The Harp, the Bowl & the Scepter

Subject: [Worship] Fw: The Harp, the Bowl & the Scepter

From: "David Freyer" keys@arn.net

Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1999 03:30:09 -0500

Reply-To: "David Freyer" keys@arn.net

The Psalms were David's instruction manual for worship. There is a clear scriptural pattern for worship as depicted in the Psalms, as well as a clear scriptural purpose for worship.  Effective praise and worship accomplishes numerous things - first of which is the drawing of humanity to God.

Psalm 11:2,4 states "Come before His presence with singing... enter His gates with thanksgiving and His >courts with praise". The Scripture states as well that the Lord dwells upon or inhabits the praises of His people.(Ps.22:3) 

 Within His Presence comes His power. His anointing breaks apart yokes (Is.10:27), and releases His people from all manner of oppression (Is.61:3).

We see this in the case of king Saul.  "But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. And Saul's servants said to him, "Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. "Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.... And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him." (1 Sam. 16:14-16,23) Anointed worship effects us on every level, body, soul and spirit.   Praise and worship also transforms us (2 Cor. 3:18). There is a cleansing and refreshing we experience as we "behold" God through a sustained focus upon Him. It is during those times of unrestrained worship >of Him that the loving searchlight of His Spirit probes the depths of our >being, gently calling to death those things within us that would only cause us pain. "Search me, oh God, and know my heart... and see if there be any hurtful way within me" (Psalms 139:23,24). 

 Praise and worship is also associated with the release of the gifts and anointings of the Holy Spirit. "..And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp >before them; and they will be prophesying. "Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. "And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you." 1 Sam 10:5-7 

 There is even a dimension of spiritual warfare and Kingdom authority released during times of high praises to God. Ps 149:1-9 states: "Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise His name with the dance; let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp. For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; he will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment-- this honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!" 

  Heaven is filled with praise and worship to the Lamb. It was not so on earth most of the time when He walked among men. However, one of the most intriguing stories we see in Scripture, as Jesus' fame was spreading abroad >toward the end of His earthly ministry, was told in the Gospel of John Chapter 12 and occurred right after one of the most spectacular events of His ministry, the raising of Lazarus from the dead. It was at this time that Jesus was given the most extravagant and uninhibited praise He was to experience while on the earth in His pre-resurrected body. Jesus had become the talk of the town. The Pharisees were out to kill him but the crowds were clamoring to see Him. As is human nature, all the curiosity seekers came to check things out. Some were there because they wanted to see "that guy" who was raised from the dead. Others undoubtedly just wanted to be where the crowd was. It was during that time when the feast of Passover was approaching. Jesus had returned to Lazarus' home, just outside of Jerusalem. This section of Scripture goes on to describe the great processional in which Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a colt while children prophesied "Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' The King of Israel!". This event slipped only slightly over into the realm of the praise and worship that occurs in heaven no doubt, but it did release a dimension of glory and power that had not occurred before.

 Wherever there is true worship, we also see a release of a dimension of authority that is characteristic of the apostolic. Heaven's authority visits earth. This pattern and progression is seen when Jesus came into the temple surrounded by pure and true worship. There was a very loud procession as Jesus traveled the distance between Jericho and Jerusalem that day. Many people felt the prophetic significance of the moment and even some began to cry out "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" (Matt. 20:30) "As He came close to the city, riding on a donkey, the multitudes began to cry out: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the >Lord!' Hosanna in the highest!" (Matt. 21:9) 

 Note these things associated with Jesus being acknowledged as Son of David. They knew David's "House" was to someday be restored. The crowds were undoubtedly wondering "Could this be the one?" But then we see a side >of Jesus not often observed as He came into His temple full of the authority of God; as He began to set the house in order. 

 "Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise'?" (Matt. 21:12-16) 

 He had been there many times before, but now, there was something different. Now He was moving in his apostolic mantle. He was sent from God, with the authority of God. He came in an atmosphere of perfected praise and He came cleansing the temple, calling for prayer, and healing the sick. 

 Restored dimensions of worship release restored dimensions of authority, out of which apostolic order is released on the earth. There was a level of restored apostolic order - setting the house in order as a house of purity and a house of prayer - that was released that day as these two things came forth together.

