the notion of a “fairy-tale heaven” far away. What is true is: BELIEVE IN JESUS, RECEIVE ‘ZOE’ LIFE. In the Gospel of John, there are many expressions stating that believing in Jesus results in eternal life (‘zoe’). Whether the seed of ‘zoe’ life grows or not is another matter altogether.

Furthermore, born-again Christians will not be evacuated (taken away) from the earth to a “faraway heaven.” What the NT writings proclaim is that the kingdom of heaven will be established on this earth to liberate creation, and only those to whom the Father in heaven is pleased to give the kingdom will partake in it (Luke 12:32; Romans 8:19–21).

Let us continue the narrative where Jesus asked His disciples at Caesarea Philippi who the Son of Man is. Matthew 16:21 states: “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” The phrase ‘from that time’ means that from the moment Jesus revealed His identity as the Messiah to His disciples, He then declared that the Messiah must suffer, die, and rise on the third day.

To the average Jew, a suffering Messiah was not the Messiah they expected, for they awaited a Messiah who would liberate Israel from surrounding enemies, bring peace to the world, and of course rebuild the Temple. Therefore, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him, hoping that Elohim would spare Him from suffering (16:22). Jesus’ response must have shocked him. Jesus said that Peter’s human thinking was Satanic and a stumbling block to Him. Jesus then laid down the requirement for anyone who would follow Him: they must deny themselves and take up their cross.

In truth, Peter’s thought was good from a human perspective. Perhaps driven by love for Jesus, he wished that Jesus be spared from suffering. Here we learn that even the best of human thoughts can become a “stumbling block” for anyone following Jesus. Following Jesus means thinking what Elohim thinks. Following Jesus means doing His will, regardless of what humans think about it. Isaiah 55:8 affirms: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the LORD.”

Indeed, whatever humans think, feel, or decide is ultimately an effort to preserve their ‘life’, or to preserve themselves—perhaps their reputation, honor before others, possessions, or anything highly valued. But it is precisely this self-preservation that hinders them from following Jesus. This is why Jesus insists that anyone who wants to follow Him must not preserve themselves or their ‘life’. Each person must deny themselves for the sake of following Jesus.

If so, can the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven still be called good news (gospel)? If following Jesus involves self-denial, bearing the cross, and suffering, can this still be called good news? Yes, certainly—because whether something is good must be determined by Elohim. Humanity, having eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, indeed has its own criteria for good and evil. But in truth, no one is good except Elohim alone (Mark 10:18).

The good news (gospel) of the kingdom of heaven cannot be separated from suffering for following Jesus. Paul states clearly: “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Paul even urges Timothy: “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:3). If the preaching of the gospel aims to spare humans from all suffering in this world, then it is certainly not the gospel of the kingdom of heaven.

Let us now enter the fourth section of the kingdom of heaven teachings, namely Matthew 18:1–35, concerning forgiveness and the parable of the unforgiving servant. This entire chapter actually concerns fellowship among members of the kingdom, and especially emphasizes how precious the lost or straying member is.

Matthew 18:1 states: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’” This question concerns the relationship among members in the kingdom of heaven—and who is the greatest? Jesus answers with several points of teaching. First, one must become like a little child (vv. 2–4). Second, one must not become a “stumbling block” to another member (vv. 5–9). Third, one must not despise even the smallest member, for the Father in heaven greatly values the least and does not will that they perish (vv. 10–14). Fourth, if a member sins, he must listen to the church (vv. 15–20). Fifth, one must forgive other members wholeheartedly (vv. 21–35).

Let us begin with the first. Verse 3 states: “… Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” From this verse we see that a person must repent and become like a little child in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Let us see the context of the entire chapter so that we can understand what “entering the kingdom of heaven” means. Notice the term ‘in’ in verse 1. This means that the disciples were asking Jesus about members who were already in the kingdom of heaven. Also note the terms ‘your brother’ in verse 15, ‘the church’ in verse 17, and Peter’s reference to ‘my brother’ who sins (verse 21). All of these show that the context of Matthew 18 is the relationship among members who are already in the kingdom of heaven.

If so, what does the expression ‘enter the kingdom of heaven’ in verse 3 mean? If we look at the parables in chapter 13 that we have discussed—the parables of the sower, the wheat and tares, and the net—we know that Christians who have been born again are already IN the kingdom of heaven, but that on the day of judgment, not all these Christians who are born again will be accepted to reign and ENTER the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth. That is why Christians who are already in the kingdom of heaven in this present age are not necessarily guaranteed to enter the kingdom of heaven in the next age, namely the age of the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4). On the day of judgment, when the Lord Jesus returns, all Christians who have been born again will be judged by the Lord Jesus. Whether a person is found to have repented and become like a little child—this is what determines whether someone enters the kingdom of heaven or not.

From the explanation above, it seems as if entering the kingdom of heaven is determined by the behavior of Christians, namely whether they have repented and become like little children or not. However, we must look at all the books of the New Testament to gain proper understanding of this matter. All the New Testament clearly speaks of grace. Paul testifies that even though he worked harder than the others, he still said that all of this was by the grace of God. Luke 12:32 also clearly states, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.” Therefore, the Father in heaven forms the people of the kingdom in such a way that they can repent and become like little children, meaning fully entrusting themselves to the Father’s care, and thus be able to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Let us continue our discussion regarding the disciples’ question to the Lord Jesus about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (18:1). In verse 3, which we have already discussed, Jesus does not immediately answer who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, He first emphasizes that unless one repents and becomes like a little child, he will not even enter the kingdom of heaven, nor reign with Him in the millennial kingdom on earth.

In verse 4, Jesus finally answers the disciples’ question regarding who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The Indonesian Bible (LAI) uses the word ‘and’, making it appear as if there are two criteria Jesus gives in verse 4—first, to humble oneself, and second, to become like a little child. The translation of the original text should read, ‘humble himself as a little child’. The Greek term translated ‘humble oneself’ here is ‘tapeinoō’, which means to humble oneself both in condition and in heart. Let us consider the meaning of ‘humbling oneself’ according to the context of Matthew chapter 18. We have seen that the context of Matthew 18 concerns the relationships among fellow members of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, humbling oneself here not only means having humility, but also one’s ‘condition’ before fellow members of the kingdom.

What is the meaning of one’s ‘condition’ before fellow members of the kingdom? Scripture explains very clearly why the church has fallen and become tens of thousands of denominations as we see today. The cause is the pride of certain church leaders. Paul explains the beginning or root cause of the church’s fall in Acts 20:28–30. The context of this passage is Paul’s address to the leaders (elders) of the church in Ephesus. In verse 29, Paul emphasizes that he knows—meaning what he says next is certain to happen after he leaves—namely, that fierce wolves will attack some leaders. This attack will cause some church leaders to draw disciples (members of the kingdom) away from the true path to themselves so that they become their followers (verse 30).

What does it mean to draw disciples away from the true path? Notice once more the goal of these leaders in verse 30: “so that they will follow them.” Therefore, the ‘true path’ referred to in this verse is being a follower of Jesus Christ alone. Church leaders must not draw disciples to themselves; they may only ‘equip’ the disciples (Ephesians 4:12). This is the meaning of the ‘condition’ of some leaders before members of the kingdom—drawing disciples to themselves.

Let us apply this matter of ‘humbling oneself’ before fellow members of the kingdom to the context of the Christian world. We know that the Christian world is essentially groups of disciples, some following one leader and some following another. Certainly, this is not only the responsibility of leaders who draw disciples, but also of church members who sometimes proudly mention the leaders they follow. Paul rebukes this behavior in 1 Corinthians 1:10–13.

Paul strongly opposes divisions in the church. For division in the church destroys the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9). There are cases where Paul says, “Be imitators of me.” But what he means is to follow Paul’s ‘example’ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Unfortunately, in the Christian world, drawing disciples is not only a PRACTICE by certain leaders but has become a DOCTRINE—the doctrine of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:15). The doctrine of the Nicolaitans is a teaching that justifies the ‘dominion of leaders over other members’. This doctrine divides the church into two classes: priest–laity (Catholic) and clergy–laity (Protestant). When it becomes a ‘doctrine’ and not merely a practice, it has been taught, widely accepted, justified, and no longer questioned. Whatever justification leaders may give, drawing disciples to themselves is an act of pride—not humbling oneself before fellow members, as Jesus taught.

Let us move on to the second point in the teaching of the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 18—do not be a ‘stumbling block’ to fellow members (verses 5–9). Matthew 18:6 affirms, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

The term ‘cause to stumble’ in this verse comes from the Greek ‘skandalizō’, meaning ‘to cause someone to sin’. But we must remember that the entire context of chapter 18 concerns relationships among members of the kingdom. Therefore, the meaning of ‘causing to stumble’ is making fellow members of the kingdom of heaven sin. Specifically, Jesus emphasizes those He calls ‘these little ones who believe in Me’.

This matter of ‘skandalizō’ is extremely serious among members of the kingdom. Jesus even states that any member of the kingdom who commits ‘skandalizō’ should be drowned in the sea. So serious is this matter that Jesus says if your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away (verse 8). Likewise, if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out (verse 9). Of course, this must not be interpreted literally; Jesus is emphasizing the seriousness of committing ‘skandalizō’.

Matthew 18:7 declares, “...for offenses must come, but woe to the one through whom they come.” This is consistent with what Jesus says about Judas: “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man who betrays Him. It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24). Likewise, the Lord has decreed that stumbling offenses will occur among members of the kingdom—but woe to the member who causes them.

We recall the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13). It is said that not only the Son of Man sows seed, but the devil also sows his. What is interesting is that wheat and tares are almost indistinguishable at first. Thus, the member of the kingdom who causes others to stumble is almost indistinguishable from one who does not, at least in the early stages. But at His coming, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks (skandalon) and all who commit lawlessness” (13:41). It is extremely serious for members of the kingdom who cause others to stumble, for they “will be thrown into the blazing furnace; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (13:42). Therefore, we must earnestly seek His grace so that we do not commit ‘skandalon’ or become stumbling blocks to fellow members in the kingdom, whether through our behavior or through our teaching.

Let us continue discussing the kingdom teachings in Matthew 18. It has been emphasized that there are five points of kingdom teaching in this chapter. We have discussed the first two, and now we will discuss the next two: third, do not despise even the smallest member, because the Father in heaven greatly values the smallest member and does not want them to go astray (verses 10–14); and fourth, if a member sins, he must listen to the church (verses 15–20).

Let us consider these two points. Verses 10–14 teach us not to despise even the smallest member of the kingdom, and that we must give special attention so that they do not go astray. Paul also teaches us to give special honor to the members of the Body who seem less honorable (1 Corinthians 12:23). This is emphasized because not only did the Son of Man come to save the lost, but the Father in heaven also greatly cares for the one who is lost and rejoices more over the one who is restored than over those who were not lost.

The next teaching is that we must rebuke our brother who sins (verse 15) privately. The purpose of rebuking is clear—to win him back, if he listens to you. If he does not listen, the rebuke must continue until it is brought before the congregation. The point is clear: do not let our brother be lost. In today’s age of information technology, this “private” rebuke is not always necessary, because anyone can teach errors or misleading ideas on social media, affecting many Christians, especially if they have many followers. In such situations, the member of the kingdom who is moved by God must publicly correct the error, in order to save the person and those who hear them.

In the Christian world, people often equate ‘rebuking/correcting’ with ‘judging’. Rebuking or correcting a fellow member is a command from God. Correcting someone is not judging them. The difference is this: judging is not only pointing out faults but also pronouncing sentence on our brother. In today’s fallen Christianity, judgment is reserved for organizational leaders who have ‘positional authority’ over their subordinates. We will discuss this further in Matthew 23 regarding “Moses’ seat,” because Jesus does not want ‘hierarchy’ (positional authority) in the church.

Verse 19 in this section states, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” This verse is not about prayer in general, because the context is prayer concerning the restoration of a sinning brother. Thus, if two members of the kingdom agree in prayer regarding anything related to the restoration of a sinning member, the Father in heaven will grant it. This shows how precious a lost member of the kingdom is in the sight of the Father.

Let us continue the kingdom teachings in chapter 18 and consider the final point, the fifth—namely, that we must forgive fellow members who wrong us wholeheartedly (verses 21–35). This final point begins when Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive a brother who sins against him. Jesus’ answer—“seventy times seven”—means we must always forgive. Jesus then explains why we must always forgive with a parable.

Matthew 18:23 says, “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.” Many kingdom parables in Matthew emphasize that there will be an accounting or judgment for all members of the kingdom on the last day. For example, the parables of the wheat and tares, the dragnet, the wise and foolish virgins, the talents, and the faithful and wicked servants—all of these teach us that there will be an accounting on the last day. As a result, some members of the kingdom will be accepted, and others rejected. In the parable we are discussing, what determines whether a member of the kingdom is accepted or rejected is whether he always forgives his brother wholeheartedly.

Generally, in the Christian world, there is difficulty in accepting the kingdom teaching that one member of the kingdom may be rejected while another may be accepted. One cause is slogans or expressions that are widely believed, such as “once saved, always saved,” “believe in Jesus, go to heaven,” and other sayings or teachings that prevent Christians from seeing the plan of the Father in heaven. If by God’s grace a Christian understands the plan of the Father, he will not struggle to understand the kingdom teachings proclaimed by Jesus and His apostles.

Let us step back briefly to consider the Father’s plan so that the parable about ‘forgiveness’ above can be better understood. Genesis 1:26–28 tells us that the focus of the Father’s plan is the earth, not heaven. His plan never changes, for He is God who does not change. His plan is that humanity should subdue everything that creeps on the earth. We know that ‘everything that creeps on the earth’ refers to the kingdom of the devil and his evil spirits. Man as an individual cannot subdue the devil’s kingdom; it must be a ‘kingdom of humans’ confronting the ‘kingdom of the devil’. That is why Jesus came as a man to establish His kingdom on earth. This is the plan of the Father—to establish the kingdom of the Messiah on earth in order to subdue the kingdom of the devil. The entire New Testament explains how the Father’s plan unfolds in establishing the Messiah’s kingdom on earth.

