Part 2 of the nature of Christ –Hebrews 1

Now let’s deal with the phrase “the express image of his person”. This phrase has led many to think that Jesus is part of a triune God or at the very least a literal offspring of God in the semi arian sense. I will show here that this phrase has nothing to do with either of the above preexistent views. Again we must remember the context of Hebrews chapter 1, which is about the exaltation of the risen Christ. This is a post resurrection statement about Jesus and is not about some divine nature that He had with the Father from eternity. It’s actually very easy to understand this verse, let’s go back to the book of Genesis chapter 1:

²⁶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 

We as men and women are made in the image of God yet we ourselves are not God nor literal offspring’s of God. God directly created Adam without the normal human birth process but he made Adam from the ground not from His own divine substance. God is Spirit and we as human beings are physical so us being made in His image obviously has to do with moral characteristics. We are also said to be conformed to the image of the Son of God. Let’s look at scripture:

 

Romans 8:29

 

^“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

 

To be conformed to the image of the Son of God obviously has to with character not physical likeness. Earlier in Romans 8 we see this truth of what it means to be a son of God

 

Romans 8:12-14

¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

¹³ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

 

It is being led by the Spirit and not after the flesh that makes one a son of God, a few verses later is the verse quoted above where Paul says we were predestinated to be conformed to the image of the Son of God. When we live after the Spirit we are called sons of God and conformed to the image of the firstborn Son Jehoshua. By being led by the Spirit we will be the many brethren of Jehoshua. If this is the manner in which we become conformed to the image of Messiah then it also stands that this is how the Messiah is the express image of God in that He lived after the Spirit and not the flesh. Just as we are being conformed to the image of the Son of God daily the Messiah was being conformed daily to the image of God the Father. We see in the book of Hebrews the daily fight that Messiah warred against the flesh.

 

Hebrews 2:10

 

“ For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

 

Jehoshua is the captain of our salvation, what made Him perfect (God’s express image)? Sufferings conformed Him to perfection. This is the same process that purifies us.

 

Hebrews 2:18

 

“For in that He Himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succor those who are tempted.”

 

Jehoshua was tempted, which caused suffering in that that He had to deny Himself and submit His will to the Father. This is the same thing we must do i.e. pick up our cross.

 

Hebrews 4:15

 

 ^“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

 

Jehoshua was tempted in all points just like us, proving He was not God who cannot be tempted. These temptations caused suffering in that He had to deny Himself. However, Jehoshua resisted all temptations during His ministry and was without sin. This is how He became the express image of God, because He lived according to the Spirit and not the flesh. The end result of Him resisting temptation was sinless perfection and God is without sin, hence Jehoshua is the express image of God.

 

Did you know that Jehoshua also tells us to be perfect like the Father in heaven?

 

Matthew 5:48

 

“Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

 

In context this is about loving our enemies and overall about Jehoshua’s commandments in the Sermon on the Mount. Jehoshua says that if we do these commandments of His we will be perfect like our heavenly Father which comes us to His image. If doing the commandments of the Son of God makes us perfect like the Father i.e. in His image, then it stands to reason that Jehoshua keeping the commandments of the Father made Him perfect like the Father and hence in the Father’s express image.

 

So being in the image of God has nothing to do with physical characteristics nor visible appearance but rather moral characteristics. Now visibly the Son of God does appear with the glory of God clothing Him but this is because He is now resurrected and on the Father’s right hand as noted previously in part 1 of this study. But guess what, we also will be as the Son of God currently is once we resurrect to glory:

 

1 John 3:2

 

“Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.”

John is saying that one day we will see the resurrected Messiah in His glory (“even as He is”) and we shall even be as He is because we will then be resurrected to immortality just as He had been. At that time we will truly be conformed to the express image of the Son of God, not only in character but in some sense appearance (resurrected glory). The same is true with Messiah as the express image statement is primarily one of character but He also has visible glory that the Father has, yet the Father is that very glory whereas the Son is filled with the Father’s glory. The Son gets His glory from the Father and we will get our resurrection glory from the Son but the Father is the source of both.

 

Let’s touch on a passage that says the Father’s majesty (Godhead) dwells fully in the Son because that passage is used to support the trinity understanding of Hebrews 1:3.

 

Strong's G2320 – theotēs

 

Colossians 2:9

 

“Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the ^[f]rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: ⁹ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”

 

The strongs definition of “Godhead” Theotes in the Greek means “divinity”. Paul says that the fulnes of divinity dwells in the body of Messiah. What’s does this mean? Notice that it doesn’t say that Jehoshua is God but that the divinity dwells in Him. We must remember that this is a post resurrection statement. Our Messiah was glorified at His resurrection into an immortal human being. He currently sits at the Father’s right hand on the throne of David dwelling in the unapproachable light of the Father. Also, even during His earthly life, Jehoshua said that the Father dwelt in Him. If the Father dwelt in Him during His earthly life, how much more so in His post resurrected state? The “Godhead” (divinity) is the Father’s divine nature and it dwells fully in the resurrected and glorified Messiah. To say that the verse above supports the trinity doctrine is a wild leap.

