1 00:00:01,839 --> 00:00:04,719 Hello, and welcome to Victory Briefings where we 2 00:00:04,719 --> 00:00:06,660 use the word of God for a victorious 3 00:00:06,879 --> 00:00:07,379 life. 4 00:00:07,679 --> 00:00:09,439 Today, I'd like to talk a little bit 5 00:00:09,439 --> 00:00:10,900 about the kingdom of God. 6 00:00:11,439 --> 00:00:13,839 I wanna remind you that the ministry of 7 00:00:13,839 --> 00:00:16,844 Jesus is centered and summed up in these 8 00:00:16,844 --> 00:00:17,344 words, 9 00:00:17,644 --> 00:00:19,824 the kingdom of God is at hand. 10 00:00:20,765 --> 00:00:22,225 His whole purpose 11 00:00:22,605 --> 00:00:25,724 was to rescue and redeem man to his 12 00:00:25,724 --> 00:00:28,224 original realm and divine order. 13 00:00:28,850 --> 00:00:30,070 We become stronger 14 00:00:30,449 --> 00:00:32,929 and more grounded when we understand the kingdom 15 00:00:32,929 --> 00:00:35,409 of God. Paul tells us that the kingdom 16 00:00:35,409 --> 00:00:37,030 is not eating and drinking. 17 00:00:37,329 --> 00:00:41,409 So it's not ritual or performance based, but 18 00:00:41,409 --> 00:00:41,909 righteousness 19 00:00:42,450 --> 00:00:43,350 and peace 20 00:00:43,914 --> 00:00:46,414 and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 21 00:00:46,875 --> 00:00:47,375 14 22 00:00:47,755 --> 00:00:48,575 verse 17. 23 00:00:49,675 --> 00:00:52,234 Now the logical starting point when we study 24 00:00:52,234 --> 00:00:55,135 the kingdom of God is the Bible's opening 25 00:00:55,195 --> 00:00:55,695 verse. 26 00:00:56,715 --> 00:00:57,215 Here, 27 00:00:57,600 --> 00:00:58,340 we introduce 28 00:00:58,960 --> 00:00:59,700 the sovereign 29 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:01,539 of all the universe 30 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:04,500 whose realm, reign, and regency 31 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:06,659 are described 32 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:08,020 at the outset. 33 00:01:08,799 --> 00:01:10,500 Here's where we meet God. 34 00:01:11,234 --> 00:01:14,275 Genesis one verse one. In the beginning, God 35 00:01:14,275 --> 00:01:16,295 created the heavens and the earth. 36 00:01:16,834 --> 00:01:17,334 Wow. 37 00:01:18,115 --> 00:01:20,855 The scope of his rule is his realm, 38 00:01:20,915 --> 00:01:21,895 which is transcendent. 39 00:01:22,755 --> 00:01:24,135 It not only includes 40 00:01:25,850 --> 00:01:27,069 the entire universe, 41 00:01:27,609 --> 00:01:31,130 but it exceeds it. He existed before all 42 00:01:31,130 --> 00:01:31,630 creation. 43 00:01:32,969 --> 00:01:35,310 He expands beyond it. 44 00:01:35,770 --> 00:01:38,189 And since he has begotten it, 45 00:01:39,295 --> 00:01:40,034 he includes 46 00:01:40,895 --> 00:01:42,034 all that it is. 47 00:01:42,974 --> 00:01:45,855 The power he uses to rule is his 48 00:01:45,855 --> 00:01:49,234 reign and is activated by his words, 49 00:01:50,495 --> 00:01:51,715 which is his will. 50 00:01:52,259 --> 00:01:53,000 By his 51 00:01:53,539 --> 00:01:55,000 own will, he creates, 52 00:01:55,939 --> 00:01:56,439 decides, 53 00:01:56,819 --> 00:01:57,640 and designs. 54 00:01:58,179 --> 00:02:01,640 By his word, he speaks creation into being. 55 00:02:01,939 --> 00:02:04,359 And by his works, his spirit 56 00:02:05,505 --> 00:02:06,005 demonstrates 57 00:02:06,385 --> 00:02:08,084 his unlimited power. 58 00:02:08,944 --> 00:02:10,965 Now the authority to rule, 59 00:02:11,504 --> 00:02:13,044 what we call his regency, 60 00:02:14,224 --> 00:02:15,604 is in his preexistence 61 00:02:15,985 --> 00:02:16,724 and holiness. 62 00:02:17,425 --> 00:02:19,444 He was there before creation 63 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:20,900 in the beginning. 