When one considers the uncertainties when it comes to our financial security once retired, we could become rather dismayed and concerned … yet if we are Christian, we look beyond that to our eternal rest in the Land of Glory with our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. Reminding ourselves of our eternal security, we have considered the truths that we have a secured Promise, Salvation, Righteous Position and Life. The comfort once understood to our souls is enormous … a true motivation to persevere as we travel towards our eternal home. Today we consider kingdom and glory.
5) You have a secure kingdom. As human beings, we come from many sources. Although we might use different labels, the Bible says we come from … “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9). However, as soon as we start to define our ancestry or ethnicity, things change.
I think of my own … dad’s father was from Scotland, his mother a descendant of the French Huguenots of whom some became the Voortrekkers … mom’s mother’s parents came from Cornwall in England whilst her father came from Scotland. What is my descendancy? Jenny’s mother has Spanish blood and her dad Dutch blood. What does that make her? Irrespective of the original people’s group we come from, many of us are no longer of that bloodline. Descendancy changes … so do kingdoms.
Many kingdoms have appeared throughout history and most of them failed with new ones arising. In our country some say they belong to the Zulu Nation whilst other Zulus say they belong to the South African nation. Depending who you are and where your strongest bloodline link is or depending upon what you choose to be your ancestry will determine your descendency. Whether you belong to a tribe, language, people or nation these change as we intermarry, have children or emigrate. This affects Kingdom!
Look what happened tonight at the Zulu Palace after the reading of the late queen’s will … Chaos! A new king was nominated but will he be king? What challenges will there be to his throne? A Cultural Expert said on the news tonight: “We don’t know whether to welcome the new king or not.”
There is another Kingdom with another King. Neither of these can be challenged or threatened. It is the Kingdom of Jesus. He is legally King over all the heavens (creation) which includes this planet and He is King, seated on the Throne of Glory. His Kingship cannot be challenged neither can His Kingdom. He fought for His Kingdom. He defeated the enemy (satan) and secured a people from every tribe, language, people and nation for His Kingdom. This Kingdom is an eternal one. It is secure. No enemy can challenge its existence and right. No one can challenged its King either. If you are born again you are part of this Kingdom, irrespective of your ancestry or descendency.
Jas 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
Pe 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Rejoice in this … The Kingdom to which you belong as a true royal is a secure Kingdom with a King who will never abdicate, be assassinated or die. He is a good King … who loves you so much that He died and rose again in your place so that you might be part of His Eternal Kingdom.
6) You have a secure glory. There is a difference between Kingdom and Glory. Kingdom is the people, the subjects … the saints. Glory is what radiates and fills the King’s presence.
Rom 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
The teaching here is futuristic.
When whoever ascends to the Zulu royal throne is celebrated in his coronation, there will be plenty joy and festivity … a type of earthly glory. The official coronation of King Jesus is yet to take place. As “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ”, we are and have shared in His sufferings, both by His substitutional death and through life as we live out our salvation on earth (as we are abuse, ill-treated and for some, martyred). The fruits of this are us “sharing in His glory”. Think through this … when He returned to heaven He was glorified. He took our humanity into heaven with Him. (However difficult this is to grasp in the spirit world, this is what the Scriptures teach). He is seated on the Throne in Glory from where He reigns. On the Coronation Day of King Jesus, we will be there to enjoy His Glory. We will ascend into heaven. We will receive our spirit bodies (eternal bodies). As co-heirs, under our glorious King we will reign with Him forever.
There are three important facts about Glory to understand.
First, it is a place … Heaven. Surely the bliss, happiness, peace, pleasure, love of that eternal place can only be glory! That is where we will be forever!
Second, it is a condition. The word “Glorification” is often used by theologians. Once our King is crowned, we will share His elation. We will experience our Lord’s happiness. That is glory.
Third, it is present and eternal. Think through the following passage and apply it to your soul, especially the ending:
Ro 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Verse 30 in present tense … including being glorified! I sincerely trust these six certainties encourage you.
Dear God I am amazed, yet over joyed at my present and future condition in King Jesus’ Kingdom. Amen.