One crucial element in how the Father establishes the Messiah’s kingdom on earth is through ‘settling accounts’ with His servants, or with the members of the kingdom. If a member of the kingdom is rejected on the ‘day of accounting’, it means he will not take part in the Messiah’s

kingdom that will be established on earth. This does not speak of whether he is saved or not, nor whether he will be thrown into eternal hell forever, as taught in the traditional doctrine of eternal hell which many Christians widely accept. If there are members of the kingdom of heaven who are accepted on the day of reckoning, then they will take part in the Messianic kingdom that will be established on this earth. This Messianic kingdom will surely conquer the kingdom of the devil, because Jesus as the King has already defeated the devil. All human beings who are captives of the devil will be seized by Jesus and His kingdom. That is why Jesus said that He would draw all people to Himself (John 12:32).

Therefore, on the day of reckoning, the question will be whether Christians will take part in the Messianic kingdom that will be established on the earth or not. May this explanation of the Father’s plan help us better understand the parable about forgiveness above.

Before we enter the final section (the fifth section) of the teaching of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23–25), let us look at several cases or stories. For now we will discuss the case of a rich young man who asked Jesus about how to obtain eternal life (Matthew 19:16–26). In this case there is something very important that Jesus taught about the difference between ‘obtaining eternal life’ and ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’.

Let us first discuss ‘obtaining eternal life’. The young man begins with a question about what good deed he must do in order to obtain eternal life (verse 16). This question is certainly incorrect, because no human being can obtain eternal life through good deeds. That is why Jesus corrected this question with the statement that no one is good except God alone (verse 17).

However, in order to teach this young man that he could not obtain eternal life by his good deeds, Jesus continued by giving him a requirement to obtain life, namely obeying the Law of Moses (verses 17–19). The young man, so proud and unaware of his true condition, replied, “All these things I have kept; what do I still lack?” (verse 20). Jesus immediately exposed the young man’s inability by saying that he must be perfect, sell all he had, and follow Jesus (verse 21). Here the young man’s inability is revealed. It turns out he could not meet the requirement Jesus gave in order to follow Him. The young man was bound to his wealth, and thus he went away sorrowful (verse 22).

The lesson here is that obtaining eternal life (‘zoe’) cannot be achieved through good deeds, but only by believing in Jesus. This lesson is also shown in the people’s question to Jesus in John 6:28–29: “What must we DO…?” Jesus answered, “…that you BELIEVE in Him…” Throughout the Gospel of John there are many statements that by believing, one receives eternal life (‘zoe’). However, the ‘zoe’ received by believers is still only a “seed” and needs to grow. That is why John 10:10 emphasizes that we must receive ‘zoe abundantly’, meaning it must grow to maturity and bear fruit.

Then Jesus continued His teaching to His disciples about ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’ (verse 23). Jesus stressed how difficult it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, to the point that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The point is clear: for man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (verse 26).

Now we come to the important point in this section, namely the difference between ‘obtaining eternal life’ and ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’. In Christianity, these two matters — obtaining eternal life (‘zoe’) and entering the kingdom of heaven — are generally considered the same. A false statement that has long been accepted within Christianity is that BELIEVING IN JESUS GUARANTEES ENTERING HEAVEN. Jesus and His apostles never taught this. What is true is that BELIEVING IN JESUS GIVES ETERNAL LIFE (ZOE). Whether that zoe-life grows and bears fruit is an entirely different issue.

The parable of the sower, which we have discussed, explains that Christians who have believed in Jesus and received zoe-life (categorized as ‘rocky ground’ and ‘thorny ground’) do not grow and do not bear fruit. And other parables about the kingdom of heaven in the Gospel of Matthew — indeed the entire New Testament — also explain that NOT ALL CHRISTIANS WHO ARE BORN AGAIN WILL NECESSARILY BE ACCEPTED INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN THAT WILL BE FULLY ESTABLISHED ON EARTH. Jesus will come “the second time” as the righteous Judge to judge us all (the church). On that ‘day of reckoning’, everything will become clear.

It seems that the Christian world has indeed preached another gospel. Jesus and His apostles preached only one gospel, the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. THERE ARE NOT TWO GOSPELS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, ONLY ONE: THE GOOD NEWS (GOSPEL) OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. At His coming, Jesus and the citizens of the kingdom will fully establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. And the expansion of the kingdom of heaven on earth will not cease (Isaiah 9:6). The kingdom of heaven on earth will subdue all things so that the world moves toward the new earth and new heavens.

Let us continue the story in Matthew 19, where Peter asked Jesus: “…We have left everything and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?... Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (verses 27–28).

We have discussed the previous story about the rich young man in which Jesus stressed how hard it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus’ statement shocked the disciples, and therefore Peter asked what they would receive for following Him. Jesus affirmed that the disciples would receive a reward at the ‘renewal of all things’, namely sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Let us discuss the reward that the disciples of Jesus will receive. This reward is clearly given at the ‘renewal of all things’. The Greek word translated ‘renewal’ here is ‘palingenesia’, which appears only twice in the New Testament. The other occurrence is in Titus 3:5, translated by the Indonesian Bible as ‘rebirth’.

The concept contained in the term ‘palingenesia’ is broader than merely ‘rebirth’ or ‘renewal’. ‘Palingenesia’ also means ‘the restoration of all things’, and even ‘the ending of the old age and the beginning of the new’. Jesus used this term in the sense of the beginning of a total restoration process from the fallen first creation toward the new creation. And this process begins when He comes in His glory (commonly called the second coming) and gives rewards to His disciples.

In the case of the twelve apostles, their reward is sitting on twelve thrones and judging the twelve tribes of Israel. What about the reward for other disciples who follow Jesus? Revelation 20:4 affirms: “Then I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge…” The people mentioned here are the overcomers of the church throughout the ages. See Revelation 3:21: “To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne…” Thus, the overcomers in the church are the ones given authority to judge.

We must understand that the authority to judge given by Jesus to the overcomers is within the context of ‘palingenesia’, that is, within the context of ‘the renewal of all things’. So it does not mean judging in the sense of declaring condemnation. Consider Isaiah 26:9: “…for when Your judgments come upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Therefore, the authority to judge means the authority to carry out ‘the restoration of all things’, so that the world learns what is right.

The reward Jesus gives to His disciples is clearly based on each disciple’s deeds. Revelation 22:12 states: “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each person according to what he has done.” Nevertheless, all of this remains by the grace of God. Paul said that he worked harder than the others, but ‘not I’, he emphasized, ‘but the grace of God that was with me’ (1 Corinthians 15:10).

We are still discussing the reward of following Jesus, which is related to ‘entering the kingdom of heaven’. This matter is important because in Christianity there is a widely accepted belief that all born-again Christians will certainly enter heaven and will only stand before Christ’s judgment to determine the size of their reward. In other words, all born-again Christians will surely receive a reward and enter the kingdom of heaven. Is this true?

Before discussing rewards, we need to be clear about the stages of the Father’s plan in heaven in establishing His Son’s kingdom on earth. First, the kingdom of heaven came to earth in and through the person of Jesus Christ. At His coming, the church had not yet been born, which is why Jesus said, “I will build My church.” Second, through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit (the Spirit who gives ‘zoe’-life) was poured out upon 120 people in Jerusalem. This was the birth of the church, the ‘called-out ones’. The church becomes the instrument called to bring forth the kingdom of heaven on earth. Third, the kingdom of heaven will be fully manifested on earth at the second coming of Jesus. This is where the judgment of Christ takes place. The parables related to the second coming of Jesus in Matthew are the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant (Matthew 24), the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, and the parable of the talents (Matthew 25).

Let us pay attention to Paul’s statement related to the theme we are discussing. 1 Corinthians 3:14–15 says: “If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss, but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” From these verses we see that some Christians, whose service endures the test of God’s fire, will receive a reward. But others, whose service is burned up, will suffer loss, even though they will still be saved “as through fire.” In other words, some Christians will receive a reward; others will fail to receive a reward. This understanding aligns with the parables we mentioned above (Matthew 24–25), and it also aligns with the revelation of the kingdom of heaven throughout the New Testament.

Therefore, the belief that all born-again Christians will certainly receive rewards and enter the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth has no foundation in the revelation of the New Testament. The reward for Christians at the coming of Jesus is to reign on earth as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek. See Revelation 5:10, which speaks of this: “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

The event in which Christians receive their reward is explained by Paul in Romans 8:19–21: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God… the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” This is the event in which Christians receive their reward and are manifested on the earth with glorified bodies to liberate creation. This is also the meaning of entering the kingdom of heaven, not in the sense of “a faraway heaven,” but in the sense of the kingdom of heaven that will be fully manifested on earth. This is the beginning of the ‘restoration of all things’, or ‘palingenesia’, the renewal we have discussed.

Let us discuss a bit more about the reward of following Jesus. After Jesus answered Peter’s question about rewards, He continued: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” (Matthew 19:30). Then Jesus explained this statement through the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16).

This parable describes the kingdom of heaven as like a landowner seeking laborers for his vineyard. The parable is very simple, and we will not discuss the entire story, but we will take several important points from it.

First, the landowner — who of course represents the Father in heaven — acts very justly, especially toward the workers who came first. This is because he had already agreed with them on the wage of one denarius for the day. Second, the landowner has full freedom to use his belongings as he wishes (verse 15). This speaks of the sovereignty of the Father in heaven to do whatever He pleases. Third, the error of the workers who came first was that they grumbled against the landowner’s decision. There was envy in the hearts of the first workers. Because of this envy, the parable ends with the conclusion: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last” (verse 16).

In the teaching of the kingdom of heaven, the sovereignty of the Father in heaven is very important — indeed, it may be said to be the foremost. This sovereignty of the Father is evidence that everything is by His grace. There is nothing in humans that can be boasted. Paul also firmly said that whoever boasts should boast in the Lord, meaning boast in what God has done in us.

Let us take two verses to clarify what we are discussing. Luke 12:32 says: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 17:9–10, speaking of service, emphasizes: “Does he thank the servant because he did what he was commanded? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

The teaching of the kingdom of heaven — even our entire lives — becomes simple and easy when we see that everything has been predetermined by the Father in heaven. Psalm 139:16 also affirms the Father’s sovereignty in determining all things: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”

In Christianity there is a teaching about free will that has gone “too far.” To prove that humans have responsibility before God, it is claimed that they must have ABSOLUTE free will. This doctrine of “absolute free will” is also what gave birth to the myth about the fall of Satan, from a good angel (Lucifer) into an evil devil. We will not discuss all of that here.

However, by teaching that the Father in heaven determines all things, we do not deny that every creature possesses a will. Angels, humans, animals, and even trees all have a will. That is why Jesus ‘rebuked’ the fig tree that bore no fruit, because even though it was only a tree, it still had “responsibility” to bear fruit. Therefore, all of us must take responsibility because we have a will, but our ‘will’ is determined ENTIRELY by the Father in heaven.

Thus, even our “reward” is entirely determined by the sovereignty of the Father in heaven. Even whether we will take part in the kingdom of heaven that will one day be fully manifested on earth—this too is determined by the decision of the Father in heaven. For those of us who fully trust in the Father’s love, what we are discussing here is not difficult to accept.

We will now examine the story of Jesus and His disciples entering the city of Jerusalem and being rejected by the chief priests and the scribes (Matthew 21). This rejection by the Jewish leaders is recorded in Matthew 21:15: “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things He did, and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.” Of course, not everyone rejected Jesus. When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, the crowds welcomed Him, crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” However, since the Jewish nation as a whole was represented by its leaders who occupied “Moses’ seat,” the rejection by the leaders was regarded as the rejection of the entire nation of Israel.

There are several events in Matthew 21 that we need to note. First, Jesus cleansed the Temple, which had been turned into a den of robbers by the Jewish leaders (v. 13). Second, Jesus “rebuked” the barren fig tree, which symbolized the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 24:2,5,8). Third, the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders was exposed when they questioned Jesus’ authority. Jesus asked them about John’s baptism—was it from man or from heaven? And they lied, because they feared the people who regarded John as a prophet (vv. 25–26). All these events prove the corruption of the Jewish religious leaders, and for this reason they rejected Jesus as the Messiah.

Jesus then told two parables: the parable of the two sons and the parable of the tenants. These parables were directed at the Jewish leaders who rejected Him. The parable of the two sons explains that Israel, as the firstborn son (Exodus 4:22), did not do the Father’s will, while ‘tax collectors and prostitutes’, which can be understood as representing the church, did the Father’s will and thus entered the kingdom of heaven (v. 31).

The parable of the tenants was also directed at the Jewish leaders who rejected Him. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven would be taken away from the Jewish nation and given to a people (the church) who would produce the fruit of that kingdom (v. 43). In fact, the Jewish nation had been entrusted with the kingdom of heaven, though only in symbolic form (the Davidic kingdom as a symbol of the Messianic kingdom). But when the reality of the kingdom arrived in the person of Jesus, they rejected Him. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven was taken from them. Until today, the kingdom of heaven has not been given back to the Jewish nation because its leaders continue to reject Jesus as their Messiah.

The consequences of Israel’s rejection of Jesus were immense. In A.D. 70 the Temple was destroyed by General Titus, and since then there has been no Temple, which was the core of the Mosaic covenant. The synagogues scattered everywhere cannot replace the function of the Temple for Israel. Synagogues are merely places for gathering and studying the Law, but sacrificial ceremonies cannot be performed there.

What lesson does this hold for the church, which has now been entrusted with the kingdom of heaven? Has the church produced the ‘fruit of the kingdom’ for the Lord Jesus? Has the church manifested the kingdom of heaven on earth? These questions are extremely important for the church.

We continue our study with the parable of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1–14). Apparently, this parable continues Jesus’ conversation with the chief priests and the Pharisees in the previous chapter (21:23–46). Jesus begins the parable by saying that ‘the kingdom of heaven’ is like a king (the Father in heaven) who prepared a wedding banquet for his son (Christ Jesus).

The parable emphasizes that those who had already been invited refused to come for various reasons. Therefore, the king sent his servants to the crossroads to invite anyone they found. After the wedding hall was filled, the king entered to meet the guests and found one who was not wearing wedding clothes. It must be remembered that in Eastern custom, the host provided wedding garments for all guests. Thus, if someone refused to wear the garment provided by the host, it was considered an insult. For this reason, the king commanded his servants to bind the man hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness. The parable concludes with the statement, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (22:14).

This parable tells us that those who had been invited but refused to come represent the Jewish nation as a whole. They had been invited to the wedding banquet because they were bound to Yahweh through the Mosaic covenant. Meanwhile, those invited from the crossroads who entered the banquet hall represent the church. But not all within the church who are ‘called’ will partake of the wedding banquet, because only a few among the called are chosen.

