THE COVENANT MADE WITH ABRAHAM

“Now I say that Jesus the Messiah was the minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.” [Romans 15:8]

Surely there can be no doubt as to the importance of knowing the lord Jesus to whatever extent he has revealed himself in the scripture. Such knowledge of him is a mark of us being members of his flock, for he says, “I know my sheep and am known of mine.” [John 10:14] So we are commanded to “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our lord Jesus the Messiah.” [2 Peter 3:18] Now a clear understanding of this text will greatly increase our knowledge of him and of that gospel of the kingdom which he and his apostles preached. To obtain a clear understanding of Paul’s language in Romans 15:8, let us first inquire, who are “the fathers?” and then what are “the promises” made to them?

1^st, who are the fathers? Moses was commanded to say to the children of Israel, Yehovah God of you fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob has sent me unto you.” [Exodus 3:15]    Peter says, “the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His son Jesus.” [Acts 3:13] These testimonies from the O.T. and the N.T. is enough to show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the fathers. In another place, Paul clearly says, “To Abraham and his ‘seed’ was the promises made” [Galatians 3:16] As a result of these promises repeated to Isaac and Jacob, they are called, “the promises made unto the fathers.”

2^nd, what are the promises made to them? The promises are found in the history of these patriarchs recorded in Genesis. When Abraham left Mesopotamia and came into the land of Canaan Yehovah said to him, “unto your seed, I will give this land….. Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are northward and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which you see, to you I will give it and to your ‘seed’ forever… Yehovah made a covenant with Abraham, saying, unto your ‘seed’ I have given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates…. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your ‘seed’ after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto you and your ‘seed’ after you. I will give unto you, and to your ‘seed’ after you, the land where you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God…. Your ‘seed’ shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your ‘seed’ shall all the nations be blessed.” [Genesis 12:7; 13:14, 15; 15:18; 17:7, 8; 22: 17, 18]

The same promises were repeated to Isaac and Jacob as verified that about 67 years after the last promise quoted, Yehovah said unto Isaac who was dwelling in Canaan, “unto you and unto your ‘seed’, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath I made swore unto Abraham your father… and in your ‘seed’ shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” [Genesis 26:3, 4] About forty years after these promises were made to Isaac, Yehovah said to Jacob, who was dwelling in Canaan, “I am Yehovah the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac: the land that you are lying upon, to you will I give it, and to your ‘seed’…. And in your ‘seed’ shall all the nations be blessed.” [Genesis 28:13, 14] When Jacob was about to die he said, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me, behold I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people; and I will this land to your ‘seed’ after you for an everlasting possession.” [Genesis 48:3, 4]

Having learned what the promises are, let us bring out their full meaning carefully considering the following important points: Who are their heirs? Where is the inheritance? How long will they hold it? the certainty of the promises; and how many individuals obtain a personal interest in them?

1.   Who are the heirs? It is plain enough who Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but who is the ‘seed’ referred to in the promises? Paul has the answer when he states: “To Abraham and his ‘seed’ were the promises made. He did not say, “And to the seeds, as of many, but to one ‘seed’ which is the Messiah.” [Galatians 3:16] In these words, “And to your ‘seed’,” kai to spermatic sou, Paul makes the exact quotation, word for word, from the Greek version of Genesis 13:15; 17:9, both places which refer to the land of Canaan. In Genesis 17:7, the Greek words are sou, kai tou spermatos sou, which literally rendered would be “of you”, and of your seed.”

The word ‘seed’ is frequently used of a single person; it has this meaning in Genesis 3:15; 2 Samuel 7:12, as its pronoun “his” in the singular number proves. Liddell and Scott’s Lexicon refers to various Greek authors who also use it in this way.

Here we discover that, in the very plainest and most positive manner, and real and tangible inheritance on this earth has been promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the Messiah, for an everlasting eternal possession. The scriptures clearly show that although the Messiah and all the “fathers” lived personally on the land of Canaan, yet none of them obtained the promised possession of it. Concerning Abraham it is testified that Yehovah “gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much at to set his foot on; yet He promises He would give it to him.” [Acts 7:5] Nor did Isaac and Jacob fare any better, for they died in the faith, not having received the promises. [Hebrews 9:13, 39]

Now the Messiah, at the hight of his ministry on earth, testified concerning himself that, “the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.” [Matthew 8:20] “He came to his own and his own received him not;” or “he came to his own land and his own received him not.” Campbell’s edition, 1832. [John 1:11] The land is called Immanuel’s by virtue of “the promises.” [Isaiah 8:8] Now although his own people rejected him and crucified him, he rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of his God and Father Yehovah. We cannot conclude that the promises will not be fulfilled. Notice: The Scripture cannot be broken. [John 10:35] “Though the vision holds off, wait for it, because it will surely come.” [Habakkuk 2:3]

The Messiah knew that the people who occupied the land would reject him, and so he spoke two parables which, viewed in succession, afford a thrilling outline of events from his first coming as a “lamb” to suffer and die, until his return as a “lion” to conquer and reign. In the parable of the vineyard, he is “the heir” of whom the wicked husbandmen say, “Come let us kill him, and let us seize his inheritance.” [Matthew 21:33-39] This represents his inheritance on the earth. After they crucified him, is resurrection intervenes at this point, which connects this parable with the parable of the pounds; for without his resurrection the latter parable could not be fulfilled. [Luke 19:12-27] In this parable we recognize the risen “heir” as the “nobleman” going to a “far country to receive for himself a kingdom and return.” Yes, from the Mount of Olives he leaves his disciples as he rose up into the cloud and on up to be seated at the right hand of Yehovah, his God, and his Father. As this was taking place, two angels appeared to the disciples and said, “You men of Galilee, why are you standing gazing up into the heavens? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go up into heaven.” [Acts 1:11] The parable of the pounds was based on the fact the kings of Judea in those days, before commencing their reign, to go on a journey to Rome, in a far country, to be invested with the royalty, after which they returned to Judea. Herod and Archelaus are notable instances of this. And although the Messiah’s reign will be on this earth, he has gone to heaven to receive it, and when his God and Father sends him back to this earth he will come with great power and take his place on the throne of David at Zion, and rule over Israel as King, and over the nations and King of kings, and Lord of lords. It is at that time that he will establish in the land of promise, the kingdom of God and break in pieces all the human kingdoms, and like a great mountain, fill the whole earth; “for his kingdom shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.” [Matthew 25:31; Daniel 2:35, 44; Zechariah 9:8] Thus, throughout the world he will “possess the gate of his enemies,” and many voices will be heard saying, “The kingdom’s of this world have become our Lord’s and His Messiah, and He shall reign forever and ever.” [Genesis 22:17; Revelation 11:15] And because of the full scope of the promise to Abraham and his ‘seed’ involves all this extensive inheritance, Paul speaks of it as the promise of “the world.” [Romans 4:13]

