"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:4
Over the weekend, I was blessed to spend the weekend up at
the Brant County Ultimate Frisbee Challenge where Brother Jay Mayock spoke on
the topic “Looking for the Kingdom.” He brought us to multiple verses – on
multiple topics – on what we can know it will be like in the Kingdom for sure.
It startled me. Until then, the kingdom had been something
hazy – something that I knew will exist in the future, but I couldn’t describe
what it would look like to anyone else with the support of verses. I knew it
would be wonderful, and I had a hazy image of the Temple in my mind based on
the artwork taken from its description in Ezekiel. But that was all it was.
Hazy.
When Brother Jay took us through what the Kingdom will look
like, he did it in two ways. He took us to verses that show how the world will be and he also took us to verses
that show us a glimpse of the kingdom through the events of the lives of Bible
characters.
Going through this study and these
verses in the way Brother Jay had (lain/laid) them out for us – I could almost
reach out and touch the vision that was forming in my mind. I was more excited
then for the things that are to come than I had ever been in the past.
I resolved to strengthen my
picture of the Kingdom. If I felt this much excitement over a few verses imagine what my joy would be over many more that I found on my own!
It is hard to go through life
trying to reach a goal without being able to picture that goal in your mind -
even to the smallest of details. If you can see what you want to achieve
clearly, and keep it in the forefront of your mind, taking the steps you have
set for yourself to get there is so much easier.
When I think of someone in the Bible
who kept their vision of the Kingdom of God at the forefront of their mind, I
think of the Son of Korah who wrote Psalm 85. He writes at the end of the Psalm
of God’s Glory and and salvation of His saints.
8 Let me hear what God
the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to
his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those
who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness
meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the
ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is
good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
This Psalmist made his vision personal. We can see
that he focuses on what God will do for His saints in the time of the Kingdom
(v. 8,9,11), and that the Kingdom will be ruled perfectly by Christ who is
perfect (v. 10) - judging the wicked in righteousness and giving everlasting
peace to the saints.
These particular aspects of the Kingdom of God meant a
lot to this Psalmist, and must have helped him struggle through the terrible
infidelity that the people of Israel demonstrated at this time. You can also
see the echoes of the history of the sons of Korah and what their ancestor had
done as you look at what he looks forward to in the Kingdom.
But the Psalmist is so passionate about these
particular things. He wants these things o come to pass with such fervor. And
he knows that God will do these things in the time to
come, and it helps him through the present.
My point is simply, make your vision your vision, and that it strengthens us
to have one to look forward to.
I’m working on developing my own that will excite me
for the time to come - because the Kingdom will be wonderful, and perfect - and
I want to know all I can of what it will be like before it comes.
And I’ll ask:
What is your Vision of the Kingdom?
In the Hope of Israel,
Mikaelah B
"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10
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