Prior to His death Jesus spoke about those who, following His resurrection, would immediately begin to proclaim that He had already returned to earth. In Matthew 24:5,11,24-25 He warned that false prophets claiming to represent Him would deceive many people with a false message about Him. Some of these self-proclaimed ministers would perform such persuasive signs and wonders that even some of the very elect would be deceived. In Revelation 6:2 we find Jesus describing the leader of these self-described “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:15)–a rider on a white horse holding a bow. This rider would pass himself off as Christ Himself and his religion as true Christianity. That he would go forth “conquering and to conquer” the religious world is evidenced by the numbers of people involved in Catholicism/Protestantism, Islam, Hinduism, etc., all of which unknowingly worship and serve Satan. So blinded by the devil are these parishioners that when confronted with God’s Word they reject the Word and therefore the Source of the Word–God Himself.

In Revelation 9:11,15 we find the Lord describing Himself as a white horse rider bearing a sword, which He identifies in Hebrews 4:12 as the “Word of God.” Note that Jesus Christ is ALWAYS identified with the WORD, so much so that God calls Him “the Word” (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13). In John 17:17 Jesus states that God’s Word is TRUTH. Then in John 14:6 He describes Himself as the way, the TRUTH and the life. He was God’s Truth in human form; God’s Truth is Jesus Christ in written form. JESUS AND THE WORD ARE ONE. BOTH ARE ONE WITH GOD. To be at one with God man must be His Word in human form. This is impossible for those who refute any part of His Word as does the Institutional Church. See the Introduction to this website.

Jesus made certain that His disciples knew that He would not return to earth until it was time to begin the millennium at which time He would be crowned King over the Kingdom of God. In order to be a king, one must have a kingdom over which to rule. The Jews believed that their Messiah would restore the Kingdom of Israel upon his manifestation to them. Knowing this, Pilate the Roman ruler was concerned that Jesus of Nazareth was trying to replace Ceasar as king over the Jews. This could not be allowed. In John 18:36 we find that Jesus has been brought before Pilate by Jewish leaders who feared that Jesus would offend their Roman rulers. Upon being asked if He was the King of the Jews, Jesus replied: “My kingdom is not of this world”–the world system (“age”) now in existence. Jesus was saying that His kingdom would not be established during this time period. Those who believe that the modern church constitutes the Kingdom of God need to face reality and acknowledge that the self-proclaimed “church” is not winning the world to God, rather the world has won the church to Satan. What only true saints understand is that, though His kingdom has not yet been established on earth, His spiritual church (Mat. 16:18/Acts 2) was founded 50 days after His resurrection on the Day of Pentecost 31 A.D. A tiny remnant of that church still exists in spite of the Counterfeit Church’s attempts to eradicate it.

In Acts 1:6,7 we find the disciples asking Jesus if He would RESTORE the kingdom to (of) Israel in their day (“at this time”). Notice that they knew that the coming Kingdom of God would be the RESTORATION OF THE KINGDOM TO (OF) ISRAEL. See White Fields. Note also that Jesus did not correct them relative to the makeup of the kingdom; He simply told them that it was not for them to know when the restoration would take place. Because He was a man like them, He did not know the time element either. See Jesus Christ: God, Man or Godman?

Though in Acts 1:6,7 Jesus did not tell the disciples when the Kingdom of God would be established, He did tell them what they were to be doing until He returned to establish it. He also informed them of the source of the power they would need in order to fulfill their commission: “… you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses of Me … to the uttermost parts of the earth” (vs 8). This was not news to the disciples. Jesus had given them the same commission in Matthew 28:18-20. After identifying the source of the power they would be using, He said: “Go ye therefore and (using that power) TEACH ALL NATIONS … to observe ALL THINGS whatsoever I have COMMANDED you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the END OF THE WORLD (this age).” Other Scriptures reveal that the power of the Holy Spirit is needed in order for God-seekers to obey what the disciples taught, thereby qualifying to enter His kingdom upon Christ’s return. To be continued. L.J.