The members of the body of the Messiah Jesus and all the Old Testament saints – holy ones will be joint-heirs in the kingdom of God that the lord Jesus will rule over as Yehovah’s agent. “As many of you that have been baptized into the Messiah have put on the Messiah… You are all one in the Messiah Jesus. And if you be the Messiah’s then you are Abrahams ‘seed’, and heirs according to the promise…. heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus the Messiah.” [Galatians 3:27, 29; Romans 8:17] The Messiah is pre-eminently Abrahams ‘seed’, but believers being reckoned by adoption as all one in and with the Messiah, they too are Abraham’s ‘seed’ and therefore they are joint-heirs with him.” So intimate is the union between the Messiah and believers that they are called the body of the Messiah” – the called-out Assembly. And “are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones.” [1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 5:30] They are also collectively and by a figure of speech, called “The bride of the Lamb’s wife,” all of which proves their joint-heirs with him. [Revelation 21:9] So we now understand that the Messiah and the saints – holy ones are heirs and that the inheritance will be received at the second coming of the Messiah.

Notice that the occupation of the land of Canaan by Israel was made conditional on their keeping the law. [Deuteronomy 11:22, 25], but the covenant with Abraham, after being confirmed, was not to be added to and was not conditional on keeping the law or anything else. The scriptures positively teach that the inheritance promised to Abraham was not of the law. [Galatians 3:15, 18] About seven centuries after Israel entered Canaan a prophet spoke of the Abrahamic covenant as still unfulfilled, for he says, “You will perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham which you have sworn to our ‘fathers’ from the days of old.” [Micah 7:20] Paul, glancing at the long succession of good men who lived during the law, says, “These all, having received a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided a better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” [Hebrews 11:39, 40] “To Abraham and his ‘seed’ were the promises made.” [Galatians 3:16] “To you and your ‘seed’ with you,” which implies that the patriarchs and the ‘seed’ “which is the Messiah,” will both possess it at the same time; so they will ever be with the lord.” [Genesis 28:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17] In him out title stands secure, and in him we read our title clear; not to “mansions in the sky” but in the promised land of Canaan and the whole earth, which, by his glorious presence will be gladdened and regenerated into a “heavenly country.”

2. Where is the Inheritance? The promises plainly prove it will be on this earth. “Yehovah God of heaven, swore unto me, saying unto your ‘seed’ will I give this land.” “I will give this land to your ‘seed’ after you for an everlasting possession.”[Genesis 12:7; 15:7, 18; 24:7; 48:3, 4] We see Stephen interpreted the promise as referring to Canaan on earth, for he spoke of it to the Jews as “this land” wherein you now dwell.” [Acts 7:4] It was described to Abraham as “the land where you are a stranger.” [Genesis 28:13; 17:8] In Hebrews 9:9, we are taught that Abraham went “into the place (eis ton topon) which he should afterward receive for an inheritance.” Canaan is called “Yehovah’s land; [Leviticus 25:23] Immanuel’s land; [Isaiah 8:8] The pleasant land; [Psalm 56:24] The glorious land. Daniel 11:16, 41] The glory of all lands; [Ezekiel 20:6, 15] A good land, and large, a land flowing with milk and honey; [Exodus 3:8] A land which Yehovah your God cares for; the eyes of Yehovah your God are always upon it; [Deuteronomy 11:12] The holy land. [Zechariah 2:12] The land of the promise (tes epaggelias); [Hebrews 11:9] By its central location it is admirably adapted to be the royal seat of a world-wide kingdom, being a bridge and a ligament of three continents. It extends from the river Euphrates on the east to the river of Egypt and the Mediterranean sea on the west, an area of about 300,000 square miles. [Genesis 15:18] But, as already shown, the promise of that land Canaan involves the promise of all lands, for the triumphant kingdom which the Messiah will establish upon his return will extend “to the ends of the earth.” [Zechariah 9:10] So we see that Yehovah, the Father of the Messiah promises the son the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession; and the son promises to make the righteous heirs with himself, saying, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” [Psalm 2:8; Matthew 5:5]

2.   How long will they hold it? “Forever.” [Genesis 13:15] “For an everlasting possession.” It will be their “eternal inheritance’ [Genesis 17:8; Hebrews 9:15] If the future life will be endless, the future possession of the land must also be, for the same word “everlasting” describes them both. “This mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruptible shall put on incorruptibility.” [Luke 20:36; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:53] The law could not give that inheritance because it could not give eternal life. The law could not give righteousness which is the condition that qualifies one for everlasting life as Paul argues in Galatians 3:18. We are all sinner by nature and therefore subject to death, which is the wages of sin. [Romans 6:23] So, by what means can we obtain that righteous that is required to enter into everlasting life and take part in an everlasting inheritance? Can the law of Moses give us that righteousness? No, “for if righteousness came by the law then the Messiah died (apethanen, past tense) in vain.” [Galatians 2:21] So it is that “what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,” was accomplished through the pure and spotless Messiah who, “died for our sins,” that, “by means of his death” all who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. [1 Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 9:15] In this way, “he confirmed the promises” which no one else could have done, but the only perfect sinless man.