 The tabernacle of David, known of and planned by God from eternity past, was now beginning to be rebuilt. But what exactly is this "House" that God said He Himself would rebuild in the last days? "And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: 'After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things' Known to God from eternity are all His works." Acts 15:13-18

 In the days of King David's dominion, righteousness ruled out of Zion. God was pleased with David because of His devotion to the Lord and his desire to worship Him. David loved the presence of God, and God loved that about David. In David's zeal to worship before the presence of God, he housed the ark of the covenant in an open tent and conscripted a 24 hour choral and instrumental ensemble to offer up continuous praises to the Lord. In fact, throughout history, since the time of David, his manner of worship was the pattern to which the people of God returned whenever there was a return to God.

 But not only did David pioneer the manner of corporate worship that would set the pattern for worship before God's presence forever; he also >exhibited a dominion of righteousness. David's rule on earth represented >God's rule through man. A restoration of David's fallen tabernacle is not >only a return to worship, but a return to God's rule among men. While David >is known as a prophet, he can also be viewed as a type of apostolic >government through his service as a righteous king. The House of David, in >fact, is destined to rule forever throughout eternity. > > As it happened, sometime after David set up the tent of God's presence >where the ark of the covenant was housed, he had the bright idea to propose >to God that he build Him a house. God must have laughed. He simply explained >to David he didn't need a physical house in which to dwell, and could not be >contained within a physical building anyway; but just because of David's >attitude, He would build him a "House" that would last forever. This "House" >would be a place from which a descendant of David would rule for ever. The >significance of this "House" is much greater than most realize as pertaining >to the characteristics, dominion and commission of the last days Church. > > The promises God gave to David pertaining to this "House" are recorded >in 2 Samuel. 7. "... have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of >Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you >not built Me a house of cedar?' Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.... Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever..." (2 Sam. 7:7-13) "And your >house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." 2 (Sam 7:16)

 To see what happened next shows us insight into the covenant keeping nature of God. It was only one generation later that Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and yet for his servant David's sake, He kept his word. "Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and have >not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. ... However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen." (I King 11:11-13)  About 85 years after David, we again see Gods commitment to His covenant with bad King Abijam: "And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. Nevertheless for David's sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem;" (I King 15:3-4) 

 During the reign of good king Hezekiah, 313 YEARS LATER... deliverance comes once again as God speaks from the mouth of His prophet Isaiah: "For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.' "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: 'He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor build a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return; and he shall not come into this city,' says the LORD. 'For I will defend this city, to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'" (II Ki >19:31-34)

 God intends to keep His covenant. In fact, the rule of the "House" of David is again expanded upon and defined by Prophet Isaiah in Isa 16:5: "In >mercy the throne will be established; and One will sit on it in truth, in the Tabernacle of David, judging and seeking justice and hastening righteousness." We see here that mercy, truth, justice and righteousness are components of this dominion.

 Years later, When things could not seem to be any worse, the prophet Amos arose and spoke this prophetic promise: "On that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name," says the LORD who does this thing." (Amos 9:11-12) 

 This clearly tied the re-established rule of the "House" of David with the worldwide declaration of the Kingdom of God. This Amos prophecy was the Scripture quoted by James at the Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-18) and is a key Scripture in understanding God's end time plans for the House of David.. i.e.. the church, for we now see Jesus, the "Son of David" Who became the cornerstone of the house and the builder of an eternal house which is now called "the church". 

 We see this "house" described in several sections of New Testament Scripture. Paul described it in his letter to the Ephesians. "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." (Eph 2:19-22) 

 Peter described it as well in his first epistle and shows us one of its significant purposes, the offering of spiritual sacrifices to God. "Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." (1 Pet 2:4-6) 

 WE are the house of God. We are the tabernacle being restored. We have become the expression of kingdom dominion after the order of David, a "nation of kings and priests", through our great God and Savior, none other than Jesus of Nazareth, Son of David. Jesus said that He would build his church, and nothing would prevail against it. THAT is the Tabernacle of David. And it is for the purpose of offering spiritual sacrifices of praise and worship unto Him. 