64 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,180 God has sovereign rights 65 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:25,699 over all creation. 66 00:02:26,319 --> 00:02:27,139 He is 67 00:02:27,599 --> 00:02:28,340 the creator. 68 00:02:28,879 --> 00:02:32,319 His purpose in creating things good reveals his 69 00:02:32,319 --> 00:02:33,219 holy nature 70 00:02:33,599 --> 00:02:34,259 that is 71 00:02:34,724 --> 00:02:35,944 complete and perfect. 72 00:02:37,125 --> 00:02:40,344 It is his right to be creation's king. 73 00:02:40,965 --> 00:02:44,344 All kingdom power and authority flow from him. 74 00:02:44,965 --> 00:02:47,224 He is author and owner 75 00:02:47,685 --> 00:02:48,425 of all. 76 00:02:50,780 --> 00:02:52,000 Now we come to 77 00:02:52,379 --> 00:02:52,879 man's 78 00:02:53,659 --> 00:02:55,439 delegated dominion in 79 00:02:55,740 --> 00:02:58,719 Genesis one twenty six through 28. 80 00:02:59,180 --> 00:03:01,500 Then God said, let us make man in 81 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:02,240 our image 82 00:03:02,780 --> 00:03:04,560 according to our likeness. 83 00:03:05,294 --> 00:03:06,594 Let them have dominion 84 00:03:06,974 --> 00:03:09,375 over the fish of the sea and over 85 00:03:09,375 --> 00:03:11,294 the birds of the air and over the 86 00:03:11,294 --> 00:03:13,935 cattle and over to all the earth and 87 00:03:13,935 --> 00:03:16,254 over every creeping thing that creeps on the 88 00:03:16,254 --> 00:03:16,754 earth. 89 00:03:17,129 --> 00:03:19,949 Verse 27. So God created man 90 00:03:20,250 --> 00:03:21,550 in his own image. 91 00:03:22,009 --> 00:03:25,150 In the image of God, he created him, 92 00:03:25,449 --> 00:03:26,590 male and female, 93 00:03:27,129 --> 00:03:28,349 he created them. 94 00:03:29,209 --> 00:03:30,750 Then God blessed them. 95 00:03:31,115 --> 00:03:33,194 And God said to them, be fruitful and 96 00:03:33,194 --> 00:03:33,694 multiply. 97 00:03:34,155 --> 00:03:36,014 Fill the earth and subdue it. 98 00:03:36,474 --> 00:03:37,294 Have dominion 99 00:03:37,594 --> 00:03:39,754 over the fish of the sea, over the 100 00:03:39,754 --> 00:03:41,835 birds of the air, and over the every 101 00:03:41,835 --> 00:03:44,014 living thing that moves on the earth. 102 00:03:44,469 --> 00:03:47,750 Dominion is a verb meaning to rule, to 103 00:03:47,750 --> 00:03:48,490 have dominion. 104 00:03:48,950 --> 00:03:50,250 This Hebrew word 105 00:03:50,629 --> 00:03:51,849 conveys the notion 106 00:03:52,230 --> 00:03:53,050 of exercising 107 00:03:53,349 --> 00:03:53,849 domain 108 00:03:54,150 --> 00:03:56,170 over those who are powerless 109 00:03:56,550 --> 00:03:58,890 or otherwise under one's control. 110 00:04:00,144 --> 00:04:01,604 It is related as 111 00:04:02,305 --> 00:04:05,664 the exercise of authority by the priesthood in 112 00:04:05,664 --> 00:04:07,284 Jeremiah five thirty one. 113 00:04:07,745 --> 00:04:09,844 It's by the slave owners, 114 00:04:11,264 --> 00:04:12,884 over the slaves in Leviticus 115 00:04:13,185 --> 00:04:14,084 25 116 00:04:14,224 --> 00:04:15,444 verse 43. 117 00:04:15,909 --> 00:04:17,610 And it's used as supervisors 118 00:04:17,990 --> 00:04:18,810 over the 119 00:04:19,669 --> 00:04:20,169 workers 120 00:04:20,550 --> 00:04:23,449 in king first Kings nine twenty three 121 00:04:23,750 --> 00:04:26,229 and by a king over his kingdom in 122 00:04:26,229 --> 00:04:27,050 first Kings 123 00:04:27,845 --> 00:04:29,144 four twenty four 124 00:04:29,604 --> 00:04:31,144 and five verse four. 125 00:04:32,404 --> 00:04:32,904 Theologically 126 00:04:33,285 --> 00:04:35,785 significant is the use of this word 127 00:04:36,245 --> 00:04:37,704 to identify people's 128 00:04:38,245 --> 00:04:39,865 god ordained relationship 129 00:04:40,540 --> 00:04:43,899 to the created world around them. Genesis one 130 00:04:43,899 --> 00:04:44,720 twenty six 131 00:04:45,100 --> 00:04:46,240 and twenty eight. 