4. The certainty of the promises. The fact that they are the word of Yehovah is proof enough for their certainty, for several times it has pleased Yehovah to give His word and then confirm it with a solemn oath, thus giving two immutable pledges. “Yehovah that swore to me, saying, “Unto your ‘seed’ will I give this land.” [Genesis 24:7] “I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham your father.”  [Genesis 26:3] “I did sware to give it to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” [Exodus 6:8] “You will perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn unto our ‘fathers’ from the days of old.” [Micah 7:20] Paul is speaking of the promises to Abraham saying, “The covenant that was confirmed before God in the Messiah, the law, which was four hundred years after cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.” [Galatians 3:17] Here we find that the covenant was “confirmed in the Messiah,” and the law has never disannulled it. Since the promises were not set aside by the giving of the law, and since the office of the Messiah is to “confirm” them, then they must remain in full force unto this day. It is an everlasting and one in which the scripture says, “be you always mindful.” [1 Chronicles 16:17]

5. How many individuals will obtain a personal interest in these promises? And by what process can they obtain the eternal inheritance and all the ceaseless joys connected with it? Paul describes the process when he says, “You are the children of God by faith in Jesus the Messiah, for as many of you who have been baptized in the Messiah have put on the Messiah… And if you be the Messiah’s then you are Abraham’s ‘seed’, and heirs according to the promises…. heirs of God and joint-airs with the Messiah.” [Galatians 3:26, 26, 29; Romans 8:17] Here are two essential conditions that to be complied with before you can become heirs of the promises made to Abraham and his ‘seed’., They are, first, “faith in the Messiah Jesus,” by which expression Paul means exactly the same as when he told the jailor, “believe on the lord Jesus the Messiah.” [Acts 16:31] And, as have been stated, “no one truly believes on the lord Jesus the Messiah, or has “faith in the Messiah Jesus,” if he refuses to believe and obey the message Jesus preached about the gospel of the kingdom. Note, “He that has received his testimony – a message of the kingdom has set his seal that God is true;” but on the other hand, “he that believes not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [John 3:33, 36] Now the testimony, message that Jesus preached was “the gospel of the kingdom of God” [Mark 1:14], and he who truly believes that gospel of the kingdom, and totally commits to living out the words of the lord Jesus is ready to comply with the second condition, which is to be “baptized into the Messiah.” In complying with these two conditions he is enrolled among the “children of God,” and become a “new creation” in Jesus the Messiah,” able to rejoice in the hope of realizing at the second coming of Jesus, his part in the “precious promises” made to the ‘fathers’. [2 Peter 1:4]

To recapitulate we see, 1^st, that when the lord comes in glory to sit on the throne of David and establish his kingdom, the land of Canaan and the whole earth will be given to him and the redeemed “for an everlasting possession;” 2^nd, That this promise of an everlasting possession involves having everlasting life; and that the death of the Messiah as a sin-offering sacrifice for our sins was necessary in order to confirm the promises and make their attainment possible; 3^rd, that the belief in the gospel of the kingdom, and baptism into the Messiah, followed by a life that completely commits to walking in faith/obedience to the will of God, are the conditions on which an individual can attain and inheritance in the promises made unto the ‘fathers’.

In reflection, how can anyone refuse to accept the blood-bought blessing which the amazing grace of God provides to all who will accept His call? Unfortunately the vast majority of mankind refuse the awesome loving offer that God offers to all who will believe in the one whom He has sent. [John 6:29] and this is the work of God.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, “Believe on the lord Jesus the Messiah, and you shall be saved, you and your house.” [Acts 16:29-31] Whoa, don’t stop at verse 31 as most pastors do, look at what happens in verses 32-34: “And they spoke unto him the word of the lord, and to all that were in his house, – you can be sure that Paul taught them the entire gospel message so they would understand what their goal and destiny would be as disciples of the lord Jesus. Verse 33: “And he – the jailor took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes – wounds, and was baptized, he and all his straightaway.”

Note: Paul and Silas preached the jailor the gospel while their wounds were probably still bleeding and only after they finished speaking did they get their wounds attended to.

Verse 34: “And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with his entire house.”

What do we get from these additional verses?

It is just this, that just believing in the lord Jesus is not enough, you must believe the entire gospel message that Paul and Silas preached to the jailor before he and his house were baptized. As Luke has indicated in his rendition of the parable of the sower: “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God – defined by Matthew 13:19 – as the gospel of the kingdom. Those by the wayside are they that hear, then comes the Devil, and takes away the word – gospel of the kingdom out of their hearts, lest they believe and be saved.” So to be saved one must believe and obey the gospel message of the kingdom [kingship] of God! The jailor did both he believed the message of the gospel and then obeyed it by loving his neighbor as himself, by washing their wounds and feeding them.

This a thrilling piece of apostolic history contains the most important question that can be spoken. “What must I do to be saved?” Believe the message of the gospel and obey the words that God gave the lord Jesus to give to us. Believing the gospel message takes living faith and living faith produces works – as the jailor immediately washed the wounds of Paul and Silas and invited them into his home to eat and fellowship. Now we see what believing in the lord Jesus the Messiah involves. Believing the good news message he brought about the kingdom of God and believing and obeying his words that will lead us into that kingdom. Jesus was commissioned by his God and Father to bring the good news message of the gospel to mankind. Thus, he is called the “Messenger of the Covenant.” [Malachi 3:1] “The Apostle and High Priest of our profession.” [Hebrews 3:1] The word “Apostle” here applies to the lord Jesus conveys the meaning, “ambassador, a messenger.” In the parable of the vineyard, Jesus speaks of himself, “last of all He sent unto them His son.” Again, he says, “I am sent to preach the kingdom of God.” At the house of Cornelius, Peter calls attention to “the word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus the Messiah.” [Acts 10:36] Verse 37 says “that word – the message of the kingdom of God, you know, was published throughout all Judea, and began in Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.” The Father says, “This is my beloved son, hear him.” [Luke 9:35]. We would do well to heed this command! And Moses says, “Him – that Prophet – Jesus – shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every person which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed.” [Acts 3:22, 23]

To make things more clear we find the lord Jesus placed before us as a witness-bearing testimony. This he is called, “the faithful and true witness.” [Revelation 3:14] And he himself says, “For this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” [John 18:37] Now the message of the kingdom that he preached is “His testimony,” and the scriptures assure us that “He that has received his testimony has set his seal that God is true”; but on the other hand, “He that believed not the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” [John 3:33, 36] So if one does not believe the message that Jesus brought and preached all the time, the message of the kingdom of God that one will not see life!

