October 3 The Lord’s Kingdom

Revelation 11:15 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”
 
HOW does the kingdom of the world become “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ”? Let’s answer this with verses 16-18.
    First in Rev 11:16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God. Worship is the first step to acknowledging God’s kingdom on earth. This is one reason we are to be in corporate worship on the Sabbath. God’s people must come together to worship him as one body in one Spirit. (See Ephesians 4:4-6) Our worship is to be submissive to God’s throne, power, holiness and righteousness. Worship is our daily exercise of God’s commands in our mind, heart, hands and feet. Worship is committing our lives to know God. This is kingdom living.
    Second, Rev 11:17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. We worship. Then we give thanks to God. Why? We thank him for his eternal existence. We cannot worship any created being. The God we worship must be self-existent, always eternal. We thank him because he reigns over our lives and eternal future. Thank the Lord, and his kingdom will be in you.
    Third, Rev 11:18 The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great – and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”  We worship God and thank him for his justice. Then we praise his justice. The kingdom of the world controlled by evil becomes the kingdom of God when he administers justice against evil and for his saints – his church.
    The world’s sins becomes God’s kingdom when the Father fulfills his promises on earth. Revelation teaches us this will occur. Worship God. Thank God. Praise God. His kingdom come, his will be done on earth.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father for this clear vision to see the future you have planned for your people. Amen.