132 00:04:47,980 --> 00:04:50,000 Before he created man, god 133 00:04:50,540 --> 00:04:53,360 had a plan to delegate to him dominion 134 00:04:53,580 --> 00:04:54,800 over all the earth. 135 00:04:56,175 --> 00:04:59,375 Man's power and authority to rule is part 136 00:04:59,375 --> 00:05:00,514 of God's purpose 137 00:05:00,895 --> 00:05:03,214 to make man in his own image and 138 00:05:03,214 --> 00:05:03,714 likeness. 139 00:05:04,654 --> 00:05:05,154 Genesis 140 00:05:05,615 --> 00:05:08,560 two verses sixteen and seventeen says, and the 141 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,220 lord god commanded the man saying, 142 00:05:11,759 --> 00:05:14,480 of every tree of the garden, you may 143 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:15,540 freely eat. 144 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:18,339 But of the tree of the knowledge 145 00:05:18,639 --> 00:05:21,220 of good and evil, you shall not eat. 146 00:05:21,384 --> 00:05:22,985 For in the day that you eat of 147 00:05:22,985 --> 00:05:24,925 it, you shall surely die. 148 00:05:25,785 --> 00:05:27,645 Notice the Lord God commanded 149 00:05:28,024 --> 00:05:28,524 Adam. 150 00:05:28,904 --> 00:05:31,725 Although the Lord gave Adam freedom of choice, 151 00:05:32,425 --> 00:05:34,125 he also gave him a command. 152 00:05:35,439 --> 00:05:36,180 The creator 153 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,660 is superior to creation. 154 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,779 We still have a freedom of choice, 155 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,439 but the only smart choice is to obey 156 00:05:45,439 --> 00:05:45,939 God. 157 00:05:46,639 --> 00:05:49,814 The choice of doing God's will is always 158 00:05:49,875 --> 00:05:52,835 better than being separated from him, which is 159 00:05:52,835 --> 00:05:54,214 the result of disobedience. 160 00:05:55,475 --> 00:05:58,435 This is saying that man's power to reign 161 00:05:58,435 --> 00:05:59,175 in life 162 00:06:00,035 --> 00:06:02,615 will go only as far as his faithfulness 163 00:06:02,995 --> 00:06:04,535 to obey God's word. 164 00:06:05,290 --> 00:06:06,509 Romans six sixteen 165 00:06:07,129 --> 00:06:10,169 in the New Living Translation says, don't you 166 00:06:10,169 --> 00:06:12,649 realize that you become the slave of whatever 167 00:06:12,649 --> 00:06:13,949 you choose to obey? 168 00:06:14,490 --> 00:06:16,970 You can be a slave to sin, which 169 00:06:16,970 --> 00:06:19,355 leads to death, or you can be or 170 00:06:19,355 --> 00:06:22,074 you can choose to obey God, which leads 171 00:06:22,074 --> 00:06:23,375 to righteous living. 172 00:06:24,314 --> 00:06:25,295 Adam and Eve 173 00:06:25,675 --> 00:06:28,395 didn't die physically the day they ate of 174 00:06:28,395 --> 00:06:31,435 the forbidden fruit. Adam lived for nine hundred 175 00:06:31,435 --> 00:06:32,495 and thirty years, 176 00:06:33,079 --> 00:06:35,019 according to Genesis five five. 177 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,019 But Adam and Eve died spiritually 178 00:06:39,319 --> 00:06:41,259 the instant they disobeyed God. 179 00:06:41,959 --> 00:06:45,180 That is evidenced by their actions and words. 180 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:46,139 They immediately 181 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:47,660 became fearful 182 00:06:48,274 --> 00:06:49,574 and ran from God. 183 00:06:51,474 --> 00:06:53,894 You shall surely die, it says. 184 00:06:55,154 --> 00:06:57,654 The Hebrew wording of this verse is interesting. 