Now we have shown, by varied illustration and overwhelming proof, that to, “believe on the lord Jesus the Messiah,” in a true and scriptural sense, is to believe and obey that message and testimony of the gospel of the kingdom that he proclaimed to mankind.

What then is that message or testimony which is so essential to salvation? Our destiny depends on a truthful answer to that question; and the Lord be praised we are not left in the dark on a subject of such vast importance. Peter has with great precision pointed out the past by which we can find out what that message was. He says that “the word of God – the kingdom of God message, which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace by the lord Jesus the Messiah…. Was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.” [Acts 10:36, 37] We are told 1^st, who sent it; “the word which God sent”; 2^nd, to whom was the word sent? “Unto the children of Israel”; 3^rd, By whom was it preached? “By Jesus the Messiah”; 4^th, In what region was it first proclaimed? “Throughout all Judea”; 5^th, from what place did it begin? “From Galilee”; 6^th, At what time did it begin? “After the baptism which John preached?” Such plain directions take us to Mark 1:14, which says, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” How accurately this answers the language of Peter. John was “a bright and shining light” but his ministry has come to a close. His voice had been hushed on the banks of the river Jordan, for John was taken away from his holy work and shut up in prison and there he was put the death as a reward for the reward of a young woman for dancing, whose mother asked to the head of John the Baptist.

Right after John was imprisoned the lord Jesus “began from Galilee” preaching “the kingdom of God.” He went through all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. [Matthew 4:23] He went from Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom “throughout all Judea,” as we learn from Luke 7:1: “It came to pass afterward that he went through every city and village, preaching and showing forth the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. When the people of Capernaum urges him to stay longer with them he declined, saying, “I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also; for this reason was I sent.” [Luke 4: 43] In the interval between his resurrection and his rising up into the clouds his message was still about “the kingdom of God.”

So we can understand that it has been abundantly proved that “THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD” was the great message and testimony which the Messiah Jesus brought to Israel and mankind through his apostles. It follows that “the gospel of the kingdom of God” is what we must believe before it can truly be said that we “believe on the lord Jesus the Messiah.” He has commanded us to believe the gospel of the kingdom of God which he preached to all men/women. “Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “Repent, and believe the gospel.” [Mark 1:14, 15] The language shows that he commanded them to believe the gospel he was preaching, “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” It is essential that we keep his commandments! He says, “Why do you call me lord, lord, and do not do the things that I say? [Luke 6:46] He says, “You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you.” [John 15:14] “Whatever he says unto you do” [John 2:5] “If you love me, keep my commandment.” [John 15:15] Keeping his commandments is a test of loving him, and certainly, no one can be saved who does not love him, for the fearful penalty has been pronounced, “If any man does not love the lord Jesus the Messiah let him be Anathema Maranatha,” i.e. accursed when the lord comes. [1 Corinthians 16:22]

So we see that the lord Jesus has set us an example and made the kingdom of God the great and constant theme of his message to all men/women. Isn’t it amazing that modern preachers refuse to believe or preach the gospel of the kingdom of God? I would not want to be in the place of such preachers on the Day of Judgment. Such modern preachers are preaching another gospel than the one Jesus brought to all of mankind. Not only did Jesus preach the gospel but he sent his 12 apostles to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God and they went through the towns preaching the gospel. [Luke 9:2, 6] So we see that those who do not preach the gospel of the kingdom of God do not preach the true gospel. The gospel message is not restricted to Israel but is to go forth to all the world, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world.” [Matthew 24:14] Jesus told his disciples, “You shall be witness to me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] We can conclude that the apostles obeyed the lord Jesus and the gospel of the kingdom of God was preached everywhere the apostles went. Notice we find Philip in Samaria “preaching the things about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus the Messiah.” [Acts 8:12] Notice Paul at Ephesus, and other places, preaching “the things concerning the kingdom of God.” [Acts 19:8; 20:25] In Rome Paul lived for two whole years “preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the lord Jesus the Messiah.” [Acts 28:23, 31]

As the scriptures recognize one faith and one hope, so also it recognizes but one gospel, and pronounces a double curse on man or angel who shall dare to “preach any other gospel” [Ephesians 4:5; Galatians 1:8, 9] Since there is but one gospel it follows that it is “this gospel of the kingdom of God” which the Scripture says, “He that believes not shall be condemned.” [Mark 16:15, 16] Behold the awful penalty of either preaching or believing “any other gospel” that “the gospel of the kingdom of God.”

Now the gospel of the kingdom of God is the good message, glad tidings, and joyful news of all those who believe it will receive! Now, what truths does the gospel consist?

1.   It will be a divine kingdom, the kingdom of God – Yehovah. It is called by that name because it is a kingdom that God will set up. [Daniel 2:44] It will be far superior to the human kingdoms of this world. It’s King and princes will be glorified immortal human beings present in bodily and tangible form. The risen and glorified holy ones [saints] will be like the lord Jesus the Messiah in appearance. [Luke 20:36; Philippians 3:21] All those who are resurrected in the lord Messiah will serve in the theocratic government he will set up to rule over the nations during his 1,000-year rule.