The term ‘called’ means having been saved, born again, and having received the seed of Christ’s life (‘zoe’). Passages such as Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:2, and Ephesians 4:1 clearly show that ‘called’ means made holy—set apart for God’s purposes. But ‘chosen’ means becoming an overcomer who will reign with Christ (Revelation 17:14). Jesus said to His disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit…” (John 15:16). Thus, being called and being chosen are both acts of grace. The “wedding garment” in the parable is also provided by the host. Everything is grace.

Again, we see that not every born-again Christian will take part in reigning with Christ at His coming. Only those who have been granted grace to be called, chosen, and appointed to bear fruit will reign with Him during the millennial kingdom on earth.

We continue with Jesus’ question to the Pharisees who were gathered: “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is He?” They answered, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls Him ‘Lord’? For he says: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’ If then David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how can He be his son?” (Matthew 22:42–45).

In the preceding verses, Jesus had been tested by the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes with questions about ‘paying taxes to Caesar’, ‘the resurrection’, and ‘the greatest commandment’. He answered all of them perfectly, and when it was His turn to ask them a question, they could not answer.

Jesus’ question about the Messiah was meant to correct their concept of who the Messiah is. The Pharisees and scribes understood only the physical aspect—that the Messiah would be the son of David. Therefore, they expected a Messiah who would restore a physical kingdom like David’s, rebuild a physical Temple like David’s (though built by Solomon), deliver Israel from physical enemies, and bring earthly peace.

Such a physical understanding proves they did not grasp the nature of the Mosaic covenant (OT), which consisted of symbols, shadows, and prophecies. The awaited Messiah was to fulfill all those symbols, shadows, and prophecies. The Messiah would be the ‘reality’ of all OT symbols, shadows, and prophecies. Colossians 2:16–17 states, “… with regard to food and drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day; these are a shadow of the things that were to come, but the reality is Christ.” Colossians 1:27 also affirms, “… Christ in you…” Thus, Christ dwelling within the believer is the ‘real substance’ of all OT symbols, shadows, and prophecies.

Notice how the Pharisees equated the Messianic kingdom with the kingdom of David. Yet Jesus affirmed that David called the Messiah ‘Lord’. This means the Messiah is greater than David. Therefore, the Messianic kingdom belongs to a higher dimension than the Davidic kingdom. The Messianic kingdom is heavenly (the kingdom of heaven), while David’s kingdom was earthly (a physical kingdom). This is one of the main reasons the Jewish religious leaders (Judaism) rejected Jesus as their Messiah. While Israel expected deliverance from physical enemies—the Roman Empire at the time—Jesus came to deliver Israel from the bondage of sin, Satan, and evil spirits.

How about the Christian world today? Does Christianity fail to understand that Jesus fulfills all OT symbols, shadows, and prophecies? It appears that much of Christianity is not far different from the religious leaders of that time. Consider the nature of Christian worship today. Jesus said true worship must be in spirit and in truth (reality). This means that worship is the daily life led by Christ within the believer.

Whether a believer is led to work here or there, gather with fellow believers in this place or that, or simply gather with family at home—all must be done based on Christ’s inward leading. This is the real worship in spirit. But Christian worship today has become full of regulations: must do this, must do that… organizational rules, leaders’ rules, and even rules taken from the OT such as tithing, firstfruits, faith pledges, and so on. In essence, Christian worship has become similar to Jewish worship with its rituals and regulations.

As we know, the Gospel of Matthew contains five major divisions of teaching about the kingdom of heaven, while the rest consists of narratives about Jesus and the good news of the kingdom. Let us recall these five sections: first, Matthew 5:1–7:29 (the Sermon on the Mount); second, Matthew 9:35–11:1 (the commissioning of the twelve apostles); third, Matthew 13:1–52 (the seven parables of the kingdom); fourth, Matthew 18:1–35 (forgiveness and the parable of the unmerciful servant)—and we have discussed these four. We now enter the final section, the fifth, in Matthew 23–25—Jesus’ rebukes of the Pharisees and scribes, and His teaching on the end times and the judgment of God’s servants.

Let us begin with Matthew 23:1–12, which is the introduction to this teaching about the kingdom of heaven. Notice Matthew 23:1: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples.” In this teaching, Jesus is speaking to two groups: the crowds and His disciples. We must clearly see this distinction, because Jesus’ teachings differ between these two groups.

To the crowds, Jesus taught them to obey everything the scribes and Pharisees taught, because they sat on “Moses’ seat,” but they were not to imitate their actions (vv. 2–3). Jesus then explained why the crowds should not imitate the works of the scribes and Pharisees (vv. 4–7).

But starting in verse 8, Jesus spoke to His disciples, for the verse begins with, “But you…” If we carefully observe the context, we will see that Jesus was essentially speaking about “Moses’ seat.” It is this seat that caused Jesus to say the crowds must follow the Pharisees’ teachings, while His disciples were given completely different instructions because they were not under “Moses’ seat.” Understanding what Jesus meant by “Moses’ seat” is crucial.

What is “Moses’ seat”? It refers to the authority of Moses—meaning a religious authority that applied only under the Mosaic covenant (OT). For this reason, the crowds had to obey the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, regardless of their bad behavior. The authority of Moses that the scribes and Pharisees held is what required the crowds to obey their teaching.

But among Jesus’ disciples (the church), there must be no “Moses’ seat.” The church has its own authority. Jesus’ teaching to His disciples is very clear: THERE MUST BE NO AUTHORITY OTHER THAN THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS. We see here that Jesus’ authority over the church is not delegated to ‘church rabbis/teachers’, or ‘church fathers’, or ‘church leaders’. Jesus’ words in verse 8, “You are all brothers,” in context means there must be no “Moses’ seat” in the church. No religious office, no religious authority, no human leader’s authority may exist in the church apart from Jesus. JESUS HIMSELF DIRECTLY GOVERNS EVERY MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. In other words, THERE MUST BE NO RELIGIOUS OFFICE OF ANY KIND IN THE CHURCH.

Let us continue our discussion about “Moses’ seat” in Matthew 23:1–12. We have emphasized that “Moses’ seat”—a religious office or religious authority—applied only under the Mosaic covenant (OT) and not under the New Covenant (the church). Therefore, in the church there must be no “Moses’ seat,” no religious office, no religious authority, no authority of leaders, except the authority of Jesus. Jesus directly governs every member of the church through His own authority. Jesus never delegated His authority to leaders. The concept of delegated authority exists only in human governmental systems. So why does the modern church use the idea of delegated authority? This is what we will now examine.

There are two things we must understand clearly. First, how Jesus directly governs every member of the church. When Jesus said, “I will build My church,” it means He Himself will build His church. He Himself directly governs and builds His church. Of course, Jesus uses leaders as His instruments. For this reason, Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to EQUIP the church so that it may grow to maturity (Ephesians 4:11–12).

We must always remember that apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers HAVE NO AUTHORITY whatsoever over the members of the church. So how does Jesus exercise direct authority over His church? Through His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, Jesus has given The ‘Life-Giving Spirit’ to establish His church. On the day of Pentecost, when the Life-Giving Spirit was poured out, the church was born on this earth. Therefore, the authority of Jesus over His church is what we call ‘the Authority of the Life of Christ’. The Life of Christ (‘zoe’) directly governs every member of the church, because the church is an organism (the Body of Christ).

Colossians 2:19 explains to us how the church as an organism can grow: “and not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, through the joints and ligaments, being supplied and knit together, grows with the growth that is from God” (ILT). We see from this verse that the “joints and ligaments” are the leaders of the church (as an organism) who supply and knit the organism together so that the Body (the organism) can grow with ‘the growth of God’.

The Greek expression ‘auxano ho auxesis ho theos’, translated as ‘grows with the growth that is from God’, actually means ‘may increase with the increase of God’. The meaning is that through the function of the “joints and ligaments,” the church grows with GOD’S OWN GROWTH AS LIFE. The growth of the church is the growth of Life because the church is an organism. Thus, through the authority of Life within the organism, Jesus directly governs His church. The leaders merely function as “joints and ligaments” that supply and unify the Body. These leaders are what we call the ‘leaders of the organism’, as opposed to the ‘leaders of organizations’ within the Christian world.

If so, how did the church, which began as an organism, fracture into tens of thousands of organizations? We will discuss this in point two.

We continue to discuss whether leaders have authority over other church members. Why, in the Christian world, is there a notion of ‘delegated authority’, as if leaders possess an authority that can be delegated to subordinates? In the first point, we already explained that Jesus directly governs every member of His church through the authority of Life—His own authority—because Jesus is Life (I am the ‘zoe’). This is why the apostle John said, “But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you…” (1 John 2:27). The anointing within the inward being of every believer is the ‘zoe’ (the Life) that Jesus has given. This inward Life of Christ teaches Christians everything. Thus, through His Life, Jesus governs every member of the church, for each member lives being led by Life, or by the Spirit who gives Life.

If so, does the church not need leaders? Of course the church needs leaders, because Jesus Himself gives leaders to the church—but only to equip every member so that all the members may, in turn, build up the Body of Christ by obeying ‘the inward anointing’ (Ephesians 4:12; 1 John 2:27). In this way, the church remains in its essence an organism (a Body) directly governed by the authority of the Life of Christ, even though there are apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, elders/overseers, and deacons. This was the condition of the early church in the Book of Acts, where we find seventy expressions such as ‘led by the Spirit’, ‘the Spirit said’, ‘the Holy Spirit forbade’, and so on. All church members—including the leaders—were governed solely by the Holy Spirit, even as Paul called himself ‘a prisoner of the Spirit’.

Now we come to the second point: how did the church, which began as an organism, become divided into tens of thousands of organizations/denominations? The New Testament explains plainly the beginning of this process, though it is generally not taught by religious leaders in the Christian world. In fact, Christian religious leaders often obscure this by means of the false teaching of the ‘visible–invisible church’, or by claiming that denominations are ‘the church’.

The initial cause of why the church (as an organism) became tens of thousands of denominations is written in Acts 20:29–30: “I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from among your own selves will arise men who speak perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” The context of these verses is Paul’s farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus.

The earliest disease of the church’s downfall is clearly revealed in these verses: the attack of “savage wolves” upon some leaders. The motivation of the “savage wolves” is obvious—they do not spare the church (the flock), and their method is to attack the leaders who can be attacked. The impact of this attack is twofold: first, it caused certain leaders to teach FALSE TEACHINGS; second, they DREW disciples to follow them. Disciples who had previously followed the true way—that is, following the authority of Jesus by being led by the inward Life (the anointing John referred to)—were, after being DRAWN by these leaders, turned into ‘followers of the leaders’. Consequently, Jesus could no longer directly lead them. This is what has occurred in the Christian world. The tens of thousands of denominations are no longer the church built by Jesus, because multitudes of disciples follow this leader or that leader, this stream or that stream; therefore, the denominations are religious kingdoms established by leaders. Or, perhaps more accurately, each denomination is a leader’s kingdom with its respective followers.

We continue discussing Matthew 23:1–12 concerning the “seat of Moses,” yet it seems we must diverge briefly to discuss ‘the blessing of the Father in heaven’. Why so? Because to speak about the “seat of Moses” is to speak about religious leaders—both the religious leaders of Judaism and the religious leaders within the Christian world.

Many of Jesus’ rebukes toward the Jewish religious leaders in chapter 23 can also, in several cases, be applied to religious leaders within Christianity. And it has become a common view among Christians that ‘God’s blessings’ serve as proof that a person’s life is pleasing to God. We often hear statements such as: “See, he is blessed—there is the evidence… that means he is pleasing to God.” This is the issue that requires us to speak about the blessing of God before we continue to the discussion of the “seat of Moses.”

In truth, all humans have already been blessed by the Father in heaven. John 3:16 affirms that God so loved the whole world that He gave His only Son to remove the sin of the world. Jesus did not remove only the sins of Christians, but also the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). This is why John the Baptist said that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). If the Father in heaven has loved the world so greatly, how could He also be cursing the people of this world? Truly, the Father in heaven has blessed all people, but His blessing must not be used as evidence that He is pleased with the way each person lives.

The Father in heaven is a Father who blesses. Consider the following facts. Isaac was blessed, but Ishmael was also blessed (Genesis 17:20). Jacob was blessed, but Esau was also blessed (Hebrews 11:20). Both Ishmael and Esau were blessed by the Father in heaven; nonetheless, the Father made His covenant only with Isaac, and chose Jacob—not Esau. Therefore, the Father’s blessing cannot be used as proof that He is pleased with someone’s way of life.

Let us consider an example of an earthly father—Jacob, who blessed all his sons at the end of his life (Genesis 49). Verse 28 states, “… he blessed each one with the blessing appropriate to each.” When Jacob blessed all his sons at the end of his life, was this proof that all his sons pleased him? Certainly not. Likewise, the Father in heaven, who is the Father of spirits, blesses all humans simply because He is a loving Father.

Is the Christian world blessed by the Father in heaven? Of course. Not only the Christian world—indeed, the entire world is loved by the Father and blessed by Him, much more so the Christian world. But are all His children within Christianity walking in ways that please the Father? This is precisely what must be reflected upon: the blessing of the Father upon a Christian’s life is not proof that the Father is pleased with his way of life. The Father’s blessing merely proves that He is a loving Father.

In the parable of the prodigal son, both the younger and the older son are loved by the Father. This concept is difficult for many Christians to accept. Religious leaders in Christianity usually like to teach: if you give a tithe, you will receive financial blessings; if you attend services regularly, your faith will grow; if you pray much, you will receive many blessings; and so forth. This IF–THEN principle is indeed a religious principle—whether in Judaism or in Christianity, which has fallen into the state of being a religion.

The New Testament principle is not IF–THEN but ALREADY–THEREFORE. We have already been blessed; therefore, let us be a blessing. We are already salt and light; therefore, let us behave according to our identity as salt and light. If these explanations help us understand that the blessing of the Father cannot be used as evidence of His pleasure, then we are ready to continue the discussion concerning the “seat of Moses.”

It seems we still need to speak a bit more about the blessing of the Father in heaven before moving on to the “seat of Moses.” This is because Christians commonly believe that “all worldly pleasures come from the devil because the devil is the ruler of the world.” This statement is only half true. It is true that the devil is the ruler of the world in the sense of the ruler of the ‘kosmos’ (the system), but heaven and earth belong to the Father in heaven. Therefore, every pleasure experienced by humans in this world comes from the Father in heaven—it is the ‘blessing of the Father’.