185 00:06:58,995 --> 00:07:01,794 The word which is translated die is used 186 00:07:01,794 --> 00:07:03,735 twice at the end of this verse. 187 00:07:04,050 --> 00:07:05,990 Man's spiritual death was immediate, 188 00:07:06,449 --> 00:07:09,350 which led to physical death, which was progressive. 189 00:07:10,610 --> 00:07:13,430 The word death in the Bible never describes 190 00:07:13,569 --> 00:07:15,189 a ceasing to exist. 191 00:07:15,649 --> 00:07:18,045 It always indicates separation though. 192 00:07:18,444 --> 00:07:21,324 Physical death is where the spirit and soul 193 00:07:21,324 --> 00:07:22,625 separate from the body. 194 00:07:23,645 --> 00:07:24,625 Spiritual death 195 00:07:24,925 --> 00:07:27,965 is where our spirits become separated from God's 196 00:07:27,965 --> 00:07:28,465 spirit. 197 00:07:29,085 --> 00:07:32,045 Romans six twenty three makes it clear that 198 00:07:32,045 --> 00:07:33,824 the wages of sin is death. 199 00:07:34,579 --> 00:07:36,759 Just as the Lord told Adam here, 200 00:07:37,060 --> 00:07:37,879 death means 201 00:07:38,180 --> 00:07:41,879 spiritual and physical. Since all have sinned, 202 00:07:42,339 --> 00:07:44,199 all have to die spiritually 203 00:07:44,819 --> 00:07:46,039 and physically. 204 00:07:46,845 --> 00:07:49,564 But God is a good thing to read 205 00:07:49,564 --> 00:07:51,024 in in Romans six. 206 00:07:51,485 --> 00:07:54,444 Praise God that He loved us so much. 207 00:07:54,444 --> 00:07:56,524 He sent His son to die in our 208 00:07:56,524 --> 00:07:58,305 place. John three sixteen. 209 00:07:59,580 --> 00:08:01,439 All the judgment and all 210 00:08:02,540 --> 00:08:04,080 the judgment and justice 211 00:08:04,699 --> 00:08:06,800 demanded was placed on Jesus 212 00:08:07,259 --> 00:08:09,980 so that we could pass from death unto 213 00:08:09,980 --> 00:08:10,480 life. 214 00:08:13,084 --> 00:08:14,464 Now before the fall, 215 00:08:14,845 --> 00:08:17,884 which is recorded in, Genesis one thirty one, 216 00:08:17,884 --> 00:08:20,925 it says, then god saw that everything he 217 00:08:20,925 --> 00:08:23,745 had made and indeed it was very good. 218 00:08:24,205 --> 00:08:27,504 So the evening of the and the morning 219 00:08:27,939 --> 00:08:29,319 were the sixth day. 220 00:08:30,180 --> 00:08:32,580 We need to recognize the difference between the 221 00:08:32,580 --> 00:08:35,000 original order of man's environment, 222 00:08:35,940 --> 00:08:36,600 on earth 223 00:08:36,980 --> 00:08:39,299 and what it became as a result of 224 00:08:39,299 --> 00:08:42,759 man's fall, the curse, and eventually the flood. 225 00:08:43,214 --> 00:08:46,574 Isaiah 45 tells us though that the earth 226 00:08:46,574 --> 00:08:48,434 was not created in vain. 227 00:08:49,774 --> 00:08:52,034 Creation turned and fell with man. 228 00:08:52,654 --> 00:08:55,454 It was man's sin that put thorns on 229 00:08:55,454 --> 00:08:55,954 roses. 230 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:57,539 The agricultural, 231 00:08:58,079 --> 00:08:58,579 zoological, 232 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:00,179 and geological, 233 00:09:00,799 --> 00:09:02,019 even the meteorological 234 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:04,899 conflict of the earth 235 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,259 should not be attributed to God. 236 00:09:09,095 --> 00:09:11,575 The will of God is not manifest in 237 00:09:11,575 --> 00:09:14,795 confusion, death, and disease, and discord, and disaster, 238 00:09:15,415 --> 00:09:17,115 any more than it is manifest 239 00:09:17,495 --> 00:09:18,634 in human sin. 240 00:09:19,735 --> 00:09:20,795 The world today 241 00:09:21,269 --> 00:09:22,330 does not reflect 242 00:09:22,870 --> 00:09:25,910 the kingdom order that God originally intended for 243 00:09:25,910 --> 00:09:27,690 man's legal right on the earth. 