2.   The coming kingdom of God will be on this earth. The covenants God made with Abraham and David show that the return of the lord Jesus will be the start of the kingdom on this earth; when he takes his place on the throne of David at Zion. Then he will rule over the nation of Israel as King and rule over the nations as King of kings and Lord of lords. The promises made to the patriarchs and David will be fulfilled when Jesus returns to this earth to establish the kingdom of God. The new Jerusalem will be on this earth, and “the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it” [Revelation 21:2, 10; 22:3] Notice speaking of the lord Jesus: “his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.” [Zechariah 9:10] It shall fill the whole earth. [Daniel 2:35] That “the kingdom, the dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the holy ones – saints of the Most High” [Daniel 7:27] That the kingdoms of this world shall become our Lord’s and His Messiah. [Revelation 11:15] That, the Messiah will have the heathen for his inheritance and the “uttermost parts of the earth” for his possession. [Psalm 2:8]

3.   It will be an everlasting kingdom, that shall not pass away, and of which there shall be no end. [Luke 1:33] “The everlasting kingdom of our Lord and His savior Jesus the Messiah” [2 Peter 1:11] “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed.” [Daniel 7:14, 27] “The God of heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” [Daniel 2:44]

4.   That Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, has been appointed by the Father to be King of that kingdom. Nathaniel confessed, “Rabbi, you are the son of God, you are the King of Israel.” [John 1:49] Peter also confessed, “You are the Messiah, the son of the living God.” [Matthew 16:16] He is called the might Hero, and will come in the glory of his Father to take his seat on the throne of David. [Isaiah 9:6, 7; Matthew 25:31] Accordingly the kingdom is called “the kingdom of the Messiah and of God” [Ephesians 5:6] “The kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah” [Revelation 11:15] Our God Yehovah is going to establish a kingdom on earth, into which all who hold fast to the end will enter. “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give to you the kingdom.” [Luke 12:32]

5.   In order to obtain an inheritance in that kingdom a person must become righteous; “for the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” [1 Corinthians 6:9] It is “promised to those who love him,” [James 2:5] “to the saints – holy ones of the Most High,” [Daniel 7:18, 22] Therefore the lord Jesus directs us “to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” [Matthew 6:33] The kingdom of the aim and end; righteousness is the road to it. That righteousness comes only through the Messiah and by the merits of his atonement, “The Messiah died for our sins.” [1 Corinthians 15:3] “By the obedience of one many shall be made righteous.” [Romans 5:19] “The Messiah is the end of the law of righteousness for everyone who believes.” [Romans 10:4]

That righteousness, long ago made possible by the precious blood of the Messiah, is now individually applied to every believer of the gospel of the kingdom of God when he is baptized for the remission of sins; for such is the plain requirement of the scripture, “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins” “arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” [Acts 2:38; 22:16] After the believer is baptized he is said to be in the Messiah; and if any man is in the Messiah, he is a new creation, for there, is no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 7:1]

6.   In order to inherit and be in the kingdom, a person must be made immortal; for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. [1 Corinthians 15:50] That immortality can only take place through the Messiah alone at the resurrection. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is age upon age lasting life through our lord Jesus the Messiah.” [Romans 6:23] So when this corruptible shall become incorruptible, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought about the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O, grave, where is your victory? [1 Corinthians 15:53-55]

I think we have proven that to the believer of the lord Jesus the Messiah is to believe the gospel of the kingdom of God, which teaches that he will come to establish that kingdom on earth, and give the righteous endless life and happiness and joy therein, at their resurrection.

This is that, “Great salvation which at first began to be spoken by the lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.” [Hebrews 2:3] “How shall we escape is we neglect so great salvation?” This is a solemn question, for there is no escape for any who neglect it. You need not revile, oppose, but merely neglect it, to ensure your destruction. You have heard the question, “What must I do to be saved? Now if you answer, “What must I do to be lost?” I answer, “Do nothing!” and you are rushing along the track to perdition. Continue to neglect so great salvation and you will not escape the consuming wrath of God. The sin of omission, the sin of not believing, is a great sin worthy of death; for he that believes not shall be condemned. [Mark 16:16] “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” [Hebrews 11:6] Unless you believe you will die in your sins. Surely you will die in your sins unless you believe and obey the gospel of the kingdom.

To speak of obeying the gospel implies that it carries with it commands to be obeyed, and well as truths to be believed. In the great commission under which the apostles were sent into all the world, they were instructed to baptize those who believed. Go, teach all nations, baptizing them, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” [Matthew 38:19; Mark 16:15, 16]

Thus it is, that in the very first sermon preached by the apostles under their commission, we find them commanding their hearers to be “baptized for the remission of sins.” [Acts 2:38] Also, when Peter preached at the house of Cornelius those who believed were commanded to be baptized. [Acts 10:48] So we see that baptism is one of the great commands of the bible. And what shall be the end of them who believe not the gospel? This question is asked by Peter and answered by Paul: “The lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel.” [1 Peter 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8]

What a precious privilege to go down into the waters of baptism and experience death to self and come up out of the water a new creation having resurrection life as you are filled with the Spirit of the Messiah and God. What joy to know that all your sins have been washed away, because of the sin-offering sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus who shed blood enable our God to be reconciled to us! Amazing Grace! We can now go forward totally committed to walking in faith/obedience in love to our God and Father and loving our neighbors as ourselves. In doing so we are keeping the creed of the lord Messiah Jesus. [Mark 12:28-34] After our baptism we realize that we are the slaves of the lord Messiah because we have been bought and paid for by his shed blood. [1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; 7:23; Romans 6:16, 18, 22;] We are the slaves of the one we obey in our case the lord Messiah Jesus and as his slaves bought and paid for by his blood we live totally committed to obeying all the words God gave to him to give to us. As slaves of the lord Jesus, we own nothing. Everything we have has been given to us by our God and Father to exercise stewardship over. Also as the slaves of the lord Jesus, we always do what he requires of us without question. Whatever God or His anointed one command us to do comes with the enabling power to do it. What amazing grace, we are commanded to do something, and when we do we receive a reward! 

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they have right to the tree of life, and may enter into the gates of the city – the New Jerusalem.” [Revelation 22:14] Jesus says, “Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest; take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28, 30] Yehovah invites you saying, “Come now, let us reason together, says Yehovah, though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” [Isaiah 1:18] Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts!                   

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

Search the scriptures [John 5:39] “They received the word with readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed” [Acts 17:11-12].