Ecclesiastes 2:25 affirms, “For who can eat and who can have enjoyment apart from Him?” This verse clearly states that the enjoyment someone feels when eating comes from God—that is the blessing of the Father. Yet if a person steals the food he enjoys, then the devil works as the ruler of the ‘kosmos’, and the flesh (the old man) of the thief gives the devil opportunity to act. Thus, the devil cannot give enjoyment to humans, because the devil is only ‘a liar and a murderer’.

In the Christian world, it has become widely accepted—almost as truth—that the devil was once a good angel named Lucifer who rebelled against God and became the evil being he is. Even further, the story has been embellished with the claim that the devil drew a third of the angels with him.

To understand the blessing of the Father in heaven, we must know accurately who the devil actually is. Jesus states clearly in John 8:44 that the devil is a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies. Thus, the devil was not originally good and later became evil; he has been evil ‘from the beginning’. First John 3:8 also states that the devil has been sinning ‘from the beginning’.

If so, who created the devil, who has been a liar and a murderer from the start? Consider Genesis 3:1, which states that the “serpent” was made by the Lord God. The serpent there could speak, was cunning, and tempted Eve. This is obviously not a physical serpent like one at the zoo. The Book of Revelation, in symbolic language, explains that the serpent (or dragon) is the devil (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). Thus, the serpent of Genesis 3:1 is a symbol of the devil, and he was CREATED BY THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. The Father created a being named the devil to serve as His instrument for processing humans so that they might become His image and likeness.

Many Christians cannot understand why a loving Father would create such an evil being. Therefore, theologians began creating tales about the fall of the devil, misusing verses from Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28—passages that actually refer to the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre. Anyone can create dramatic stories by snatching verses out of context.

These theologians meant well: they wished to absolve God of responsibility for the existence of evil in the universe. According to them, evil, calamity, disaster, or anything that causes human suffering cannot come from the loving Father in heaven. Meanwhile, Isaiah 45:6–7 and Amos 3:6 explicitly state that calamity, misfortune, and darkness come from the Father and are done by Him.

These theologians did not stop with their tales but proceeded to invent the doctrine of absolute free will. Supposedly, since the Father in heaven has granted absolute free will to the angels, the devil rebelled freely against Him. This doctrine of absolute free will is terrifying. What if another angel suddenly rebels? What if the devil hits us on the head, and the Father cannot help us because He has granted the devil absolute free will? This doctrine utterly insults the sovereignty of the Father in heaven. The people of the Kingdom believe only that all things are FROM HIM, THROUGH HIM, caused by Him, and TO HIM—to His glory and His purposes.

We could speak at great length on this subject. But for now, it is enough to understand that every blessing, enjoyment, or anything obtained and experienced by humans comes from the Father—it is the blessing of the Father. The Jewish religious leaders were greatly blessed by the Father. All the pleasures the Pharisees and scribes enjoyed—wealth, position, and human honor—came from the Father and were His blessings to them. The question is not the blessings themselves but how they obtained money, position, and honor—through their ‘kosmos’ (religious system). This is what we will address later.

We have established that the church needs leaders, but these leaders possess no “seat of Moses” or any authority over other members. Now we will look into church history to see how the “seat of Moses” eventually entered the church.

History records that a man named Ignatius (A.D. 117) is regarded as the first to teach a distinction between elders (‘presbuteros’) and bishops (‘episkopos’). Ignatius, a church leader in Antioch (Syria), died as a martyr under Emperor Trajan. He wrote letters during his journey to Rome to be martyred. We will quote portions of his letters that reveal something deeply hidden within the flesh—namely, the desire to rule or to exalt oneself above God’s people.

Here are some quotations in English (so the meaning is clearer), from The Apostolic Fathers (1956) by J.B. Lightfoot:

* Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord himself (p. 65).

* Therefore as the Lord did nothing without the Father, (being united with Him), either by Himself or by the Apostles, so neither do you do anything without the bishop and the presbyters (p. 70).

* … submitting yourselves to your bishop and presbytery, you may be sanctified in all things (p. 64).

*Be obedient to the bishop (p. 72).

*He that does anything without the bishop and the presbytery and deacons, this man is not clean in his conscience (p. 74).

*Do all of you follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, and the presbytery as the Apostles (p. 84).

*He that does anything without the knowledge of the bishop renders service to the devil (p. 84).

In the book The History of Christianity, 1990, Lion Publishing, p. 83, Ignatius insisted that there must be one ‘bishop’ who leads each congregation in order to prevent divisions within the church and to ensure that right beliefs are preserved. Ignatius was a leader who followed the Lord until his martyrdom in Rome, but through this teaching the Body of Christ fell into human government with all its hierarchy and organization. When the movement begun by the Lord Jesus and His apostles as an organism became a solid organization, a new era in church history began—an era commonly called the ‘dark age of the church’.

Ignatius’ intention was good, for he desired that each congregation be preserved from false teachings by having one bishop leading it. But the question is: does the Bible teach that one leader should be exalted above the others, or that one person should have authority over the congregation?

Let us take one example: the elders (‘presbuteros’) and the bishops (‘episkopos’) are not distinguished at all and are used interchangeably. In Titus 1:5–7 it is written, “…that you should appoint elders (presbuteros) in every city… For a bishop (episkopos) must be a steward of God’s household…” It is clear here that ‘presbuteros’ is the same as ‘episkopos’. These two terms refer to the same person. Presbuteros means a mature person, while episkopos denotes his function as an overseer or watcher. Thus, a church leader must be mature and able to spiritually “see” the “savage wolves” that will attack the church.

Therefore, it is clear that Ignatius’ view that there must be one bishop who rules over the elders violates the Word of God. This violation continued so that among the bishops of each city there had to be an archbishop; among the archbishops, a cardinal; and among the cardinals, a pope. Thus the “seat of Moses” entered the church, and the dark age of the church came, in which hierarchy or human government ruled over the church.

Let us continue our passage on the “seat of Moses” (Matthew 23:1–12), and close it with the conclusion found in the last verse: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (v. 12). In understanding Scripture, the principle of context is extremely important. Without it, one may interpret ‘exalting oneself’ as referring to someone’s speech, appearance, friendliness, or anything that makes others think he is humble. Such an interpretation is wrong. Jesus is not speaking about someone’s words, appearance, ministry, wealth or poverty, or number of followers.

We need to discuss briefly the meaning of ‘context’. Context comes from two Latin words: con (together) and textus (woven), meaning something woven together. Applied to literature, context refers to the ‘connection of thoughts’ in a work or writing. This flow of thought must be discovered so that one does not interpret a verse—or even a single word—outside its context. The flow of thought in this passage is clearly about the “seat of Moses.” The “seat of Moses” clearly speaks of leadership authority, for Jesus commanded the crowds to obey the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees who sat in that seat. Thus, Jesus is speaking about leader authority.

We have also discussed that in the church there is no “seat of Moses” (vv. 8–10). So when Jesus speaks of ‘exalting oneself’, this is directly related to the issue of the “seat of Moses,” that is, the issue of leader authority. There are two types of leader authority described here: first, the authority of the scribes and Pharisees; second, the authority of church leaders.

The authority of the scribes and Pharisees over the crowds is clearly ‘positional authority’, or ‘hierarchical authority’, or authority based on rank within a hierarchy. This kind of authority must not exist in the church. This is the meaning of Jesus’ words to His disciples—that none of them should be called leader, rabbi, or father. All followers of Jesus are brothers, meaning that there must not be positional authority or hierarchical authority. Anyone who pays attention to the context—both within the passage and within Scripture as a whole—can easily understand this.

Therefore, what does Jesus mean when He says that whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted? Clearly, He means that any church leader who holds the “seat of Moses” is exalting himself.

Such church leaders will surely be humbled by Jesus. But this will take place at the judgment seat of Christ, where the church will be judged by Him. This is the clear meaning of Matthew 23:1–12.

Now we will compare Matthew 23:1–12 on the “seat of Moses” with Matthew 20:20–28 on the request of the mother of James and John. The reason for comparing these passages is that both speak of a “seat.” The first about the “seat of Moses,” the second about the “seat of the heavenly kingdom.”

Consider the request of the mother of James and John: “Jesus said, ‘What do you want?’ She said to Him, ‘Command that in Your Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left’” (20:21). To sit in the kingdom of Jesus obviously refers to “heavenly seats.” Clearly, this mother’s concept of “the seats of the heavenly kingdom” was very earthly. Perhaps she imagined Jesus’ kingdom to be like David’s kingdom, with close associates sitting beside his throne. Perhaps she imagined that if her sons received power and authority, she too would receive glory.

We will later see that this mother’s understanding is not very different from that commonly found among leaders in the Christian world. Let us demonstrate this. Are not organizational positions or hierarchical ranks in Christian institutions commonly fought over by leaders? Consider the common causes of division in Christianity—are they not because leaders fight over position? And indeed, such divisions will continue as long as the “seat of Moses” exists. Each leader wants the highest position. Why? Because sitting on the “seat of Moses” brings money, facilities, and the respect of the people.

Let us look at three points of Jesus’ response:

First, the church is not like the governments of the nations (20:25). In the church, which is an organism, all are brothers, and the authority at work is the authority of the Life (zoe) of the organism—that is, Jesus Himself, because He is the Life of the church. Therefore, there must be no “seat of Moses” in the church. Some leaders may argue that positions and hierarchy are only tools. True—they are tools… but not tools in the hands of Jesus; rather, tools in the hands of leaders who act as managers of the organization. Indeed, organization is one of the tasks of a manager. But again—there must be no managers in the church; all are brothers. Jesus does not need an organization to govern His church. He governs each member directly through His own Life.

Second, church leaders are free people who become servants to other members (20:26–27). The difference between a servant and a manager needs no explanation.

Third, Jesus as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. This is the example for us who follow Him.

As a closing for this part, consider verse 23: “…it will be given to those for whom My Father has prepared it.” The Father in heaven has prepared those who will “sit on the seats” of the heavenly kingdom. Luke 12:32 states, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.”

Before we discuss Jesus’ rebukes to the Jewish religious leaders in Matthew 23:13–36, let us summarize our study so far on the difference between the “seat of Moses” and the “seat of the heavenly kingdom.” The religious leaders who sat on the seat of Moses clearly had authority over the crowds, so their teaching had to be obeyed. Meanwhile, Christians prepared by the Father to sit on the seats of the heavenly kingdom are ‘servants’ (doulos=slave or servant, Matthew 20:27). Here doulos means servant to God’s people, not servant before God. Thus, the “seat of the heavenly kingdom” is the seat of a servant, and those prepared by the Father to sit there are those who have no authority over God’s people. They do not draw God’s people to themselves as followers, nor exercise authority over them.

Those who receive the grace to sit in the heavenly seat surely understand that the Christian world is the fallen early church, corrupted by the entrance of the “seat of Moses.” The leaders of Christianity are those who sit on the “seat of Moses.” We all understand that they are not doulos—servants—to God’s people. They are managers who govern God’s people with authority they possess because they sit on that seat. The authority of Christian religious leaders over God’s people is clearly ‘illegal authority’. But today it is widely accepted in Christianity, even taught as doctrine. Truly, this is the false teaching of Jezebel described in Revelation 2–3, where Jezebel usurped King Ahab’s authority in the case of Naboth’s vineyard. Likewise, these Christian leaders “usurp” the authority of Jesus over His people.

Now we are ready to examine Jesus’ rebukes to the Jewish religious leaders (Matthew 23:13–36). We needed first to discuss how the “seat of Moses” entered the church because Jesus’ rebukes are directed to religious leaders. To what extent these rebukes apply to Christian leaders today we leave to Jesus, who will judge us all. Our part is to uncover and convey what Scripture says.

There are eight rebukes of Jesus that begin with the phrase “Woe to you… you hypocrites,” except in verse 16, where the word ‘hypocrites’ does not appear. Thus, seven times Jesus uses the term ‘hypocrites’ for the Jewish religious leaders. Let us see what Jesus means by this term. The Greek word for ‘hypocrite’ is ‘hupokrites’, meaning someone who plays a role that is not truly himself—acting or pretending. We will note three forms of their pretense:

First, they pretend to be spiritual by deceiving people with long prayers (23:14).

Second, they pretend to be clean, cleaning the outside while inside are full of robbery and greed (23:25).

Third, they pretend to be righteous, appearing righteous externally but full of hypocrisy and lawlessness inside (23:28). Jesus likens their hypocrisy to a “tomb”—beautiful outside but within full of bones and all uncleanness (23:27).

One major characteristic of these religious leaders is hypocrisy. They pretend to be spiritual (23:14), pretend to be clean (23:25), pretend to be righteous (23:28). Their hypocritical behaviors naturally lead their teachings to be external and not inward.

Let us take one example of their outward-focused teaching. Matthew 23:23 states, “…for you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, but neglect the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These you should have done without neglecting the others.” These religious leaders emphasized tithing rituals, but neglected the inward condition of the heart—mercy, justice, and faithfulness. Their outward teachings and behaviors matched their goal—to be seen by others (v. 5).

Their outward religion is like cleaning the outside of a cup and dish while inside are full of greed and self-indulgence (v. 25). God is concerned with the inward condition and heart. The saints in the Old Testament were people who had faith and love for Yahweh and expressed this by obeying the Law. They were not people who obeyed the Law without faith or love, for in every age Elohim seeks faith. The saints in every age are people of faith. But the Pharisees and scribes in Jesus’ time cared only about outward forms of worship and ignored inward matters. This is the chief characteristic of their behavior and teaching—externality, neglecting the inward.

Let us apply this matter to the Christian context. Jesus said that worship must be in ‘spirit and truth’ (John 4). Worship in spirit means worship must be inward. Paul prophesied that in the last days Christians will have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). Many perform outward forms—attending church buildings, giving certain offerings, performing rituals—yet inwardly they are empty, with no spirit burning for the Lord.

Next, worship ‘in truth’, or worship ‘in reality’, means worship that is not in symbols, rituals, and shadows, as worship was in the context of the Old Testament. All regulations concerning food, drink, festivals, new moons, Sabbaths, and others in the context of the Old Testament were merely shadows, while the reality is Christ within (Colossians 2:16–17).

Therefore, worship in spirit and truth is worship in the sense of following the inward leading of Christ in our daily lives. Christian worship is not ritualistic, outward, nor filled with regulations of ‘must this’ and ‘must that’, as in the Old Testament context. But let us reflect on the main characteristics of the teachings of religious leaders in the Christian world: are they inward or outward?