 And of course, HE IS WORTHY OF PRAISE! We are called to offer "sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving unto Him." It pleases God for us to give Him glory and praise and honor, for surely He is worthy. (1Pet. 2:9; Heb. 13:15; Ps. 50:23; 69:30) 

 When we praise the Lord we point to and magnify Him. People need to be pointed to Jesus, to whom John the Baptist pointed and said, "Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." 

 People need to see Jesus, who is the living Word, who was in the beginning, who was with God and is God. People need to be pointed to Jesus, who left the glory of heaven, was born of a virgin, took upon himself the form of a man, and as a man faced every temptation and trial we will ever face and did so without sinning once. 

 People need to see Jesus, who said, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of Heaven unless he is born again." People need to be pointed to Jesus, of whom it was said "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." 

 People need to see Jesus, who said "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and who believes in me will never be thirsty;" Who said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 

 People need to see Jesus, Who said: " I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am" They need to be pointed to Jesus, Who said "I am the gate, whoever enters through me will be saved." 

 People need to see Jesus, Who said: "I am the good shepherd.. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." They need to see Jesus, Who said " I am God's Son", Who said... "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." 

 People need to see Jesus, Who said: " I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through Me" They need to see Jesus, Who said "I am the vine; you are the branches.. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing." 

 People want to see Jesus, by whose wounds we are healed, who bore our sins in his body on the cross, whose blood cleanses us of all our sin, and who died, was buried, and rose again on the third day with victory over sin, death and hell.  

 People are yearning to see this same Jesus, who was seen by over 500 people after his resurrection, who ascended back through the clouds to take his seat at the right hand of the majesty in heaven, and who is seated in the heavenly realms making intercession for us. 

 People need to be pointed to Jesus, who has been exalted far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come, before whom every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and whom every >tongue will confess that he is Lord. 

 People need to see Jesus, who is Himself the King of kings and Lord of lords. They need to be pointed to Jesus, of whom ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands say in heaven.. "Worthy is the Lamb who >was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise."

A House of Prayer - a Bowl of Incense 

 As Jesus entered the city, exalted through praise and worship, and clothed with apostolic authority, His concern for His "house" caused Him to declare: "My house shall be a house of prayer" (Lk.19:46). How essential that we first of all be a house of prayer. Also 2 Chronicles 7:14 states "If My people who are called by My name shall humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and heal their land."

 The redeemed of God, described earlier from the book of Revelation, had >a harp, and a bowl of incense, which was described as the prayers of the saints. "Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every >tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." Rev 5:8-10 

 Heaven is to be filled with the incense of prayer. Prayer is essential for the release of heaven's rule on the earth. The fact is, things happen when we pray that don't happen when we don't! God's will comes about through prayer, or is thwarted by our lack of it. That is why Jesus exhorts us to pray, "Father... Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth..." 

 Prayer fuels the fire of God's manifested Glory in the church. John Wesley stated: "God will do nothing but in answer to prayer". Charles Finney's famous statement about revival was that revival in the church was no more a mystery than that of a farmer planting a corn field. When the farmer planted corn, he knew that he would reap a harvest of corn. When we sow sincere prayer, revival is sure to follow. 

 It is through prayer that we experience Divine intervention into human affairs. It is by believing prayer that mountains are moved, sinners saved, the sick are healed, and revival fires are rekindled. It is also by prayer that the human heart is transformed. Prayer is a must if we want to move >beyond the realm of human strength and initiative into the realm of the supernatural power and blessing of God. When we are releasing the ministry of the harp - worship and praise to the King of the Kingdom; and the ministry of the bowls - prayers from the saints for His kingdom to come and His will to be done; we then see His rule as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah begin to happen in and through his people. 

 The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

Rev 5:2-6 "Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth."