1. We should study the scriptures with delight. The writers, though endowed with inspiration themselves, used to take delight in studying the written word. Thus, Paul, “I delight in the law of God” [Romans 7:22] and the Psalmist, “How sweet are your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day” [Psalm 119:97-103]. “Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of Yehovah.” [Psalm 1:2] And the lord Jesus himself read the Holy Scriptures; it was “his custom” [Luke 4:16] Why then do we not delight in the study of the scriptures? It is recommended to us as an “able” word, “able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in the anointed one Jesus  … able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified – set apart.” [2 Timothy 3:16; Acts 20:32] All through life it is a lamp to our feet and a guide to our steps, “You shall guide me by your council, and afterward receive me into glory.” [Psalm 73:24]

In our younger years, it comes to us with timely exhortation, “Remember now your Creator, in the days of your youth.” [Ecclesiastes 12:1] In the hot battle of life it gives many a cooling sip of “precious promises,” and, like a ministering angel, in the dying hour it softly whispers, “underneath are the everlasting arms… Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for your rod and your staff they comfort me.”

That the Bible is one of the greatest blessings bestowed on mankind is generally acknowledged by all who have taken the time to acquaint themselves with the value and worth of it. I once heard a young Christian says, “The more I study the Bible, the more I want to study it.” A celebrated scholar and linguist said, “I have regularly and attentively studied the scriptures, and am of the opinion that they contain an echo and greatness of spirit, exquisite beauty, pure morality, important history, and fine strains of poetry and eloquence, that could be collected from all other books.” In what light we read the scriptures, whether, in reference to revelation, or history, or morality, it is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue. These are just a few seed-thoughts on its preciousness.

2. We should study the scriptures with a child-like submission to its dictates. The scriptures are the sovereign test of all matters of faith and practice. “To the law and the testimony; if they speak not according to this word – revelation it is because there is no light in them.” [Isaiah 820] “Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good.” [1 Thessalonians 5:1] An authoritative message has been sent from the throne of Yehovah, and therefore the formation of what we are to understand is no longer left to the imagination, or the speculations of philosophy, but it is to be deduced fairly and honestly from the written revelation alone. The apostles performed miracles in confirmation of what they said; and yet the Bereans examined their teaching by the test of scripture, they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed.” And they were commended as “noble,” for their conduct. How much more is it necessary for us to examine what we hear, and have a “Thus says the Lord” or a “Thus it is written” for every article of our faith and practice!*

*The scriptures contain all things necessary for salvation; so that whatever is not read therein, nor maybe proved thereby, is not to be required by any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary for salvation.

Many believers pride themselves on the witness of their own heart, or teaching of the spirit within them, as they call it. They ought to remember that the Spirit of God in the heart would not in one jot or title contradict the Spirit of God in the scriptures, for the Spirit of God nowhere contradicts the word of God. When Paul said, “The Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” he was speaking of himself and those early disciples who, like him, had believed the gospel – the good news of the kingdom, and also had been immersed – baptized “for the remission of sins.” We know that the feeling of the heart cannot be trusted when they conflict with the written word, for “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” [Jeremiah 17:9] “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts.” [Matthew 15:19] The scripture also says: “He that trusts his own heart is a fool.” [Proverbs 28:6] Saul and others thought that they were doing God’s service when they were “making havoc of the called-out Assembly” by their cruel persecutions, but did their sincerity turn their crime into a virtue? [John 16:2; Acts 16:0-11] Sincerity will not render harmless the believing of error any more than the drinking of poison. The modern theory of sincerity is not found in the scriptures. Its advocates tell us that even idolaters will be saved if they live up to the light they have. But, the scriptures declare that “idolaters will have their place in the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” [Revelation 21:8] It speaks of the philosophical idolaters of Ephesus [Acts 19:35] as “without the anointed one, having no hope, and without God in the world… being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them.” [Ephesians 2:12; 4:18] Paul faithfully declared to them “the gospel – the good news of the kingdom,” as the lord Jesus had commanded. [Matthew 24:14; Acts 10:25]

We see the absolute necessity of submitting entirely and without reservation to the dictates of the word of God, “He has magnified above all His name – Yehovah.” [Psalm 138:2] His word enlightens, “The entrance of your word gives light” [Psalm 119:130]: corrects, “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way” [Psalm 119:104]: converts, “The law of Yehovah is perfect converting the whole being of man,” [Psalm 19:7]: and shields from sin, “Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” [Psalm 119:11]

3. Heeding the “sure word of prophecy.” In order that our faith be “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus the anointed one himself being the chief cornerstone” we should study the scriptures, the whole Bible, the old and new testament. The same God speaks to us through both the old and New Testament. His Spirit inspired the prophets and the Spirit power He gave to his anointed one when He gave him to be over all things inspired the apostles. [1 Peter 1:11; Ephesians 2:20] These two classes of testimony; prophetic and apostolic; may be called two sources from which “as newborn babes” we derive “the sincere milk of the word” in our earliest perceptions of the saving truth. [1 Peter 2:1] They may be compared to the two wings on which in growing strength we mount up as eagles. [Isaiah 40:31] We may liken them to the two edges of that “sword of the Spirit which is the word of God,” and which “a good soldier of Jesus the anointed one,” wields to the conviction and conversion of others. [Ephesians 6:17; 2 Timothy 2:3]

When the Savior said, “Search the Scriptures,” the New Testament had not been written. So, neglecting the study of the prophets would be neglecting this command of the lord Jesus. The apostles likewise require us “to be mindful, regard attentively the words which were spoken by the prophets,” and they declare that in taking heed to the word of prophecy we “do well.” It is a “light” which we dare not hid under a bushel. [2 Peter 1:19; 3:2] Take warning by the Israel of old, and the things that “happened to them for examples; and are written for our admonition. [1 Corinthians 10:11] Why, was Israel made “a curse, astonishment, a hissing and a reproach among the nations? “Because, they hearkened not unto the words of Yehovah, which I sent to them by my servants the prophets.” [Jeremiah 29:17-19] Behold the value Jesus placed on the prophets, and to the convincing power of their testimony. “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.” [Luke 16:31] And again, “All things must be fulfilled which are written in the Law of Moses, in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me. [Luke 24:44] Their great themes ought to command the full attention of everyone who truly loves the lord Jesus, they speak of “the suffering of the anointed one and the glory that should follow,” or, more accurately translated, “the sufferings destined for the anointed one and the glories after these.” [1 Peter 1:11] The glories include his resurrection, his being seated at the right hand of Yehovah who has given him rule over all things, his glorious future return “with power and great glory” to take his seat “on the throne of his glory – the throne of David” [Matthew 24:30; 25;31] to “reign in Mount Zion, in Jerusalem, before the ancients gloriously” [Isaiah 23:24].*

*Prophecy serves as the basis of our hope in the things yet to come, in the final triumph of truth and righteousness on earth, the universal establishment of the kingdom of Yehovah through His son Jesus, and the reward of age upon age lasting life to those that are his as his second coming.

