Heaven on Earth - Part 3: When Politics are Perfect - Part A

Politicians are like everybody's favorite scapegoat. The reason all of the problems exist or if we want and we expect them to solve all of the world so and that it's unrealistic expectations that have the same time that we want to do everything there is less and less trust in the political structure even in our democracy.

In a recent Harris poll.

They asked the question how much do you trust tuition 16 American institutions were listed.

The least amount of trust is given to the United States, politics is a sensitive issue for a lot of people that you know what time is coming from politics will be proven discover more about that future reality today on connect with Skip Heitzig first Skip wants to invite you to connect with him on social media page pastor Skip here if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest from this ministry follow at Skip Heitzig sick on Facebook, twitter and Instagram that Skip HEITZIG now we're in Revelation chapter 20 as we dive into the teaching with Skip light to read you something written by James.

James death was a columnist and humorist for the Charleston, West Virginia, Gazette newspaper, and he wrote a few years back. These words I got heard about an operation that would enable him to get a new brain so we went to the hospital where the surgery had been perfected and asked the doctors what was in stock. Well, here's an excellent engineers brain. They said a finely honed a precise bit of gray matter, but it will cost you $500 an ounce, or what else you got asked the man what we have a lawyers brain is a collection of shrewd tricky little gray cells. It's $1000 an ounce was at all you have asked the man.

No, here's a doctors brain packed full of anatomical knowledge. It's $5000 an ounce. I don't know the man said, do you have anything else. While then the doctors looked at each other and the motion for the man to step forward over to a covered container in hushed tones. They said this is a politicians brain. It cost $250,000 an ounce. I'll explain the fellow why is it so expensive. Well, the doctors told him in the first place. It's hardly used in the second place. Do you realize how many politicians you need to get an ounce of brains. I couldn't resist. I couldn't resist. Given the current political climate, and here's why you politicians are like everybody's favorite scapegoat there there there. The reason all of the problems exist or if we want and we expect them to solve all of the world's ills and that it's it's unrealistic expectations that that we have. But at the same time, but we want them to do everything there is less and less trust in the political structure in our country. Even in our democracy.

In a recent Harris poll. They asked the question how much do you trust these institutions. 16 American institutions were listed. The least amount of trust was given to the United States Congress. We just don't trust those that we vote in her appointment to political leadership. I read a story two months ago and the BBC about a village in Romania. True story.

They recently voted in a dead guy as their mayor because they thought he was a better alternative than the living opponent. No joke. Nikolai Ivar school who had been the mayor for 20 years, died but he wanted the election by 23 votes. When asked one man why did you vote for me because like I know that is dead but is a whole lot better than the other guy we just don't trust politicians.

The ultimate form of government. One day will be a benevolent dictatorship run by the Lord Jesus Christ who will come back repossess the earthen and hang a sign, so to speak over his creation. Under new management. United Nations building in New York as a scripture verse over its doors. Did you know that they have Isaiah chapter 2 verse four written over the opening to the United Nations. It says, and they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn to make war anymore and a great to know what United Nations hasn't been able to pull it off. No politician is been able to pull that off all those who visualize world peace can't pull that off, and after thousands of years of failed human government failed monarchies failed democracies failed autocracies were still yearning for that time and that time is coming and that time is in part described in Revelation chapter 20 when it's God's turn in today we get a little bit of a glimpse into the political structure of the coming kingdom age we saw last time or the last couple of times that one of the notable features of that era will be that Satan will be bound for a thousand years, and another notable feature that we camp on today is that there will be those who will be ruling and reigning with Jesus Christ. During that time, let's look at Revelation 20. And we principally want to look at verse four through six, but shall we just read verses one through six and get all in context. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the keys to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand and he laid hold of the Dragon serpent of old who is the devil and Satan bound him for a thousand years, and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should not deceive the nations or he should deceive the nations no more until the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while and I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus for the word of God, who would not worship the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or in their hands and they live and reign with Christ for a thousand years, but the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. There's a few conditions that give us the political framework. The governing ruling framework. During the kingdom age.

The first thing I want to draw your attention to is the chronology and eyewitness chronology. You'll notice that chapter 20 begins with this little phrase. Then I saw and then again in verse four and I saw and again the second sentence in verse four and I saw the souls that bring that your attention because in the book of Revelation.

John does that about 25 times and basically he sees something in a vision. He writes it down. He sees something else. He writes it down and each time he says and I saw that I saw and I heard that I saw and so he gives to us a chronological progression of a Revelation. Keep in mind John is not making this up. This is a direct revelation from heaven to John about future go back with me if you would Revelation chapter 1 and look at the first two verses of the book is introduced this way the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him. That is Jesus to show his servants things which must shortly take place and he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God into the testimony of Jesus Christ and do all the things that he saw, so you get the progression. The father gives the Revelation to the sun. The sun given to an angel. The angel gives at the John. John sees any rights it now and it's chronological what he sees what he writes.