The 'Lamb' is also a 'Lion' 

 In Revelation chapter Five we see Jesus described as the Lion from the Tribe of Judah. In this prophetic book He is called a Lion who appears to John as a Lamb who was slain. He is actually one and the same. I believe there is coming an increase of insight into this aspect of the nature of our Lord Jesus who is the Lamb of God, and yet a Lion from Judah's tribe. Judah means praise. We know King David of the tribe of Judah, the forerunner of Jesus our King, as the worshiping warrior. We have known Jesus as the Lamb of God, our Savior, but soon we will see Him manifested as a Lion, a ferocious Warrior and the King and Judge of all the earth. This Lamb who was slain is here being called a Lion and is the only One worthy to open the seven seals of judgment. He is about to be revealed as Ruler and Judge. With that revelation will also come the realization that the last-days church is being called with Him and through Him into that same role of ruler and judge as described in the next few verses of chapter 5. 

"And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us >kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." Rev.5:9,10 

 In Chapter 6 we see Him as the one who will execute judgment. The following excerpts show Him as such. Chapters 6 through 8 go on to tell of the unfolding of these seals of judgment.

Rev 6:9-10 "When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

Rev 6:15-17 "And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! "For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

The 'Lion' is a Man of War

The Lord is about to show himself as a Man of War.

Rev 19:11 "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war."

Isa 42:13 "The LORD will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry, (KJV - roar). He will prevail against His enemies."  The prophet Joel, who's prophetic words apply directly to the end times, show a "last days" Jesus roaring as a Lion who calls His saints to war as well.

Joel 3:16-17 "The LORD also will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the LORD will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. "So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, dwelling in Zion My holy mountain."

Joel 2:28-29 describes the days we are currently in. "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days."

It is in this context that we begin Joel chapter 3 and so we need to see Joel 3 as a very significant Scripture for us as we come to the end of the age. It describes the happenings that will be going on "in those days and at that time," (Joel 3:1). We see that this will be a significant time of battle, as the Lord comes forth as our Lion, our mighty Warrior. And here we see Him calling us to the battle as well.

Joel 3:9-13 "Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, 'I am strong.'" Assemble and come, all you nations, and gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD. "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe." 

 The valley of Jehoshaphat is the valley of judgment. It is also significant because it is where the enemy of Israel was defeated through praises to God. (2 Chron. 20) Praise is a weapon of war, because praise arouses the Lord to a place of zeal. Praise releases judgment against our enemies. It is as we praise Him that He becomes full of zeal for His House. The Lord's triumphal entry to Jerusalem, as the crowd praised Him, saying; "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' Hosanna in the highest!", awakened in Him a readiness to judge and cleanse His temple. (Matt 21:7-16) 

 As we saw before, Psalm 149 also connects the function of praise with the function of warfare and tells us this is the responsibility of all His saints.

Ps 149:6-9 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment-- this honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD! 

 When we lift up Jesus, we participate in the battle through our praise of the Lord. When He is lifted up, our enemies flee. He has called us to battle, but our battle is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). Our weapons are not natural, but powerful through God to the pulling down of spiritual strongholds. (2 Cor. 10:3,4) Praises to Jesus are a weapon of war. When we give Him the praise He is worthy of, He goes to war on our behalf. When we acknowledge Him as our Mighty Warrior He will fight for us. He is the Lord, mighty in battle. 

The Scepter of Righteousness

"Your Throne, Oh God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness;" (Ps. 45:6,7a) 

 A scepter is an ornate rod or wand that serves as an emblem of regal or imperial power and authority in the hand of a ruler. The scepter in the king's hand represents his authority and dominion. We are told in the above Scripture that God's scepter is described as a scepter of righteousness. That is, His authority is righteousness; or it could be said the authority of righteousness is the authority of His Kingdom. So the extension of His rule is the extension of His righteousness. In fact, His Kingdom is described as a Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy, in the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 14:17) Add that to the fact that God wants to extend HIS rule and HIS dominion through His people and we see that it is through righteousness that we have dominion. Therefore, as we reflect His righteousness, we express His dominion. Put more simply, our level of righteousness determines our level of dominion. It is through righteousness that we have rule in life. 