Why would anyone object to the study of unfulfilled prophecy? By believing and heeding what was as yet unfulfilled prophecy, Noah, “prepared an Ark to the saving of his family; by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of righteousness, by his faith.” [Hebrews 11:7] If he had ignored that prophecy would he not have perished along with the rest? As did the sons-in-law of Lot for neglecting unfulfilled prophecy. [Genesis 19:14] Perhaps they regarded Lot as an alarmist. After all, everything was going on as usual.

A true worshipper should like Paul, believe not only the fulfilled prophecies but “all the things that are written in the law and in the prophets” [Acts 24:14] All the precious promises of the gospel of the kingdom which holds out to us the hope of the second coming of God’s anointed one Jesus, the resurrection, and all the joys of an endless life are yet unfulfilled prophecies, which give us hope the desire to hold fast to the end. To cast aside these unfulfilled prophecies would blow the light out of the believer’s animating hope, and leave us in the deadly darkness of utter despair. We are command to hear God’s anointed one Jesus “in all things whatsoever.” [Act 3:22], in one of his longest recorded discourses is a series of prophecies, which, to be clearly understood, must be compared to other prophecies. [Matthew 24 and 25] The last book of the Bible is a Christian prophecy, and was sent to the early called-out Assemblies with a blessing twice pronounced on those who read, hear, and keep “those things that are written therein.” [Revelation 1:3; 22:7] Was this blessing pronounced because it had become a fulfilled prophesy No, but because it was unfulfilled. The reason is given in these words, “The time is at hand.” [Revelation 1:3] This promise of a blessing ought to be a sufficient inducement of that prophecy and that study opens the door to the study of Daniel, Zechariah, and Ezekiel, all of them serving, when compared, to more clearly explain one another.

4. Compare scripture with scripture. All the plain texts from Genesis to Revelation, relating to any particular subject, must be taken together and impartially compared, and the expressions of one of them restricted by those of another and explained in mutual consistency. Then the revelation fairly deduced from them all in conjunction will be the revelation of scripture on that particular subject. Usually, the first time a word appears in the scripture defines that word.

We should not expect the whole circle of Christian faith explained in one place. [Isaiah 28:10]

These three following truths which, as great first principles, every person in the world ought to be acquainted with are clearly taught in the scriptures.

1. The “THE GOSPEL – GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM” is what Jesus preached throughout Israel during his ministry. The proof is too clear to be denied. “Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in the synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” [Matthew 4:23; 9:35] “He went through every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.” [Luke 8:1] And in the sacred interval between his resurrection and rising up to take his place at the right hand of Yehovah he conversed with his disciples, “being seen of them forty days, and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God;” the earliest and the latest theme of his teaching on the earth. [Acts 3:1]    

2.     “THIS GOSPEL – GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM” is what the apostles went forth and preached in the entire world after he ascended to take his place at the right hand of God. They did this by express direction of their Messiah who towards the close of his own ministry said to them, by way of prediction and command, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the entire world.” [Matthew 24:14] By whom would this good news be preached? It was preached by the apostles whom Jesus commissioned for that work, “Go you into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature.” [Mark 16:15] “You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.” [Acts 1:8] And though dead we may say they are still preaching the good news message in their writings, where ever the New Testament is read. So we know that the gospel was preached in Corinth, Rome, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica, and in every other place where Paul or any other apostle went./

3. After Paul had been a long time engaged in preaching “the gospel of the kingdom of God” he wrote to some who heard it, saying, “though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than what we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so now I say again if any man preach any other gospel unto you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” [Galatians 1:8, 9]

These three great truths may be expressed in the following short and easy sentence, the lord Jesus and his disciples preached THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD; and a double curse has been pronounced against man or angel who shall dare preach any other gospel.

Now, in the face of these facts, is it not surprising to find some persons taking an isolated text [1 Corinthians 15:3,4] and, contrary to sound criticism and right interpretation, endeavor to prove from it that Paul did not preach the kingdom, but preached only the death, burial and resurrection of the lord Jesus? In that text the words ‘en protois’ translated ‘first of all,” are defined by Liddel and Scott Lexicon (1849) to be “like the Latin ‘in primis, among the first.” The phrase might be accurately rendered “among primaries.” Campbell’s edition (1832) says, “Among first things.” Whitby’s paraphrase says, “Among the principle of faith.” Thus we see that the death, burial and resurrection although essential things are not the only things preached at Corinth but were comprised “among” certain things elsewhere called, “the things concerning the kingdom of God.” [Acts 19:8]

We can also take note that to say that the death, burial, and resurrection of the lord Jesus was not believed in or preached at Ephesus because these events are not mentioned in the text would show Paul was derelict in his duties which he was not. He preached the full gospel of the kingdom and the things about Jesus which would obviously include his death, burial and resurrection. So to conclude the fact that the teaching of the gospel of the kingdom is not mentioned in some of Paul’s letters or the other apostles as well does not mean that they did not preach that teaching during their respective ministries. It was the message that Jesus gave them to preach to the nations and to not do so would be to disobey their master. There are a number of conversions where the gospel of the kingdom is mentioned. [Acts 8:12; 19:8, 20; 20:25; 28:23, 31] So to not preach the gospel – the good news of the kingdom of God is to disobey the lord Jesus in what he has commanded us to do. Why do people need to hear the gospel message Jesus preached?