244 00:09:29,430 --> 00:09:30,810 And when we know this, 245 00:09:31,350 --> 00:09:34,310 we should not attribute to God's will or 246 00:09:34,310 --> 00:09:35,769 to acts of God 247 00:09:36,245 --> 00:09:36,745 characteristics 248 00:09:37,205 --> 00:09:37,705 our 249 00:09:38,084 --> 00:09:39,125 world that are 250 00:09:39,605 --> 00:09:40,105 characteristics 251 00:09:40,485 --> 00:09:43,284 of our world that are results from man's 252 00:09:43,284 --> 00:09:45,304 sin. God never made a mistake. 253 00:09:48,330 --> 00:09:50,090 Paul tells us in his letter to the 254 00:09:50,090 --> 00:09:50,590 Romans, 255 00:09:50,970 --> 00:09:51,950 the whole creation 256 00:09:52,330 --> 00:09:53,950 is standing on tiptoe 257 00:09:54,490 --> 00:09:57,690 eagerly awaiting the revelation of the sons of 258 00:09:57,690 --> 00:09:58,190 God. 259 00:09:58,730 --> 00:10:01,610 That's Romans eight verse 19 of the Phillips 260 00:10:01,610 --> 00:10:02,110 translation. 261 00:10:03,365 --> 00:10:05,764 I believe that God sees the curse as 262 00:10:05,764 --> 00:10:07,065 a temporary frustration. 263 00:10:07,924 --> 00:10:09,065 The next two verses 264 00:10:09,445 --> 00:10:12,024 says in the NIV says, for the creation 265 00:10:12,085 --> 00:10:13,945 was subjected to frustration, 266 00:10:15,125 --> 00:10:16,664 not by its own choice, 267 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,199 but by the will of the one who 268 00:10:19,199 --> 00:10:19,699 subjected 269 00:10:20,399 --> 00:10:23,679 it in hope that the creation itself will 270 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:24,579 be delivered 271 00:10:24,959 --> 00:10:25,860 will be liberated 272 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:27,539 from its bondage 273 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:28,980 to decay 274 00:10:29,434 --> 00:10:31,995 and brought into the glorious freedom of the 275 00:10:31,995 --> 00:10:33,054 children of God. 276 00:10:33,674 --> 00:10:36,475 Paul is saying that creation not only is 277 00:10:36,475 --> 00:10:37,855 waiting with attentive 278 00:10:38,235 --> 00:10:39,534 and earnest expectation 279 00:10:40,315 --> 00:10:41,534 or looking forward. 280 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,720 The neck stretched out and a head thrust 281 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:45,220 forward 282 00:10:45,759 --> 00:10:48,340 for something, but but that it is doing 283 00:10:48,399 --> 00:10:51,059 so because it is linked with man. 284 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,159 Creation had no choice but to fall with 285 00:10:54,159 --> 00:10:54,659 man. 286 00:10:55,565 --> 00:10:58,365 When God's plan of salvation for people is 287 00:10:58,365 --> 00:11:01,004 completed and the children of God experience their 288 00:11:01,004 --> 00:11:04,384 glorious freedom from sin, Satan, and the physical 289 00:11:04,445 --> 00:11:06,225 decay, then creation 290 00:11:06,605 --> 00:11:08,705 itself will be liberty liberated 291 00:11:09,509 --> 00:11:10,889 from bondage of decay. 292 00:11:11,830 --> 00:11:13,929 Then all things will become new 293 00:11:14,230 --> 00:11:17,210 according to Revelation 21 verse five. 294 00:11:18,550 --> 00:11:20,809 Click on the link to watch a video, 295 00:11:21,190 --> 00:11:23,050 legal stewardship of the earth. 296 00:11:23,429 --> 00:11:23,929 And 297 00:11:24,684 --> 00:11:27,184 don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss 298 00:11:27,245 --> 00:11:30,065 upcoming briefings. God bless you, my friend.