 Of course, we must first understand we are not talking about the righteousness by which we are saved. That is an imputed righteousness given us as a gift and received by faith. There is, however, a righteousness manifested when we walk out the righteousness that has been provided for us. God desires for us to not only receive a "positional righteousness", (i.e.. right standing in His eyes) but a practical experience of being righteous. It is this latter righteousness that determines our level of rule and dominion in life. It is the righteousness that comes as we choose to walk in the empowering grace He has provided. It is our destiny and purpose to be extensions of God's rule in the earth. Ephesians 1:22,23 tells us that we are to be His body, the fullness of Him whole fills all in all. He wants to restore to us the dominion betrayed to the devil at the fall of man and grant us to reign in life in Christ Jesus. We are meant to be extensions of His righteous rule. We are called to advance His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is simply the domain of the King. It has come wherever Jesus is ruling.

Kingdom Dominion 

 David established his rulership out of Jerusalem, a city on the top of Mount Zion. The Scriptures refer to Mount Zion and the city of Jerusalem as a picture of the government of God. Psalms 2:6 prophetically decreed in reference to Jesus: "Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion." The picture is carried forward in Isaiah's prophesy to show the eventual, total dominion of the Kingdom of God over all other kingdoms and dominions. 

 "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; he will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." (Isa 2:2-3) 

 We know this is a direct reference to the Kingdom of God and His agency, the church, through what is stated in Hebrews 12:22-24. "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, ..." We, the church, are that city according to Matthew 5:14 which states; "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

For those of us who have grown up in a western democratic form of government, rather than one of kings and kingdoms, the term kingdom can easily lose it's simple significance. For me, the interposing of the word "government" for kingdom put it into a much clearer perspective. In other words, the kingdom of God is the government of God. It is the domain in which the King rules, or in other words, wherever Jesus is Lord. 

 Daniel saw and described it like this. "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one >which shall not be destroyed." (Dan 7:13-14) 

 At His ascension Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me." (Matt. 28:18) The rule of Jesus extends over all. He rules over space. He rules over time and eternity. He rules over nature, and His rule shall eventually and inevitably extend to every individual, for Scripture states in Philippians 2:10-11 "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, ..., and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 

 Jesus demonstrated His Lordship - His rulership over creation - by turning water to wine; through bread and fish multiplied; even through His authority over the elements. He commanded the wind and waves; He exerted authority over demons and the domain of darkness; sickness and disease, etc. 

Where Jesus rules, demons flee, sickness is healed and captives are set free. It is interesting that over and over again when Jesus and the gospel of the kingdom are mentioned together in Scripture, those things were happening. And, of course, there are many other characteristics of His reign besides power and authority over the works of darkness; such as righteousness, peace and joy.

 But while He rules sovereignly over all His creation, there remains one domain that, for a time, has eluded His Lordship, and that, itself only by sovereign permission. That domain is the heart and volition of man, and thus the "world system" created by man which man had in turn, betrayed to the evil one. 

The Scripture, however, also indicates that through His coming, Jesus bought back that one last, lost domain, thus being established as Lord of all, once and for all; which now gives the conclusion of the matter. He is Lord of all! He rules out of Zion. But His kingdom has also been likened to leaven which slowly and subtly invades and infiltrates the entire loaf of bread. The Kingdom is come, wherever Jesus is given rule, and that rule in eventual and inevitable. That is why, when Jesus becomes Lord of our lives, the kingdom has come to our lives. Where Jesus is Lord in the "church", the kingdom of God has come to the church. Where Jesus is Lord of our eating habits, our financial dealings, our relationships, THERE the Kingdom has come. His Kingdom is inevitable. We are all destined to acknowledge it by the confession of our tongue and the bending of our knee. The fact is, everyone WILL acknowledge Him as Lord. The choice each one has is to do so willingly now, for which there is great benefit, or under duress later at the final judgment. Nevertheless, He is Lord! Glory to the KING!

 He is the King of Kings and we are ambasadors of His Kingdom. This is the one aspect of the truth of His reign, however, which so often eludes us, that is, He desires to rule THROUGH US. He desires to grant apostolic authority - His rule - to His church. He wants to extend His scepter of righteousness through us. That scepter is bestowed and utilized as we take up the ministry of the harp of praise, and the bowl of prayer and intercession. Then through the authority of righteousness we will reign on the earth - extending his rule as "the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:23)

"Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." Rev 5:8-10

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The Celtic Anabaptist Diocese of Fort Worth