Now we will discuss the second characteristic of these Jewish religious leaders—blindness. Certainly, Jesus did not mean physical blindness, but spiritual blindness, so that they could not “see” the matters of God (Elohim).

Let us examine the blindness of these Jewish religious leaders. First, their blindness caused them to be unable to distinguish what is more important and what is not (23:16–22). They did not understand that the Temple is more important than the gold of the Temple (vv. 16–17). They also did not understand that the altar is more important than the offering on it (vv. 18–19).

Second, their blindness caused them to strain out “a gnat” and swallow “a camel” in their drink (vv. 23–24). We have discussed that they practiced tithing, but neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Some religious leaders in the Christian world “pick out” this verse to prove that Jesus

commands the tithe to His church. These leaders completely fail to “see” the context of the verse. In this verse, it is clear that Jesus is speaking to Jewish religious leaders connected to the Mosaic Covenant, not speaking to His disciples (the church) who are connected to the New Covenant. Why is such an ‘obvious’ truth something they cannot see?

Third, the blindness of the Pharisees and scribes caused them to clean only the outside of the cup and dish, while neglecting the inside (vv. 25–26). The disease of these religious leaders is that they love the honor of man more than the honor of God (Elohim), so their deeds are aimed at being seen by others.

Let us now discuss more deeply this spiritual blindness. The church in Laodicea was also blind, thinking they were rich and lacking nothing, while in fact they were blind (Revelation 3:17–18). Their sickness was because their “eyes” were not anointed with the “oil” of the Holy Spirit. Let us also consider the case of the prophet Balaam, whose donkey had sharper vision than he did. The donkey had already seen the Angel of the Lord, while Balaam—who loved the wages of unrighteousness—could not see Him. The Pharisees and scribes are also said to “devour widows’ houses,” which clearly refers to taking money from the weak—perhaps through tithes, temple taxes, or other means—while they themselves lived in abundance (v. 14). Indeed, the Pharisees were lovers of money (Luke 16:14). It seems that love of money, or receiving payment for ministry, causes leaders to become blind. A prophet who ought to be a “seer,” and church leaders (episkopos = overseer = seer), who ought to see the attacks of “fierce wolves” upon the flock, become blind and dull because they love the wages of ministry.

Another point we should add here is that the key to seeing ourselves or seeing the condition of God’s people is seeing the Lord (Isaiah 6:1, 5). Here, Isaiah received grace to see Him. Everyone is born “blind.” May we receive His grace to see the Lord, and therefore come to know ourselves and the condition of God’s people.

Now let us discuss the next characteristic of these Jewish religious leaders written in Matthew 23:33: “You serpents, you brood of vipers! How can you escape the sentence of hell?” Jesus calls the Jewish religious leaders who “sit in Moses’ seat” serpents and a brood of vipers, and says they cannot escape the judgment of hell.

There are several things we need to understand here so that we may apply Jesus’ words to our present condition. For if Jesus’ words have no relevance to us today, what purpose is there in having them written in Scripture? His words must be applicable to the Christian world, but we must first understand what Jesus meant.

First, we must understand that Jesus was not insulting the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus never insulted any human being, for He loves all people just as the Father in heaven does. Second, the serpent Jesus referred to is obviously not a physical serpent like those seen in zoos, because it is said that these human religious leaders are the offspring of serpents. Third, therefore, Jesus calling the Pharisees and scribes the offspring of serpents reveals a truth or a reality—as it is. Indeed, they truly were the offspring of vipers.

If so, who is the serpent Jesus meant? John 8:44 clearly states that the devil is the father of these Jewish religious leaders. Jesus also reveals here the identity of the devil—he is a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies. It was proven that Jesus was killed by the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus was not killed by Pontius Pilate and the Roman soldiers. They were merely instruments in the hands of the Jewish Sanhedrin, headed by the High Priest Caiaphas, because the Sanhedrin did not have permission from Rome to execute someone regarded as a deceiver.

Now we come to a very important question—what did the devil do to these Jewish religious leaders? Let us first look at the case in which Jesus rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). In that verse Jesus explains why He said this to Peter: “You are not thinking about the things of God, but the things of man.” We know that Peter’s action came from his affection for Jesus, not wanting Jesus to be killed by the elders, chief priests, and scribes. So Peter was thinking “good thoughts” about Jesus, but these were human thoughts. Here the devil sowed “seeds” of good human thoughts into Peter, which were contrary to the will of the Father in heaven.

Thus, the devil sowed his “seed” into these Jewish religious leaders—whether humanly good thoughts, hatred, or anything else. The clear purpose of the devil is deception unto destruction, for that is his identity.

Before applying this discussion to the Christian world, let us recall the parable of the ‘Wheat and the Tares’, which we have already discussed, where the devil also sows his seed. We see that both tares and wheat are within the kingdom of heaven, and the Lord allows them to grow together. Only at His appointed time—at the coming of Christ—will the Lord separate the tares from the wheat.

In the Christian world there are “tares” sown by the devil and “wheat” sown by Jesus. Revelation 2–3 explains to us that the “seed” sown by the devil includes the false teachings of Jezebel, Balaam, and the Nicolaitans, which have been widely accepted in Christianity. At the coming of Jesus, these “tares” will be cast into the furnace of fire, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 13:42). For now, it is not yet the time for Christians to know who is “tare” and who is “wheat.” What is clear is that both “tares” and “wheat” are born-again Christians and members of the kingdom of heaven. All are in the Lord’s field. At the coming of Christ, all will be made clear.

After Jesus finished rebuking the Jewish religious leaders, He declared, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you… Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, from now on you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:37–39). Here Jesus affirms that the “house” of the Jewish nation is left desolate until they finally welcome Him who comes in the name of the Lord. Because the Jewish nation as a whole rejected Jesus as the Messiah, He left the Temple and began teaching several matters to His disciples. This teaching is commonly called the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25).

Jesus’ teaching was in response to His disciples’ question: “…Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Jesus’ teaching in chapters 24–25 speaks about the Jewish nation, about the nations, and also about His coming.

Let us begin discussing His coming. In the Christian world, the expression “the second coming of Jesus” has become very popular. From this expression arises an understanding of a “physical coming” of Jesus—first physically 2,000 years ago, visible to physical eyes, and then a “second time” physically, again visible to physical eyes. In reality, the New Testament never uses the expression “second coming,” nor “the second coming of Jesus.” This “physical” understanding causes us to miss the essence of His coming. We have written about the coming of the Lord elsewhere; here we will only highlight some points necessary for grasping the essence of Jesus’ coming.

There are six Greek terms translated as ‘coming’ in the New Testament. They are:

1. PAROUSIA. This term appears 24 times in the NT and comes from the verb ‘pareimi’, meaning ‘to be present’. The noun means presence. Parousia never refers to the act of coming or arrival, but to the presence of someone who has already come. The term is never used for a physical coming of the Lord. Thus, Parousia means presence. Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is present. That is His PRESENCE. That is His COMING.

2. APOKALUPSIS. From ‘apokaluptō’, meaning ‘to uncover’, indicating a revelation—something formerly hidden being unveiled.

3. EPIPHANEIA. Appears six times. From a verb meaning ‘to bring to light’ or ‘to appear’. The noun means ‘manifestation’. It expresses the manifested glory and splendor of the Lord’s coming.

4. PHANEROO. Meaning ‘to make visible’ or ‘to make apparent’, not in the sense of physical sight, but perceptual revelation.

5. ERCHOMAI. Used for the actual act of coming. Unlike ‘parousia’, which denotes presence, ‘erchomai’ refers to arrival. It is used in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming (an act of coming) with the clouds…”

6. HEKO. This term emphasizes arrival at a particular place, as in Revelation 2:25: “Hold fast what you have until I come.”

These six Greek terms do not indicate six different kinds of comings, but different emphases that help us correctly understand what a passage means when speaking of the Lord’s coming. For now, it is enough to understand that His coming does not have to be physical.

We continue our discussion of the Lord’s coming. As we have seen from the six Greek terms, His coming does not have to be physical. Let us look at an example from Matthew—part of our passage—Matthew 24:27: “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

This verse seems to say that the coming of the Son of Man is a sudden event in the sky, with His coming flashing like lightning from east to west. But that is not the meaning. The key lies in the Greek term translated ‘lightning’, ‘astrapé’. Strong’s defines it as ‘a flash of lightning, brightness, luster’, derived from ‘astraptō’, meaning ‘lightning; by analogy, glare’. Scholars understand the term to refer to the ‘shining rays’ of a source of light, not a physical flash of lightning leaping from one location to another. If the Lord’s coming were like lightning flashing in one particular place, it would contradict verses saying ‘every eye will see Him’.

Before drawing our conclusion, let us reflect: What light shines from east to west? Is it not sunlight? And we know that the Lord is a sun to us (Psalm 84:11–12). His light illuminates our spirit, soul, and body so that all are preserved completely…

Thus the verse should be understood: “For as the lightning shines from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the PRESENCE (Parousia) of the Son of Man.” This means His PRESENCE is like sunlight growing ever brighter, shining upon our entire being. The presence (parousia) of the Lord continues within us until our entire being is fully saturated with Him.

Here again we see that the concept of the Lord’s coming is not physical. His coming is an inward matter. If our understanding of the Lord’s coming is a physical descent of Jesus visible to physical eyes, we lose much of the true meaning of His coming. It is time to see the ESSENCE of the Lord’s coming—it occurs spiritually within our inner being.

Thus, the Lord’s coming is progressive—ongoing and advancing, deeper and deeper, until the Father’s entire plan is fulfilled: the new heaven and the new earth. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come. Where two or three gather in His name, there He is (Parousia).

By stating that the Lord’s coming occurs inwardly in our spirit, we do not mean that His coming, which marks the ‘end of the age’, is something occurring only in the spiritual realm. Next, we will discuss what will take place on earth at His coming, as explained in Matthew 24.

We continue our discussion of the Lord’s coming. As we have seen from the six Greek terms, His coming does not have to be physical. Let us seeing an example that speaks about His coming in the book of Matthew—which is part of our current discussion—namely Matthew 24:27, which says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

At first glance, the verse above seems to say that the coming of the Son of Man is like a sudden event in the physical sky, where His coming happens like lightning flashing from east to west. That is not what this verse intends to say. The key to understanding this verse lies in the Greek term translated “flashes of lightning,” namely ASTRAPE. Strong’s defines it as ‘a flash of lightning, brightness, luster’, where ASTRAPE comes from ASTRAPTO, meaning ‘lightning; by analogy, glare’. Scholars understand this Greek term as referring to a ‘bright ray’ from a source of light, and not a sudden lightning bolt that strikes from one location to another. If the Lord’s coming were like a lightning flash, meaning it occurs only in one specific location, then it would contradict other verses that say “every eye will see Him.”

Before we draw any conclusions about the meaning of this verse, let us consider: what light shines from east to west? Is it not the light of the sun… and we know that the Lord is our sun (Psalm 84:11). His light illuminates our spirit, soul, and body, so that our whole being is preserved perfectly…

Therefore, this verse should be translated as: “For as the lightning flashes from the east and shines to the west, so will be the PRESENCE (Parousia) of the Son of Man.” This means that His PRESENCE is like sunlight that grows continually brighter, shining upon our entire being. Thus, the Lord’s presence (parousia) continues progressively within us until our whole being is fully saturated by Him.

Again, we see here that the concept of the Lord’s coming is not physical. The Lord’s coming is an inward matter. If our understanding of the Lord’s coming is that Jesus descends from heaven in a way visible to physical eyes, then we have lost much of the true meaning of His coming. It is time for us to see the ESSENCE of the Lord’s coming, which occurs spiritually within our inner being.

Therefore, the Lord’s coming is progressive, meaning ongoing and advancing—deeper and deeper—until the entire plan of the Father is fulfilled, namely the New Heaven and the New Earth. The Lord has come, is coming, and will come. Where two or three gather in His name, there the Lord is present (Parousia).

By stating that the Lord’s coming happens inwardly within our spirit, this does not mean that His coming—which marks “the end of the world”—is something that happens only in the spiritual realm. Next, we will discuss what happens on earth at His coming, as explained in Matthew 24.

We continue with the ministry of the seventh angel who pours out his bowl into the air (Revelation 16:17–21), where this ministry is related to the judgment of “Babylon.” Indeed, the explanation of the seventh angel’s ministry regarding “Babylon” continues until chapter 18, and is concluded with the “song of victory in heaven” in Revelation 19:1–5. Why is this section so long? Because after the judgment of “Babylon” is completed, the ‘marriage of the Lamb’ can take place. The true Bride of Christ must be prepared and revealed (19:7). For after the ‘marriage of the Lamb’, the kingdom of Christ (Head and Body) begins to judge and wage war in righteousness to restore all things (19:11–16). It is this kingdom ministry of Christ that ultimately brings forth the New Heaven and New Earth, where there is no more ‘death’, which is the wages of sin (21:4).

Let us now enter into this judgment of Babylon. Revelation 17:1 affirms: “And one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters’” (ILT). Who is this “great harlot” who will be judged? Revelation 17:18 confirms that the woman John saw is a “great city,” and that great city is Babylon (18:2). Thus, the “harlot woman” IS the “great city,” namely Babylon.

We must remember that the city of Babylon described in Genesis 10–11 was a literal city that truly existed in history. Meanwhile, the “city of Babylon” in Revelation is a symbol. We can know the meaning of a symbol by considering its historical background. Babylon was one of the kingdom cities built by Nimrod (Genesis 10:8–10). Nimrod was the first person to rule on earth and was “a mighty hunter before the Lord…” (Genesis 10:9).

Many people assume that this means Nimrod served and lived ‘before the Lord’ (Gen. 10:9). But we have seen that Strong’s Concordance reveals that the Hebrew term PANIM, translated ‘before’, has a wide range of meanings. In Genesis 10:9—as in Numbers 16:2—the Hebrew PANIM, translated ‘before’, can literally mean ‘in rebellion against’. And according to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the name Nimrod means ‘he who made all men rebel against God’. The ILT (Indonesian Literal Translation) Bible even gives a footnote for ‘before’, explaining it as ‘stubbornly against’. We may conclude that Nimrod was one who rebelled against God, and Nimrod built his own kingdom, one of which was Babylon.

The harlot woman and the city of Babylon seen by John carry the same meaning. Both symbols refer to the ‘church’, but the church that will be judged. The church symbolized as the “harlot woman” or “city of Babylon” is judged so that the true Bride of the Lamb may appear.