Notice: Luke 8:11-12: the seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are they that hear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Now we see in Matthew 13:19:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. So Matthew defines “the seed” “the word of God” as the “word about the kingdom of God”. Now what Luke says is extremely important. He says that if one does not believe the word of God that person cannot be saved! That is why the apostles were to preach everywhere about the kingdom of God. “This gospel shall be preached in all the world.” [Matthew 24:14]

Note: Jesus is God anointed one. He has been anointed for three offices: Prophet, to teach; Priest, to intercede and King, to reign. The “great salvation” is comprised in the performance of these three offices.

We are by nature ignorant, guilty, and enslaved. To remove ignorance is the office of a prophet; to remove guilt, the office of a Priest; and to liberate and lead to victory and to protect in a safe home and country is the office of a King. Jesus prophetic office was foretold in Isaiah 61:1-3; “Yehovah has anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek,” etc. His priestly office in Daniel 9:26: “After threescore and two weeks the Messiah – anointed one shall be cut off, but not for himself;” which means the “he died for our sins.” His Kingly office in Psalm 1:2: “The rulers take counsel against Yehovah and against His anointed one…. Yet I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion… I shall give you the heather for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.” Here the territory and royal city of the King are specified with the utmost clearness.

Now it might be asked, “How did the Messiah perform the office of Prophet? The answer is by teaching men the will of God, personally when on this earth and afterward giving them an understanding of the scriptures. [Luke 24:45] How did he perform the office of Priest? By once offering himself as a sin-offering sacrifice and making intercession for us before the throne of His God and our God, His Father and our Father. How will he perform the office of King? He will perform the office of King when Yehovah sends him down to this earth to sit on the throne of David and set up a theocratic government that will rule over all the nations of the world. He will do so will all those who have been resurrected to join him to co-rule and co-inherit all things with him as an immortal being.

So we see the title of Jesus being God’s anointed one, who He made lord and Messiah. That this includes the teaching of the kingdom can be seen by comparing verse 5 and verse 12 of Acts 8, for while one verse tells us that Philip preached “the Messiah” the other explains that he preached “the other things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus the anointed one – Messiah. So we see that the apostles preached the good news – gospel of the kingdom and the early Christians believe that gospel as a result of the apostles preaching it to them in order that they could be saved upon accepting it. So we see there is only one true gospel, one faith, and one hope, for all times and places and people, from the apostolic age until now. [Ephesians 4:4; Jude 3]

Now we can see the importance of comparing scripture with scripture. Our lord left us an example of this: “Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself [Luke 24:27] we should note that when he did this the only scriptures available at that time was what we refer to as the Old Testament. The first chapter of Hebrews contains many quotations, culled from a wide variety of scripture, on the subject of the superiority of the Messiah to angels. Notice in the speech Peter gave at the feast of Pentecost where he says that God had sworn an oath to David “that the fruit of his flesh he would raise up the Messiah to sit on his throne.” [Acts 2:30] From Acts 2:30, the reference takes us to 2 Samuel 7:12, 13, where we find the covenant with David, containing the oath Peter refers to. Then to Psalm 132:11, where the same oath is referred to in almost the exact word of Peter, “Yehovah has sworn to David, He will not turn from it, of the fruit of your body will I sit on your throne.” Then in Luke 1:32, 33, where the angel Gabriel declares that the Messiah shall obtain the throne of his father David, and “that kingdom shall have not end.” And now see how the light accumulates and grows brighter, as we progress in our research! For here the reference is Daniel 2:44; 7:14, 27, where we learn that when the Messiah obtains the throne of David his kingdom will rule over the entire earth; also it will be an everlasting kingdom and will be under the whole heaven and therefore on this earth.

Then we are taken to Obadiah 21, and they're told that the kingdom shall be Yehovah’s, that is, it is the kingdom of God, spoken of in the gospel. Then we are referred to Revelation 11:15, which informs us that the kingdom will be manifested at the resurrection at the sound of the 7^th Trumpet, which is the last Trumpet. Then on to Revelation 19:6, etc., where we learn that       the lord Jesus will not obtain the kingdoms of this world without opposition, for the rebellious kings of this world and their armies will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them, and bind Satan, and reign triumphantly with his risen ones, members of his body, in the 1,000-year rule, the millennium. [Revelation 18:14; 20]

And now, returning to our verse we take up the other phrase, “the son of Abraham.” The reference here points to Galatians 3:16, which informs us to the Messiah as the “Seed” or son of Abraham, certain great promises have been made. And the reference points to Genesis 12:7, where the promise is made, “Unto your seed, I will give this land,” meaning the land of Caanan on this earth. And the reference here points to Genesis 13:15; 17:8, where we discover that all the land of Caanan has been promised as an everlasting possession to Abraham and his seed, that is, to Abraham and to the “seed” the Messiah as Paul explains it. The argument is perfectly clear that the lord Jesus as the son of Abraham will inherit the land Caanan on this earth, for an eternal possession; and as the son of David will inherit the glorious throne of that land.

Now returning to Galatians 3, we find on verse 17 a reference to Romans 4:13, which gives us an understanding that the full extent of the promise was equal to the promise of “the world” for, as we have shown, when the son of David comes in glory and takes possession of the throne of David his kingdom will fill the whole earth. Then in verse 39 of Galatians 3, we find that all disciples, by virtue of their relationship to the Messiah, are also Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise made to him and his seed. And the reference takes us to Romans 8:17, which says they are joint-heirs with the Messiah.

Behold, then, how these two classes of testimony, the one concerning the son of David, the other concerning the son of Abraham are like two crystal streams that, rising in the first verse of the New Testament, flow through the scriptures, gathering volume from their tributary texts as they go, until they both end and blend.

In that bright paradise restored,

The blissful kingdom of the Lord:

Even in that kingdom which the lord Jesus will establish on the earth at his coming, and in which, through the atoning merits of the precious blood of the Messiah you may obtain endless joy and happiness if you believe and obey the gospel of the kingdom.

Written by Wiley Jones and edited by Bruce Lyon