 

John 14:10

 

^“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

 

Jehoshua said that the Father dwelt in Him. Divinity dwelled in the Son of God during His earthly ministry.  The great thing is that we are not excluded from this as Peter says that we are partakers of the divine nature:

 

2 Peter 1:4

 

^“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

 

We as begotten sons and daughters of God are partakers whereas Jehoshua is fully indwelled by the divine (Godhead) nature. Jehoshua obtained this fullness of the divine nature by way of resurrection not by being the second member of the trinity.

 

Colossians 1:18-19

¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstbegotten from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

 

Notice the connection Paul makes with Jehoshua being the firstbegotten from the dead with the Father being pleased that all fullness should dwell in Him. This fullness is the same fullness talked about just a few verses later in chapter 2 which is the fullness of divinity (Godhead). The resurrection is the precise reason that Jehoshua now has the fullness of divinity in Him and not because of some preexistent divine nature whether in the Trinitarian or Semi-Arian sense.

 

Back to John 14, just before Jehoshua said that the Father dwelt in Him in verse 10, He told Thomas in verse that if you have seen me you have seen the Father:

 

“Jehoshua saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?”

 

If Jehoshua was not the Father how could He have told Thomas this? Because He was doing the works of the Father which were possible due to the Father dwelling in Him and hence He was the express image of God.  Being the express image of God was not really due to outwardly looking like God for God is Spirit and Jehoshua is a human being but rather it is because Jehoshua perfectly displayed the Father’s character. Jehoshua was keeping the Father’s commandments and doing the good works of the Father and loving like the Father, so in Jehoshua people saw the express image of Jehovah God.

 

Hebrews 1:4

 

“having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they.”

 

Verse 4 in context is talking about the resurrection of the Messiah as verse 3 states. Verse 3 is what this study is about. The son of God becoming so much better than the angels is in context referring to His resurrection.  Becoming better than the angels is not about the Messiah’s birth because chapter 2 says that Jehoshua was made lower than the angels when He was born.

 

Hebrews 1:9

 ^“But we behold him who hath been made ^[f]a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man.”

If Jehoshua was made lower than the angles at His birth then Him being made better than the angels was at His resurrection as the context of Hebrews 1 dictates.

 

Verse 4 that states Jehoshua was made better than the angels by way of resurrection per the context comes right after Him being described as being the express image of the Father. Again, it is crystal clear that these are both said to be in regards to the resurrection and exaltation of the Messiah to the right hand of God thereby these phrases have nothing to do with preexistence or the trinity.

Hebrews 1:3 – The nature of Christ part 1

 

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

³ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

 

What does it mean that Jesus is the brightness and glory of God and also the express image of the God’s person? Does this mean that Jesus is also God, either in the Trinitarian sense or semi arian sense? First, we have to understand this verse in its context. Hebrews 1 is all about the exaltation of the risen and ascended Messiah. Too many Christians read verse 3 and grab it of its context. Again, the context in chapter is all about the ascension of Christ into heaven. We can see this all throughout the chapter as verse 1 and 2 begins by referencing the earthly ministry of Jesus which the author refers to as the last days.

 

In verse 3, which is the subject we are discussing, the description of Jesus as the express image of God’s person and brightness of His glory is in the context of Him being sat down on the right hand of God after purging our sins by way of the cross. So the question remains, does the description of Jesus in verse make Him God, whether in the Trinitarian sense or the semi arian one?

 

First let’s address the phrase “brightness of His glory”. The “His” being referred to is obviously the Father. Throughout scripture the Father is referred to as light, light unapproachable, a consuming fire etc. Jesus Himself said that God is a Spirit. Scripture also without controversy teaches us that Jesus is a man. Most Christians agree that Jesus is a man but disagree on what kind of divine nature he has. The phrase brightness of His glory is actually easy to grasp, let’s look at 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 7

 

^“But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away”

 

When Moses communed with God his face shone with glory insomuch that the Israelites could no behold his face. It’s important to note that is was Moses being in the presence of God that gave him this glory. The result of this glory was that his face shined brightly.

 

Verse 13 of 2 Corinthians 3:

 

^“And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished”

Moses even had to put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel would not be exposed to the glory that shone on his face. Of course, the glory that shone on the face of Moses faded because that was something that was bestowed upon him due to being in the presence of God. It was not something he had on his own.