This is not a near death experience. This is not burrito with onion induced dream. This is a direct revelation from God about the future and John writes it down in the book of Revelation really is not that difficult to understand if you just read it at face value.

In fact, in chapter 1 verse 19 the outline to the entire book is given, the angel says to John, write the things which you have seen the things which are in the things which will take place after these things, that the touted in the Greek literally after these things, so that's what John does.

Chapter 1 he writes about what he sees the vision of the glorified resurrected Christ chapter 2 and three is about seven churches, and he writes about their condition and what Jesus says about each one.

Right in these churches.

Not only are seven local congregations but they seem to also represent church history in its entirety. Chronological summary writes what he sees.

He writes about the things that are that are going on in the churches and then in chapter 4.

There's a change. It says after these things same reconstruction meta-touted after these things.

And John is immediately caught up into heaven and sees everything about the heavenly realm and even what's going on on earth from a heavenly perspective was caught up in heaven there in heaven. He writes about the throne of God and in chapter 6 through 19.

He writes about the tribulation. Seven-year period of judgment on the earth at the end of that in chapter 19 Jesus comes back to the earth with the saints in chapter 20, and I saw there's a thousand year.

So we we can follow that chronology all the way through something that may interest you is that the pattern of the book of Revelation is similar to the pattern of ancient Jewish weddings. See if you know this but in ancient times when there was a wedding. The groom would show up at the bride's house unannounced. They knew roughly when he was coming, but they never knew what time of the day or night. He would be coming, he would show up with the wedding party. They better be ready. He would come to the bride's house, take her from her house to his house where the wedding ceremony would take place after the wedding ceremony. The bride and groom would retire to the bridal chamber consummate their marriage. There would then be a feast for seven days anybody in the neighborhood could attend. During the seven days. The bride and groom were in seclusion and at the end of the seven days the groom would bring forth the bride and present her present themselves to their audience so we have in the book of Revelation, the church beginning in chapter 4 caught up into heaven there for seven years. There is the marriage supper of the Lamb that at the very end.

Revelation 19 the bride and groom the church in Christ return together. So John is just writing what he sees in a sonic sonic sonnet saw in us in chronological order so that is what I want to get across your eternal life has stages to. I hope by now you've abandoned the idea we die we go sit on a cloud play hard for millions and millions years or so to do a whole lot of nothing that is as far away from the truth as you can get. There's different phases of your eternal existence. If you die now you're caught up in the spirit and in heaven. You behold the throne of God. You will wait bodily resurrection. You can get a resurrected body at the rapture of the church. You then will return to the earth for a thousand years.

You'll then enter into it's called the eternal state knew have a new earth, new Jerusalem, which we begin to talk about next week in a sort like your earthly existence.

There are different phases to your physical earthly existence. First there was the gestation. You're in a womb for nine months. Anybody remember that course you don't. It's a continuation of your life you're here the same person I was and that will then there was infancy and then toddler hood and then adolescence and then adulthood and then eventually there's the geriatric phase all different phases that are very distinct from one another, but all part of your continuance so it will be with your eternal life different stages and phases. I love this text and brother in Ephesians chapter 2 verse seven, Paul says that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kingdom toward us in Christ Jesus. In other words, it's gonna take God all eternity to reveal and show so that you and I will discover and have adventures. That's how eternity is going to unfold his Caribbean on going revelation of really cool stuff and other than sound to theological cool stuff, but it will be so keep in mind we are following what John sees given to him by God in chronological order. Second thing I want you to notice about the political structure of that era is administrative authority. Look at verse four with me again verse four of chapter 20. Then I saw her, and I saw thrones plural thrones and they, whoever they are set on them, and judgment was committed to them. So we have thrones plural. They in them are mentioned clearly there is a plurality of administrative authority in the kingdom age because throne in the Bible can only mean one of two things either judicial authority or regal royal authority.

It's only how it's ever used so there is some kind of plurality of authority okay let's back up just a bit. Who is the ultimate authority in the kingdom age exactly Jesus Christ because when he comes back.

Revelation 1916, he bears the title King of Kings and Lord of lords.

He's the ultimate central governing authority and that's exactly what he was promised throughout the Scripture, the Bible promises that the Messiah will come rule over the whole earth which hasn't happened yet and he will do so from the throne of David in Jerusalem.