We have emphasized that the essence of the coming (Parousia = presence) of the Lord Jesus occurs ‘spiritually within our inner being’. This does not mean that His presence affects only the spiritual realm. Now we will examine the coming of the Lord Jesus as written in Matthew 24:29–30: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

The coming of the Lord Jesus here is the same as the end of the world (24:3). But we must understand the meaning of “the end of the world,” because otherwise we will imagine the total destruction of the earth. Imagine the stars falling from heaven, the sun darkened, the moon not giving light—surely we would imagine the earth utterly destroyed. But that is not the meaning of these verses.

We must examine the writings of the apostle John regarding the meaning of “the end of the world,” because John’s writings use the term ‘world’ with a highly important theological meaning. The term ‘world’ (Greek: ‘kosmos’) means a system. In dictionaries, a system means a group of elements that work together according to a certain order. In today’s world, there are political, economic, social, and religious systems. All these systems are interrelated, because the ruler of this system is the devil (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 1 Corinthians 2:6, 8; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12).

If so, what is the meaning of the end of the world? The end of the world means the end of the system ruled by the devil, and its replacement by another system. Consider the following verses in Revelation: Revelation 3:21, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne…” Revelation 5:10, “And You have made us kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the

earth” (ILT). Revelation 20:4, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was committed to them…” From these verses, we understand that the end of the world (the end of the system) means that the old system, currently ruled by the devil, is taken over by His overcomers, who function as kings and priests. Jesus is the King of kings and the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, leading the priests. Thus is the meaning of the “end of the world,” where the old system ruled by the devil is replaced with a new system ruled by Jesus and His overcomers.

Therefore, the meaning of the stars falling from heaven, the sun being darkened, the moon not giving light, should not be taken literally. Stars, the sun, and the moon are symbols of rulers of the old world-system. The old system is shaken at the coming of the Lord Jesus. It is also emphasized that the Son of Man comes on the clouds. Throughout Scripture, when the term “cloud” appears in singular form, it refers to the cloud of the Lord’s glory, but when it appears in plural form—clouds—it refers to the witnesses or the saints. Thus, the coming of the Lord Jesus occurs ‘in and through His overcomers’. This is the meaning of “the Son of Man coming on the clouds.” Paul explains this event in Romans 8:19–21.

We have seen that the coming of the Lord Jesus (commonly called “the second coming”), or the end of the world, means the replacement of the old system ruled by the devil with a new system where Jesus and His overcoming church exercise the function of kings and priests on earth. Observe Revelation 11:15: “Then the seventh angel sounded, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His anointed, and He shall reign forever and ever.’” The Indonesian translation (LAI) uses a capital ‘His’, as if referring to Jesus Christ. But it should actually be lowercase ‘his’, referring to the overcoming church. This aligns with other verses in Revelation that state that Jesus and His overcomers will reign in the coming age.

Let us now consider the words of Jesus—or the prophecies of Jesus—concerning His coming. First, nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes (24:7). For the Jewish people, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple would occur, which was fulfilled in AD 70. And the gospel of the kingdom must be proclaimed to all nations as a testimony (24:14).

Second, Jesus says that the coming of the Son of Man will be as in the days of Noah (24:37–42). For those who hold to the doctrine of the “rapture,” this passage is often used as evidence that at His coming, the saints will be “taken up” to meet the Lord, while the wicked are “left behind” on earth.

But if we examine this passage carefully, the opposite is actually true. Those “taken away” from the earth by the flood were the wicked, while Noah and his household were saved from the flood and returned to earth, for the earth is indeed the inheritance of the meek (Matthew 5:5).

Third, Jesus affirms that no one knows when the Son of Man will come—that is, when the end of the world will occur. Therefore, Jesus advises us to be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour we do not expect (24:44). How do we stay ready? By being faithful and wise servants, always carrying out the task of giving food to God’s people. Faithfulness refers to our attitude toward God, while wisdom refers to our attitude toward His people.

Jesus also warns the wicked servants, who beat their fellow servants and eat and drink with drunkards. “Beating” here does not necessarily mean physical violence, but treating fellow servants unjustly. Eating and drinking are normal activities, but eating and drinking with drunkards indicates living a hedonistic lifestyle. Servants influenced by prosperity teachings will inevitably lean toward ‘hedonism’—the view that worldly pleasure and material enjoyment is life’s goal. Jesus warns these wicked servants that at His coming He will assign them a portion with the hypocrites (24:51).

We now continue our discussion about what will happen at His coming to earth. We know that the purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth is to establish His kingdom. That is why Jesus proclaimed only the good news of His kingdom (the kingdom of heaven) and taught us to pray for His kingdom to come to earth. Matthew 25:1 emphasizes, “At that time…” meaning that at His coming, the matters of the kingdom of heaven that will be established on earth will be like the ‘wise and foolish virgins’, also like the ‘servants entrusted with talents’, and the ‘separation of the nations’.

Let us begin with the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Of course, this story is a parable. Whom do the virgins represent? The virgins clearly represent the saints who believe in Jesus and are born again. Several reasons can be given here. First, throughout Scripture, virgins always represent believers. Sinners are never depicted as virgins. Second, sinners do not long for the coming of the Lord Jesus, as these virgins do. Third, sinners do not possess lamps (light), nor oil (the Holy Spirit). Fourth, sinners would not hear the voice saying ‘the bridegroom is coming’, much less go out to meet Him as all the virgins do in this parable. Thus, it is clear that all the virgins represent born-again believers. The only difference is that some are wise and some are foolish.

What distinguishes these true Christians (the virgins) so that some are called wise and others foolish? Verse 3 explains that the foolish virgins brought their lamps, but did not bring oil. The lamp here refers to the human spirit (Proverbs 20:27), and the “oil” symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The foolish virgins did not prepare oil so that their lamps could continue burning, while the wise virgins prepared oil so that when the bridegroom came, their lamps were still burning.

Thus, from the story above, how do we distinguish foolish Christians from wise Christians who await the coming of the Lord Jesus? Notice that the difference lies only in whether their “lamp” continues to burn or not. Wise Christians always “provide/allow” the Holy Spirit to work in their spirit, so that their spirit remains burning for the Lord. Foolish Christians, although their spirits burn at first, do not endure. Over time, foolish Christians eventually “grow dim,” and their spirits no longer burn for the Lord.

Now we come to a very important question: how can the Christian spirit remain continually burning for the Lord? Let us look at the example of the early church, for the early church is written in the book of Acts to serve as an example for us. In the book of Acts, which has only 28 chapters, we find expressions such as “hearing the voice ‘Spirit’, ‘the Spirit whispers’, ‘led by the Spirit’, ‘the Spirit forbids’, and so on—such expressions appear about 70 times. This means that ALL early Christians, both their leaders and their members, were led by the Holy Spirit. That is why all members of the early church were always burning with zeal for the Lord.

Let us look at the condition of the Christian world today. We are certainly aware that there are many “ID-card Christians” who have not been born again. However, we are not talking about these “ID-card Christians”. What we are discussing are born-again Christians (“the virgins”) within the Christian world. The ESSENCE of the fall of the Christian world is the SEIZURE of the Holy Spirit’s authority over ALL church members by its LEADERS (Acts 20:30). When the Holy Spirit’s authority over the church members is taken away, the members no longer LISTEN DIRECTLY to the voice of the Holy Spirit. No longer can all church members be led by the Holy Spirit as in the early church. Some Christians listen to and follow one leader, while others follow another. These leaders have created “boxes” of denominations, causing their members to no longer be directly led by and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. Such behavior from leaders in the Christian world has created “foolish” Christians whose spirits no longer burn for the Lord. The “lamp” of these foolish Christians goes out because they run out of the “oil” of the Holy Spirit, since they no longer follow the Spirit, but their leaders. Such has been the condition of Christianity throughout the church age.

However, by His grace, the people of the kingdom exist outside the institutional Christian world, so they can follow the leading of the Holy Spirit wherever He desires to take them. At His coming, Jesus will judge all of us, including church leaders who have seized the Holy Spirit’s authority over His people.

Let us continue our discussion about what will happen at His coming. Matthew 25:14 affirms, “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.” In this passage, three servants are entrusted with 5 talents, 2 talents, and 1 talent (Matthew 25:14–30). The number of talents given corresponds to each servant’s ability. Therefore, each of them should have been able to develop what the Lord entrusted to them.

The servant entrusted with 5 talents traded with them and gained 5 more. Likewise, the servant with 2 talents gained 2 more. But the servant with 1 talent did not develop what belonged to his master. When the “day of reckoning” came, both the servant with 5 talents and the one with 2 talents received the same praise from their master: ‘well done, good and faithful servant’. But the servant with 1 talent, because he did not develop what was entrusted to him, was called wicked, lazy, and worthless (vv. 26, 30).

How do we apply the story of the three servants entrusted with talents? One phrase opens our understanding: many things or great matters (vv. 21, 23). We must understand that Christians are called “virgins/brides” because of our relationship with Jesus in terms of Life (‘zoe’). But Christians are also called servants because of our relationship with Jesus in terms of service/ministry. Thus, the greater things mentioned in verses 21 and 23 refer to a ministry or responsibility the Master will give His servants when He returns.

Therefore, when the Lord Jesus returns, He will give great works/ministries in the coming age to His servants whom He deems good and faithful. Let us look at Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 to understand what this future work will be. Revelation 1:6: “and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father…” (LITV). Revelation 5:10: “and You have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth” (LITV). Thus, when Jesus returns, He and His servants will establish His kingdom on earth, and His servants will function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek, just as Jesus Himself is High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

This means Jesus is not coming to take us to a “pleasant place” commonly called “heaven” in Christian teaching, where there are nice houses, streets of gold, and endless singing. Instead, Jesus comes to assign us a great ministry as kings and priests to subdue the earth, so that the earth moves toward the new earth—and, of course, the new heavens. This is the concept of heaven in the form of a kingdom, as revealed by Jesus to John in Revelation.

It seems that Christians who hold the concept of “heaven” as they have heard it in Christianity will not be prepared to function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek in the coming age. These Christians will become like the “1-talent servant,” deemed “unprofitable,” not because they lack a high position or theological degree, but because they did not develop the grace God gave them to function as kings and priests according to the order of Melchizedek.

We now move to the final section of Jesus’ teaching regarding His coming in Matthew 24–25: the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31–46). Matthew 25:31–32 says: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

Here it is stated that Jesus will come in His glory with all the angels. In fact, not only the angels will be with Him, but we who are chosen will also appear with Him, as Colossians 3:4 affirms: “When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” We will appear with Christ in glory.

This event—our appearing with Christ in glory—is what Paul describes in Romans as ‘glorification by faith’. Note Romans 8:17, 23: “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him… waiting eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” These verses indicate that when Jesus comes in His glory, we as co-heirs will also appear with Him in glorified bodies.

We must realize that when Jesus returns, the earth enters a new age commonly called the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4). In the millennial kingdom there are three realms or conditions: (1) the earthly realm, where God’s blessing in Genesis 1:28–30 is manifested; (2) the realm of Israel, where saved Israel will rule the whole earth (Isaiah 60:10–12; Zechariah 14:16–18); and (3) the heavenly realm, where the kingdom of heaven is fully manifested on earth, and the overcoming church reigns as kings and priests.

Now, let us enter the passage on the judgment of the nations. In Matthew 25:31–46, we see how individuals within the nations are separated into two categories: sheep and goats. The sheep are those who did good to “the least of Jesus’ brothers,” while the goats are those who did not. We need to understand that this judgment is not the final judgment (the great white throne) described in Revelation 20:11, which occurs after the millennium. The judgment of the nations in Matthew 25 occurs before the millennial kingdom.

This judgment concerns those who are still alive in their physical bodies at Jesus’ coming. This judgment determines who will enter as ‘inhabitants’ of the earth during the millennial kingdom. Those categorized as “sheep” are told: “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (25:34). These inhabitants live in physical bodies, in the earthly realm, and enjoy the blessings of Genesis 1:28–30. Thus is the condition of the earth at Jesus’ “second coming.”

We have now concluded the five kingdom-of-heaven discourses in the Gospel of Matthew. Let us review these five sections, each ending with the phrase, “When Jesus had finished saying all these things…”

1. Matthew 5:1 – 7:29 — the law of the kingdom of heaven, and the judgment of God’s servants on the last day.

2. Matthew 9:35 – 11:1 — the commissioning of the twelve apostles to seek the lost sheep of Israel.

3. Matthew 13:1–52 — the seven parables of the kingdom of heaven.

4. Matthew 18:1–35 — forgiveness and the parable of the unmerciful servant, emphasizing the value of the lost sheep.

5. Matthew 23:1 – 25:46 — the law of the kingdom, the authority of “Moses’ seat,” rebukes to the Pharisees, and end-time teachings.

When we observe these five discourses, we see a chiastic parallel pattern (He Gave Us Stories, Richard L. Pratt, p. 247). Matthew arranges the five teachings in chiastic structure (A–B–C–B’–C’) to create emphasis. That is, sections 1 and 5 parallel each other, as do sections 2 and 4, while section 3 is the “center.” This is the meaning of the chiastic parallel pattern.

We may compare this to the five books of Moses—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy—which are also structured chiastically. We will not discuss this further, but those interested can listen to the explanation on the “Verbum Veritatis” channel titled “Leviticus,” where it is stated that the “peak” of revelation in the books of Moses is in Leviticus, especially chapter 16, which describes the Day of Atonement performed once a year by the High Priest.

It seems the writer of Matthew intentionally compares Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, with Moses, the mediator of the Old Covenant. In Leviticus 16, High Priest Aaron enters the Holy of Holies with the blood of animals to make atonement for all Israel; likewise, Jesus, the High Priest according to Melchizedek’s order, enters the True Tabernacle with His own blood before the Father in heaven to make atonement for all humanity.

Now let us observe the chiastic structure of Matthew’s kingdom teachings:

Section 1 parallels Section 5: the law of the kingdom and judgment of kingdom servants.

Section 2 parallels Section 4: the lost sheep, emphasizing their value.

Section 3 is the central section: the seven parables.

As we have discussed, these seven parables emphasize that deception will occur within the kingdom of heaven; not all born-again Christians—including leaders—will partake in the full manifestation of the kingdom on earth at Jesus’ coming. The teachings of Section 3 form the “peak” or center of Jesus’ kingdom teaching.