 

Now let’s go to the transfiguration of Jesus

 

Matthew 17:1-5

1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

² And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

³ And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

⁴ Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

⁵ While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

 

Here Jesus face was transfigured resulting in it shining like the sun. This took place on a mountain, similar to Moses experience, and it took place in the presence of Jehovah God who affirmed the Sonship of Jesus (verse 5). Jesus wasn’t walking around with His face shining but this was an experience due to His being in the presence of the Father.

 

The glory that shone from the face of Moses and Jesus was the brightness of God. What’s the difference between Moses and Jesus in this respect? Moses experience was temporal whereas the Son of God is the present tense brightness of God’s glory to His resurrection and ascension.  Moses is now dead and in the grave whereas Jesus is currently on God’s right hand experiencing the Shekinah glory that is the Father i.e. His unapproachable light. Paul describes the Son of God dwelling in the unapproachable light:

 

1 Timothy 6:14-16

¹⁴ That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

¹⁵ Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

¹⁶ Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

 

Here Jesus Christ is the one that Paul identifies as only having immortality in the context of men as Jesus is the firstborn from the dead. Paul says He dwells in the light which no man can approach. This light is the Father as only the Father can be described as the one who no man has seen nor can see. Many have seen Jesus so this is clearly about the Father. Since Jesus dwells in the light of the Father who is Gid then it makes sense that He is described as the brightness of God’s glory. Stephen saw this picture as he was getting stoned by the Christ rejecting Jews:

 

Acts 7:55-56

 ⁵⁵ But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

⁵⁶ And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

 

Stephen saw the glory of God the Father and Jesus standing on His right hand. This is a picture of the risen and ascended Jesus. If Jesus is on God’s right hand then it is no surprise that He Himself is enveloped with that glory. This is why He is described as the brightness of God’s glory, because He sits on the throne of God on God’s right hand. The throne of God is the lid of the ark of the covenant which is the mercyseat, on which two cherubim stand/sit on the edges. The ark of the covenant in the holy of holies is where the glorious presence of Jehovah would dwell. Let’s see an example of this from scripture:

 

Exodus 25:21-22

²¹ And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

²² And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

 

The holy of holies is where Jehovah would commune with Moses between the cherubim which sat on the mercyseat which is the lid of the ark of the covenant. When we read the book of Hebrews, it is clear that the Son of God went right into the holy of holies to be enthroned on God’s very throne. This is where he sits now as the anointed King of Israel. Jesus Kingship and priesthood is operated in the very presence of God’s glory which dwells in the holy of holies and also throughout His heavenly temple. Let’s look at another passage from Exodus to see this:

 

Exodus 40:34-35

 

³⁴ Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of Jehovah filled the tabernacle.

³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

 

So not only would Jehovah’s glory rest in the holy of holies but at times fill the whole sanctuary which also included the holy place. Jesus being the brightness of God’s glory has nothing to do with some type of substance in terms of His DNA but rather it is situational in terms of His position as the risen Christ and in terms of the location of His throne.

 

John 1:18

 

“No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

 

John says that the ONLY BEGOTTEN Son is in the bosom of the Father. This is a present tense statement about the risen Christ. Many people miss pout on what this actually means. While it is true that this denotes the close relationship between the Father and His Son it also can be taken literally in that Jesus is at the right hand of God in the holy of holies. Since Jehovah God’s glory, which is His presence, fills the holy of holies it can be said that Jesus is literally residing the in the Father’s bosom. Jehovah’s Shekinah glory envelops the Son of God hence the Son is the brightness of His glory.  Let’s look at the book of Revelation chapter 21 for a beautiful picture of this:

 

²³ And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

 

The Lamb Jesus is the light of the glory of God. Again, it’s important to remember that this is describing the risen Christ and it is because of all that was mentioned previously that Jesus is the light of the glory of God.

 

Revelation 21:22

 

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.”

 

This is the verse before 23 and it says that the Jehovah and Jesus are the temple of New Jerusalem showing that the Son dwells in the Father’s presence which gives the answer of how He is the light of God.

The birth of the Messiah (anointed one)

Every year during the month of December, the world celebrates the birth of the Messiah. However, do you know what real significance of His birth meant? The version of the Son of God’s birth that you hear in the churches and in popular culture is not the accurate story. Let’s look at the announcement made to Mary regarding the future birth of her Son.

 

Luke 1:26-27

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

 

What’s important to see from the above passage is that Mary’s betrothed husband is of the house of David. This is significant because what you won’t hear from the churches and popular culture is that Jehoshua prophetically has to be of the seed (lienage) of David in order to be the true Messiah and Son of God. Let’s continue to look at the announcement of the Messiah’s birth:

³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JEHOSHUA.