There are many many many promises that speak to them. Here's a couple one of the most famous is Isaiah chapter 9 we read it every Christmas. Typically, unless a child is born a son is given his name will be called wonderful Counselor, etc. and he goes on to say, and the government will be upon his shoulder, and of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward and then you remember when the angel came to Mary and announced that she's gonna have a child and she was freaking out. How can these things be in the angel calms her down and explains and says you will name him Jesus and says he will be great. This is Luke chapter 1 he will be great and be called the son of the highest and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David that takes place here Jesus comes back to the earth is now King of Kings and Lord of lords ruling in absolute sovereign authority lot is not going it alone.

He has help. Not that he needs help, but he certainly invites it. I remember as a boy I used to say just a little kid. I helped dad today all I really did is come to stand around and hold the hammer and mess things up, but he allowed me to be part of it because he like that idea that we were doing it together were going to be, or some group is going to be on thrones. Giving authority at that time so notice I saw thrones plural and they sat on them, and judgment or authority was committed to them. The question is then who are they who are they were not really told our well I guess the best answer would be if they are the ones that God wants to sit on the throne his head and help me a lot. Okay backup and asked this question. This is how will approach what group or who in the Bible does God promise that they will have a kingdom or administrator kingdom sit on thrones and have authority we can answer that we go all the way back to Daniel chapter 7 where we read in verse 18 the saints of the most high shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever. Even forever and ever. By the way, when you reach saints in the Bible you know by now is not speaking of the dudes on the holy cards with a little halos around their heads.

The glow these are real living people. Now you are in the Bible with the Bible calls saints to symphonies or set apart by God, so Daniel seven. The saints will possess the kingdom.

Also in Daniel seven verse 27 it says then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people. That is, to the saints of the most time. So God promises that first of all Old Testament saints and would also then include New Testament saints, God's people will administrate the kingdom number two. Jesus himself said in Matthew chapter 19 that his apostles, his 12 apostles would have a special administrative role, says Matthew 19 verse 28. Assuredly, I say to you that in the read generation literal translation. The second Genesis the re-creation in the regeneration when the Son of Man sits on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel millimeters as a question right here. If the kingdom is now as the millennialist says that this is the kingdom of God. This is the millennium then where are the Old Testament saints raining and where are the 12 apostles administering the 12 tribes of Israel. You get you get into all sorts of interpretive quagmire. When you go that route well. We have Old Testament saints raining we have the apostles given special administrative duty. Also, the New Testament says that New Testament believers will also rule and reign. First Corinthians chapter 6 get this. Paul writes, don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world. Well, when you judge the world. He goes on to say, don't you realize that we will judge angels not to think some of the Angels are too crazy about that notion, but that's what it says in second Timothy chapter 2 verse 12, Paul writes to Timothy, if we endure, we shall also reign with him. And there are many many many passages that say that we just don't have enough time this morning to go to all of them but here's a final one in Revelation 5 in the church is gathered together and were singing in anthem to God among our lyrics and that song are these for you have made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the year so it couldn't be any more clear than that Old Testament saints, apostles and New Testament believers to be vague in them ruling that SKU message from the suit and return it. Now you want to share about an exciting resource to navigate your life circumstances you can embrace your God-given potential. I've enjoyed watching the growth in the ministry of my friend Levi Lustgarten this month's connect with Skip resource. Take back your life new book by Levi Lesko usually bided tell you about it, it's all around this idea. Taking Dr. your life is a 40 day interactive journey thinking right so you can live right and this can be really powerful and specializing for people to have this only as an hardcover, which just makes me happy because I never had a booklist hardcover but has ribbon so you really keep track of your progress through these 40 days.

It would be an incredible gift to someone who is looking to grow in their faith or for any of us you want to maybe conduit and oil change for your heart. Check online on your wellness on where you're at little deal with internal difficulties and help you deal better with external circumstances that are challenging as we explore how we can get to the very best version of ourselves that we are meant to be. Get the book. Take back your life with a donation of $35 to connect with skip: 1-800-922-1888. Online it connectwithskip.com this hardcover book by Levi Lesko will help you take back your life. It's a 40 day interactive journey to thinking right so you can live right 1-800-922-1888 as our sovereign creator is also a loving father. We want people all over the world to know they're not alone enter now got caring laugh and you can help make that happen to your gift today which also keeps these messages you enjoy coming to you gift right now. When you call 892 1888.

Again, that's 892 or visit Connecticut.com/donate.com/Downey. Thank you. Tune into my escape height six years ago to perfect future kingdom will be parted when Christ rules you millennium began with all believers, all those who enter into the millennium are either resurrected saints or mortals who are believers and made it through to the end of the no unbelief. Believers die in their way.

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