In the Christian world it is widely believed that “believing in Jesus guarantees heaven”—a distant place of beauty (“the Father’s house”) where Christians will praise God forever. Such fairy tales do not appear anywhere in Matthew. Instead, the people of the kingdom, by His grace, will partake in the kingdom of heaven which will be fully established on earth. Therefore, they will stay alert and anticipate the coming of the kingdom of Jesus on earth.

We now enter Revelation 20, after Revelation 19 reveals Jesus Christ as He and His overcomers wage war to subdue all things. Revelation 20:1–3 says: “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key to the Abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, locked and sealed it over him, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be set free for a short time.”

We see here that Satan is cast into the “Abyss” so he cannot deceive the nations. The term “Abyss” is from the Greek ‘abussos’, meaning “bottomless pit.” Since this pit has no “bottom,” Satan has no ground or foundation to operate on, thus he cannot deceive the nations.

Let us consider how Satan cannot operate when there is no “ground” in a person’s life. John 14:30 states: “… the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” Although Satan worked through Judas, the Jewish Sanhedrin, and many others involved in Jesus’ crucifixion, Satan could do nothing to Jesus Himself. Why? Because in Jesus there was no “ground” or opening for Satan to attack.

In Jesus there was absolutely no sin or flaw that could give Satan a foothold. This differs from Job’s case. Job 3:25 says: “For the thing I feared has come upon me, and what I dread befalls me.” In Job there was fear and anxiety—these became a “ground” that allowed Satan to afflict him.

Yet we must not conclude that Satan is free to attack anyone he wishes. Satan could attack Job because the Father had a purpose—to bring Job to a true knowledge of God (Job 42:5). Satan is merely a “tool” in the Father’s hand. He cannot attack unless permitted by God (Job 1:12; 2:6).

In our passage, Satan is bound for a thousand years. Afterward he is released for a short time because the Father has a specific plan for him. During the thousand years, Satan is bound because Christ and His overcomers will reign as kings and priests on earth (Revelation 20:4).

We see that with regard to Christ and His overcomers, the Devil can do nothing for a thousand years. What about our lives today? Can the Devil do anything to attack our lives now? By His grace, even now, we can say as Jesus did, that the Devil can do nothing in our lives. What can happen to our lives now is only His will and His plan. For us, THE DEVIL IS AS IF HE DID NOT EXIST. Everything that happens in our lives is the Father’s will; therefore all is good, amen.

Let us continue our discussion about the last supper between Jesus and His disciples in Matthew 26:26–29: “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take, eat, this is My body.’ Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood, the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, from now on I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’”

On His last night, Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples. Our verse above emphasizes that while they were eating (eating the Passover meal), suddenly Jesus performed a symbolic act regarding His death. He took bread and distributed it to His disciples, saying, “This is My body.” Then He took the cup and commanded His disciples to drink from it, saying, “This is My blood, the blood of the covenant which is poured out for many.” We see here that Jesus was celebrating Passover and at the same time fulfilling it.

There are two things we must reflect on in this event. First, Jesus spoke of the “blood of the covenant.” Certainly, this refers to the New Covenant sealed by His own blood, as written: “...This cup is the new covenant in My blood...” (1 Corinthians 11:25). Second, Jesus said He would not drink the fruit of the vine again until He drank the new one with His disciples in His Father’s kingdom. These two matters are related, and we will now look at their connection.

What is the meaning of the New Covenant Jesus made with His disciples? Consider Hebrews 8:10–12: “...YAHWEH declares, I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.... For they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest.... I will by no means remember their sins anymore...” (ILT).

We see here that the New Covenant Jesus made with His disciples is deeply inward. The Law of Moses in the Old Testament, written on stone tablets, is now written by Him in the hearts of believers. Therefore, we will know Him inwardly, and our sins will no longer be remembered. We are no longer governed by outward rules or regulations, such as worshiping in this building or that building, paying tithes/first fruits/faith pledges, and so on. We worship in spirit and reality,

and are led by the law within our inner being. We become a people belonging to God and citizens of His kingdom (2 Thessalonians 1:5).

Jesus promised His disciples that He would drink again the new fruit of the vine in His Father’s kingdom. What does this mean? It means that Jesus will return (commonly called the second coming) and establish His kingdom on earth, where we who believe will take part in it. We who follow the leading of His inward laws will one day, when the Lord Jesus returns, “drink” together with Him in His Father’s kingdom.

Let us now continue our discussion about the crucifixion of Jesus and its meaning. Let us first consider two facts concerning His crucifixion.

First, Jesus was crucified because He chose the will of the Heavenly Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and struggled to confirm the Father’s will. There was the cup of suffering, and there was also the Father’s will. Certainly, Jesus expressed His desire that if possible the cup of suffering would pass from Him. However, after praying three times, Jesus understood that this cup of suffering was the Father’s will for Him (Isaiah 53:10). That is why, in John 18:11, Jesus said, “...Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?”

Second, Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious court (Matthew 26:57–66). And because the Jewish Sanhedrin did not have the authority under Roman rule to execute someone, they brought Jesus to Pontius Pilate to request permission. Pilate actually wanted to release Jesus, because he knew Jesus had been handed over out of envy (Matthew 27:18). As an attempt to release Jesus, he offered the crowd a choice between Jesus and Barabbas. But through the persuasion of the chief priests and elders, the crowd chose Barabbas (Matthew 27:20). So Jesus was killed by the Jewish religious leaders, while the execution itself was carried out by Roman soldiers. The Apostles’ Creed, which says “suffered under Pontius Pilate,” actually hides an important fact that Jesus was crucified by the Jewish religious leaders — the covenant people under the Mosaic Law.

Now we will discuss the meaning of these two facts. Matthew 16:24 states, “...If anyone desires to follow Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross...” How can we deny ourselves and take up our cross? Jesus’ struggle in Gethsemane teaches us to always choose the will of the Heavenly Father and to bear its consequences — this is our “cross.” This is the meaning of “taking up our cross”: by His grace we are enabled to always choose the Father’s will in our daily lives.

Next, we have seen that the Jewish religion crucified Jesus. Does this mean that religion is always opposed to Jesus? Did Jesus come to establish the Christian religion? Where did religion actually come from? Let us observe the fact that Jesus came to give His Life (‘zoe’) to whoever believes (John 10:10). This ‘zoe’ life (the Life of Christ) is symbolized by the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. Jesus said that whoever eats Him has ‘zoe’ within. Thus, the Tree of Life symbolizes the ‘zoe’ life given by Jesus to us.

If so, what does the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represent? Since Adam and Eve ate of this tree, humanity has been led by its own knowledge of good and evil. Religion is humanity's attempt to approach God, but guided by its own knowledge of good and evil. The holy people of the Old Testament were not “religious people” in this sense. They were people of faith who expressed their faith through obedience to the Law. This is very different from the scribes and Pharisees who crucified Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees were religious people, but they were not like the holy people of the Old Testament.

Now we come to an important question: Has Christianity become a religion? If we receive His grace, we will know that Christianity has indeed become a religion — the Christian religion. Of course, the Christian religion did not crucify Jesus physically, but the Spirit of Jesus is greatly hindered by religious rituals, human regulations, the false teachings of Jezebel, Nicolaitans, Balaam, and the religious rules made by its leaders.

We now enter the final chapter of Matthew and discuss the resurrection of Jesus. Matthew 28:6 states, “He is not here, for He is risen, just as He said...” The resurrection of Jesus is a crucial fact, because “...if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14). From this verse we see that the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of gospel proclamation and also the foundation of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection of Christ, both the preaching of the gospel and Christian faith are meaningless.

However, we must not only believe in the historical fact of Christ’s resurrection. We must understand what the ‘word of God’ says about the resurrection of Christ, because faith comes not from historical facts but from hearing the word of God. Let us discuss 1 Corinthians 15, which speaks about the resurrection of Christ.

The background of 1 Corinthians 15 is that some people in the Corinthian church did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Paul emphasized that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ Himself has not been raised. But the truth is that Christ has been raised as the “firstfruits” (v. 20). Farmers in ancient Palestine understood that if there is a harvest of firstfruits, then more harvests will follow. This means there will be more resurrections.

Let us look at 1 Corinthians 15:22–23: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward those who belong to Him at His coming.” It is emphasized here that ALL will be resurrected, each in his own order. The reason all will be resurrected is clearly written here: all died in Adam, therefore all will be made alive in Christ. This is a matter of ‘headship’.

In the Christian world, generally, people do not believe that all will be made alive in Christ. If we refuse to believe that all will be resurrected in Christ, then this makes Adam more powerful than Christ. But the truth is that the grace of God is far greater than Adam’s transgression; therefore all will be raised in due order (Romans 5:15).

Another reason all will eventually be made alive in Christ is because the final enemy — death — will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). Yet death is the wages of sin (Romans 6:23). Therefore, there will no longer be any ‘trace’ of sin in the universe. All humanity will eventually be resurrected and receive a glorified body. Sadly, most Christians believe that the wages of sin is eternal hell, meaning that some people who are not called by Jesus will be tormented forever. They do not believe that Christ has conquered death. But His chosen ones believe that in the end all humanity will be resurrected and receive glorified bodies, so that the Father may be ALL in ALL (1 Corinthians 15:28). The Heavenly Father will fully express His glory in and through ALL humanity.

Now let us discuss the command to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom — to make all nations disciples of the Lord Jesus — commonly called the Great Commission, written in Matthew 28:18–20: “...All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age.” There are several points we need to discuss from this ‘Great Commission’.

First, the basis of Jesus’ command to His disciples is that ALL authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Many Christians believe that human salvation depends on their “response” to the gospel. This is a strange idea. How can a person respond when he is dead in sin? A “dead” person cannot hear or respond to anything. The truth is that salvation DEPENDS ON THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS.

When Jesus says to someone, ‘Follow Me’, that person will certainly rise and follow Jesus. When Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Follow Me’, they immediately rose and followed Him (Matthew 4:19; 9:9). No human being can refuse the call of Jesus — why? Because Jesus has authority.

Many evangelists like to quote Revelation 3:20 to claim that salvation depends on human response: Jesus “knocks on every person’s heart,” and whoever responds will be saved. Such preaching greatly insults the authority of Jesus. It portrays Jesus as a “beggar” knocking on every human heart to “eat together.” In fact, Revelation 3:20 has nothing to do with evangelism. In that verse, Jesus is speaking to the church in Laodicea, which no longer had fellowship (koinonia) with Him.

The truth is that salvation depends on Jesus’ authority. John 12:32 says: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”

This verse speaks of Jesus’ authority. Jesus has already declared that He will draw all people to Himself. If not all come to Jesus, then only two possibilities exist: either Jesus is unable and lacks authority to draw all people, or He lied. In truth, all people will come to Jesus—but in their own order, as we have discussed (1 Corinthians 15).

Second, many Christians believe that the phrase “I am with you always, to the end of the age” means that grace or evangelism ends when Jesus returns (commonly called the “second coming”). Such a view is held by Christians who believe in eternal hell — that those who are not called by Jesus now will be tormented forever. Here, we are not discussing the Greek expression ‘heos sunteleia ho aion’, translated ‘until the end of the age’. Those who are serious may study Louis Abbott’s book An Analytical Study of Words.

In this writing, we will reflect on two verses related to the matter: Ephesians 1:10 and Revelation 22:17. Ephesians 1:10 states that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, God will unite all things — in heaven and on earth — in Christ. Revelation 22:17 also declares that the ‘water of life’ continues to be offered freely in the New Heaven and New Earth.

God always uses an ‘instrument’ to accomplish His purpose, and that instrument is the overcoming church. Therefore, the overcoming church rejoices, for one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Amen.

Summary: There are three principles by which God works: the principle of faith, the principle of process, and the principle of the Old and New Covenants.

Call to action: As the church, by His grace, we need to learn to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in carrying out these three principles.

Within the Christian world there is considerable confusion regarding how God works in the context of the Old Testament (OT) and in the context of the New Testament (NT). What principles govern the way God works in the OT and in the NT? Does God still desire that His laws in the OT be applied to believers in the NT context? Were the saints in the OT justified by faith or by works of obedience to the Law? Do certain regulations of the Mosaic Law still apply to NT believers, such as the law of tithing, firstfruits (money), the celebration of Passover, or other regulations related to the OT?

We will begin our discussion by examining a Greek term used in 1 Timothy 1:4, namely OIKONOMIA. We will quote the ILT (Indonesian Literal Translation) to see how this term is rendered: “nor give heed to myths and endless genealogies, which produce disputes rather than the stewardship (oikonomia) of Elohim that is in faith” (I Timothy 1:4). In several English translations, ‘oikonomia’ is also translated as management, dispensation, economy, or administration.

The Greek term OIKONOMIA is derived from the root words OIKOS and NOMOS. Oikos means house or household, while nomos refers to the distribution of rules or laws. Thus, when combined, these roots convey the meaning of a way of managing a household—an administration, a dispensation, or a management. In other words, Elohim manages His household or governs His people in a particular way, and the manner or principle of His working is found in faith.

Scholars have attempted to divide Elohim’s administration of His people into several ages. Some divide it into seven ages, while others divide it into only four. I divide it into seven ages: the age of Adam, the age of Noah, the age of Abraham, the age of Moses, the age of the overcomers, the age of the Kingdom (the thousand years), and the age of the new heaven and new earth. In this writing, however, we will focus only on two ages, namely the OT age and the NT age, in accordance with our title.

What is the principle by which God works in the OT age and in the NT age? From the verse above we see that Elohim administers His people according to the principle of faith, because the ‘oikonomia’ of Elohim exists in faith. By understanding this principle of faith, we can understand that whatever Elohim does in every age, He always leads His people to believe in Him. God works and governs both OT believers and NT believers so that they may believe in Him. The saints of the OT age and the saints of the NT age are all justified by faith. All are formed and processed by God so that they may believe and possess faith in Him.

What, then, about His laws? Since ‘oikonomia’ also means the distribution of laws, in governing His people God dispenses His laws in each age in a particular way. The law in the OT context is what is called the Mosaic Law, whereas the law in the NT context is the law of the Spirit who gives life (Romans 8:2; 1 Corinthians 15:45).

God gives or dispenses His laws so that His people may express their faith by carrying out the laws applicable in each age. In the OT context, those who believed expressed their faith by observing the Mosaic Law. In the NT context, those who believe express their faith by living according to the law of the Spirit who gives life, or by living their daily lives under the leading of the Spirit.

If someone does not understand the principle of Elohim’s working, he tends to mix the laws of the OT context into the NT context. Thus we see confusion in the Christian world caused by introducing regulations, laws, or even celebrations from the OT context into the NT context. We see how God’s people in the NT context are required to pay tithes, firstfruits (money), celebrate Passover, regularly attend meetings in certain buildings, perform specific rituals, adhere to certain creeds, and so forth.

We have seen that Elohim administers His people according to the principle of faith, because the ‘oikonomia’ of Elohim exists in faith. Therefore, the principle by which God works is the principle of faith. By understanding this principle of faith, we can understand that whatever Elohim does in every age, He always leads His people to believe in Him. God works and governs both OT believers and NT believers so that they may believe in Him. The saints of the OT age and the saints of the NT age are all justified by faith. All are formed and processed by God so that they may believe and possess faith in Him.

The second principle concerning how God works that we will now discuss is the ‘principle of processing’. In the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language), the term ‘process’ means a sequence of changes in the development of something, and ‘processing’ is the act of processing. It is God who performs this act of processing, because the principle of God’s working is not “abracadabra.” He is not an “instant Elohim,” but a “process Elohim.” Thus, processing is God’s action of carrying out change upon change in order to reach a certain development or goal.

Let us look at an example of how God makes humanity into His likeness and image. In Genesis 1:26–27 (ILT) it is written: “And Elohim said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule … over all the earth…’ (v. 26). And Elohim is creating man according to His image… (v. 27)”. In verse 26 we see Elohim’s plan to create humanity according to His image and likeness. In verse 27 we see the process that Elohim carries out, because the Hebrew term translated ‘create’ is in the present progressive form, not the past tense. Thus, the term ‘create’ in English should be rendered as ‘is creating’, not ‘created’.

We then see the act of processing that God carried out with Adam and Eve by making the Garden of Eden and placing them in it to cultivate and keep it. Elohim designed the Garden of Eden to process humanity by creating two trees and also the serpent, which is a symbol of the devil. Many people assume that Adam and Eve were already in the likeness and image of Elohim, whereas in

fact Adam and Eve were still in a state of innocence—neither evil nor holy—because Adam had not yet partaken of the tree of life, which symbolizes Christ, nor did Adam yet know good and evil. Adam and Eve had also not yet multiplied to fill the earth and subdue it. Adam and Eve were still in process, and that process began in the Garden of Eden, where they were to cultivate and rule it.

What about the fall of Adam? Many people also do not understand that Adam’s fall was part of God’s process. Romans 8:20 states that all creation was subjected to futility (the realm of death, as the wages of sin), not by its own will, but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope. God was not “surprised” by Adam’s fall; in fact, the Lamb of Elohim was slain before the foundation of the world (“the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” – Revelation 13:8, Young’s Literal Translation). Thus, God is sovereign over all things. God is the cause of all things. God designed all of this, including Adam’s fall.

If we all understood this principle of God’s processing, then there would actually be no such thing as “the fall of Adam” as something that ruined all creation. Adam did not fall. Adam and all his descendants are being processed by God. And God’s process will certainly succeed. Adam and all his descendants will surely become in His likeness and image, because God’s plan to make humanity (all humanity) in His likeness and image CANNOT FAIL. God simply has stages in His process. First, the firstfruits—those whom He has chosen—then in turn all creation, so that the Father may become ALL in ALL.

We have discussed that our God is a God of process. The principle of God’s working is the principle of processing. This processing refers to God’s action of carrying out change upon change in order to reach a certain development or goal. We will now discuss faith as it is processed by God until it reaches its full development.

Romans 1:17 states: “For in it the righteousness of Elohim is being revealed from faith to faith, as it has been written, ‘And the righteous one shall live by faith’” (ILT). The phrase ‘from faith to faith’ comes from the Greek expression ‘ek pistis eis pistis’. The preposition ‘ek’ means ‘from’ or ‘out of’, while ‘eis’ means ‘to’ or ‘into’, pointing toward a goal. Marvin Vincent, in Word Studies in the New Testament, states that the idea behind the expression ‘from faith to faith’ is progress in faith itself (Vol. 3, p. 14). In other words, faith is a progressive principle.

If so, how can faith be progressive or grow? The Epistle of James provides the explanation. James 2:22 says: “You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected.” This means that works that arise from faith, in turn, cause the existing faith to develop. Then, the developed faith produces works, which in turn perfect the existing faith. Thus a cycle occurs: faith produces works, and works perfect faith; perfected faith produces works again. In this way, faith grows until it reaches its fullness.

This process of the growth of faith is in God’s hands. That is, God Himself performs this process for His chosen people, and therefore this process will certainly succeed. The faith of God’s chosen people will continuously grow until it reaches perfection. God cannot fail in doing this, because our God is indeed a God of process. He who has begun this process will continue it until it is completed.

The faith we are discussing applies in both the OT and NT contexts, because we have discussed the stewardship of Elohim that exists in faith, whereby both the saints in the OT context and the saints in the NT context are justified by faith. Romans 3:20 also affirms: “For by works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight…” (ILT).

So far, we have discussed the principles of how God works: the principle of faith and the principle of processing. In order to further understand God’s working principles in the OT and NT contexts, we need to understand the difference in principle between the Mosaic Law (OT) and the law of the Spirit (NT), or the law of the Spirit who gives life.

The Mosaic Law was given by Yahweh to the nation of Israel as part of a covenant known as the Old Covenant. The content of the Old Covenant is recorded in Exodus 19–20, when Yahweh made His covenant with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai through Moses. I refer to the pattern of the Old Covenant as the IF–THEN pattern, meaning: “…IF you will indeed obey My voice… THEN you shall be My treasured possession… a kingdom of priests and a holy nation…” (Exodus 19:5–6).

This is a conditional covenant: if Israel obeyed His voice, then Israel would become Yahweh’s treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. Because this Old Covenant was conditional, Yahweh gave His laws, known as the Mosaic Law, to be obeyed. Naturally, the pattern of the Mosaic Law is also an IF–THEN pattern. This does not mean that the saints in the OT context were justified by keeping the Law. The principle of faith applies in all ages or dispensations, as Hebrews 11 explains from the time of Abel throughout the OT era. The saints of the OT age were still justified before Yahweh by faith. However, the saints of the OT age had to express their faith by observing the Mosaic Law.

This is different from the New Testament pattern, which is bound by El Elyon to His chosen people through the mediation of Jesus Christ. The New Testament pattern, including the pattern of the Law of the Spirit, is different from the IF–THEN pattern found in the Old Testament and the Mosaic Law. Why is this so? Because the IF–THEN pattern in the Old Testament and the Law has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ, when He said, “… I did not come to abolish (the Law and the Prophets) but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

The Law of the Spirit in the New Testament context is the Law of Moses written into the inner being of believers by the work of the Holy Spirit. Hebrews 8:10 affirms, “… I will put My laws (the Law) into their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people” (NKJV/LAI). It is God Himself who works to place and write the Law into the inner being of believers. Therefore, the pattern of the Law of the Spirit is not an IF–THEN pattern, but an ALREADY–THEREFORE pattern. On the cross Jesus cried out, “IT IS FINISHED,” which means that the entire Old Testament and the Law have been fulfilled. All the demands of the Law have been fulfilled. Thus, the New Testament offers the ALREADY–THEREFORE pattern to everyone who is willing to believe the gospel.

The New Testament follows the ALREADY–THEREFORE pattern. The proclamation is roughly like this: “Your sins have already been forgiven; therefore, sin no more.” “You are the light of the world; therefore, live as children of light.” “You have already been blessed; therefore, share God’s blessing according to your willingness and His leading.” And so on, and so on. If there are preachers in Christianity—indeed, the majority—who preach an IF–THEN pattern, they are the scribes and Pharisees of our time, who seek to please God and be justified by God through performing God’s laws. “Give your tithe, then you will be blessed.” “If you do not attend church because you were offended by the pastor’s words, then you bring curses and judgment upon yourself.” Such voices are the voices of the Pharisees and scribes of this age.

Having distinguished the Old Testament pattern—IF–THEN—from the New Testament pattern—ALREADY–THEREFORE—we will now look at the differences and also the relationship between the law of the Old Testament (the Law) and the law of the New Testament (the Spirit who gives life).

Let us read several New Testament passages that speak about the law related to New Covenant believers. Romans 8:2 states, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death” (ILT). The expression ‘the law of the Spirit of life’ in Greek is ‘nomos ho pneuma ho zoe’, where ‘zoe’ is the kind of life lived by Elohim Himself; in other words, ‘zoe’ is the life of Elohim, distinguished from human life (‘psuche’) and a lower or common life (‘bios’). Thus, the law of the Spirit of life is the law of the Spirit of the life of Christ.

Next, let us examine 1 Corinthians 15:45: “… the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit” (ILT). The phrase ‘life-giving’ comes from the Greek ‘zoopoieo’, meaning to make what is dead alive, or to give life by imparting the life of Christ. The last Adam here is Jesus Christ, and through His death as the last Adam and His resurrection, He came as the life-giving Spirit by imparting His life. That is why in John 10:10 Jesus said, “… I came that they may have life (‘zoe’) …”

Furthermore, let us look at 2 Corinthians 3:6: “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” The entire context of this chapter speaks about the ministry of the New Covenant in contrast to the ministry of the Old Covenant, which brings death. Why? Because the law of the Spirit gives life, whereas the Law of Moses leads to death.

Does this mean, then, that the Law of Moses (Old Testament context) is completely separate from the law of the Spirit (New Testament context)? Absolutely not, because the law of the Spirit is the Law of Moses written by the Holy Spirit into the inner being of New Covenant believers. Hebrews 8:10 says, “… I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts …” Therefore, the law of the Spirit (NT) is the Law (OT) written into the inner being of believers. The law of the Spirit is not a law unrelated to the Law of Moses, for Jesus came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled the Law, and by His resurrection He poured out His Spirit to impart life and to fulfill the Law within the inner being of believers.

We, as New Covenant people, follow the law of the Spirit, follow the leading of the Spirit, and worship in Spirit and truth—not by violating or ignoring the Law, but by following the Spirit and living by the law of the Spirit, WE HAVE ALREADY FULFILLED THE LAW IN CHRIST. For Colossians 2:17 says of the Law, “These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance is Christ.” We who live IN CHRIST HAVE ALREADY FULFILLED THE LAW, because the fulfillment or reality of the Law is Christ. Therefore, we do not have to perform “one iota” (like a comma in Hebrew) of the Law—not because we violate it, but because in Christ all of it has been fulfilled. As long as we live by the law of the Spirit, we are already fulfilling the Law.

Religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees of our time, who teach the laws of tithing, firstfruits (money), Passover celebrations, various liturgies, and insist that worship must be in this building or that building—do not understand at all what Jesus said on the cross: ‘tetelestai’, ‘It is finished’. The entire Old Testament, as prophecy, symbol, and law, HAS BEEN FULFILLED. Not only do they fail to understand this, but by teaching parts of the Law to be practiced by believers, they enslave, bind, and even bring death to God’s people.

So far, we have briefly discussed the principles by which God works: the principle of faith and the principle of processing, in relation to the Old and New Testament contexts. Now we will discuss another principle, namely the principle of ‘better’. This principle is expounded at length in the book of Hebrews. The key word in this book is ‘better’.

In this book, Jesus is compared with angels as messengers of Elohim, with Moses as an apostle, with Aaron as the high priest, and the Old Covenant is compared with the New Covenant, including their worship and laws. The result of all these comparisons is ‘better’. Thus, God’s way of working, in relation to the Old and New Testaments, is the principle of ‘better’. God never does the same thing twice. God always does something new and better than before. “I will make all things new,” as expressed in the book of Revelation. God’s way of working always produces what is new and better.

Now we will focus on the law in the Old Testament context—the Law of Moses—and the law in the New Testament context—the law of the Spirit who gives life. Let us look at the case of the golden calf in Exodus 32–34. When Moses came down from the mountain after receiving the two stone tablets and saw Israel worshiping the golden calf, he became angry and threw the tablets down, breaking them. Then God commanded Moses to carve two new stone tablets and to make an ark of wood to place the new tablets in (Deuteronomy 10:1–5). This was not the Ark of the Covenant made by Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 35:30–35). This wooden ark was made by Moses so that the new tablets could be placed in it. Here we see God’s working principle—the principle of ‘better’. First, only two stone tablets; second, two new stone tablets and also a wooden ark to contain them.

What is the meaning of the new tablets placed inside a wooden ark made by Moses? It means that God’s law is placed into our humanity, because wood is a symbol of humanity. This aligns with Hebrews 8:10: “… I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts …” We

see here that God never makes the same thing twice. He always makes something better. God’s law written into our inner being is better than God’s law written on two stone tablets.

God’s law written on stone tablets is the law in the Old Testament context, while God’s law “written” into our inner being is the law in the New Testament context. This does not mean that the Law in the Old Testament is abolished. Jesus did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it. For those of us who are in Christ, the Law has been fulfilled, and the Holy Spirit has written, is writing, and will continue to write the Law into our inner being. The Law must not be applied directly to New Covenant believers who are in Christ. The Law must first be “written” by the Holy Spirit into our inner being; then we will act according to the meaning given by the Holy Spirit.

A good example of the Law written into our inner being is found in the case of the woman caught in adultery in John chapter 8. In this chapter, the scribes and Pharisees pressured Jesus—indeed, attempted to trap Him—regarding whether He would obey the Law, because according to the Law this woman should be stoned. The context here is the law of stoning. We see that Jesus wrote on the ground in response to their pressure. What was the meaning of Jesus writing on the ground? It meant: I came to fulfill the law of stoning and to write it into the inner being of believers. When the Pharisees continued to press Him, He said that whoever was without sin should cast the first stone. When no one did so, Jesus spoke to the woman about forgiveness and warned her not to sin again. Thus, the law of stoning “written” into the inner being of believers takes on the meaning of ‘do not judge, forgiveness, and a warning not to sin again’. Such is the result when the law of stoning is written into the inner being of believers.

Likewise, all other laws in the Torah must be “written” into the inner being of believers. The law of tithing, the law of firstfruits, or any other law must not be imposed on those who are in Christ. The law of tithing and firstfruits “written” into the inner being of believers is Christ Himself (those anointed by God), because we are the firstfruits of creation—the tenth of those who are called, chosen, or faithful.

Religious leaders in Christianity like to impose the Law (tithing, firstfruits-money) on God’s people. Apart from not understanding God’s working principles, their motivation is often related to the “stomach,” human glory, and other fleshly matters. May this brief writing be a blessing to God’s chosen people. Amen.