 

Notice that Mary is not pregnant yet but this is something that will happen in the future. His name would be called Jehoshua which means “the salvation of Jehovah”. This is also important to remember as Jehoshua didn’t come in His own name and authority but in Jehovah God’s. You won’t hear this in the churches due to their false belief that Jesus is God rather than God’s Son and Messianic King.

³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and Jehovah God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

³³ And he shall reign over the house of Israel for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

 

Here the angel tells Mary that her Son will be called the Son of God, showing us that Mary was not pregnant yet and that Jesus was not the Son of God yet. Why will Jehoshua be called the Son of God? This is where the churches and popular culture have told lies. The angel said that Jehoshua will be called the Son of God because He will be given the throne of His father David. The churches tell you that Jesus is the Son of God because He is God Himself, as one third of a trinity, yet scripture tells us differently. The Messiah’s birth is actually a fulfillment of an oath that God made with David, in that he would have a descendant that would establish his kingdom and throne forever (2 Samuel 7:8-16). This is why Jehoshua is the Son of God, because He is the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant not because of some fairytale.

The Kingdom of God PART 1

^{Acts 1:6-11}

⁶ They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? ⁷ And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath ^[e]set within his own authority. ⁸ But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.

 

The Kingdom of God was taught for 40 days by Jehoshua to His apostles and at the conclusion they posed the question as to when the Kingdom would be restored to Israel. This shows that the concept of the Kingdom is essential to the gospel message for we cannot preach the gospel without the Kingdom idea attached it. We can also glean from above that Israel is the recipient of the restorative Kingdom. What constitutes biblical Israel will be touched on in this study.

 

It’s important to note the Messiah’s answer to the apostles’ question. Just like the question regarding His second advent the Son of God states that only the Father knows when the time of the restoration takes place. We can fairly conclude from this that the restoration of the Kingdom takes place in sync with the second advent of the Messiah. We learn from the above passage that in between the Son of God’s ascension and the restoration of the Kingdom that the apostles were to take the gospel of the Kingdom world-wide. Also, the return of the Messiah will be visible and will be Him coming on the clouds presumably to the Mount of Olives where the ascension took place. These are all key things to remember.

 

There is so much written and preached about the Kingdom of God with many false ideas, everything from the Hebrew roots, dispensationalist, Messianic Jews and biblical Unitarian camps that posit a future millennium where modern “Geo-Political Israel” reigns supreme over Gentile nations with animal sacrifices administered by the Levitical priesthood. This belief also posits a rebuilt third temple in this age that will carry over to the millennium.

 

The question of the apostles concerning the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel has been a long debated subject. Various views such as dispensationalism and heavenly Amillenialism and everything in between have clouded the truth of this subject. Adventism posits a 1,000 year heavenly millennium derailing the prophetic hope of the Kingdom of Israel on earth. The Mormons believe that the Kingdom will be restored to Israel in Missouri of all places. Heavenly Amillenialists have removed any earthly hope and made heaven in the sky the ultimate destination where saints as disembodied souls reign during the intermediate state.

 

Dispensationalism, Hebrew roots, Messianic Judaism and much of Biblical Unitarianism believes in an earthly Kingdom yet they ascribe this to modern Geo-political Israel with animal sacrifices, Levitical Priesthood and a rebuilt third temple as features of that Kingdom. These groups deny or greatly minimize the truth that the Kingdom is already a reality including that Jehoshua is already on the throne of David. 

 

Like many things, balance is the answer here. It is important to note that the apostles question is not rebuked by Jehoshua but rather He gives them an honest answer that it is in the Father's timing when this will take place. This is the same answer given when asked when His return will be. This shows us that the return of the Messiah brings about the fulfillment of the hope of the apostles which is that the Kingdom will be restored to Israel. 

 

With this being understood, a 1,000 year heavenly millennium is impossible. While many of the groups mentioned above will agree with my statement, in equating the second advent of Jehoshua with the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel, they fail badly on the nature of that Kingdom. 

 

Unlike what these groups teach there is no future 1,000 year millennium but what scripture clearly shows is that they arrival of the Son of God brings about the new heavens and new earth where New Jerusalem will be the capital city. 

 

As the book of Hebrews shows us there is no more need for animal sacrifices. Also, the Levitical Priesthood is abolished according to Hebrews. We also learn from that chapter that the heavenly sanctuary is the true sanctuary. Also, Israel as it's known today is not the Israel that the apostles have in mind when they asked Jehoshua this question. It is clear from scripture that the return of the Israelites to the land happens only after Messiah comes back not before. Also, scripture says that they come back in righteousness meaning they will be in covenant with Jehovah God. The modern state of Israel fits no prophecies of the old testament. They do however fit the prophecies of Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 i.e. the synagogue of Satan. 

 

The Israel that gets the Kingdom restored is the one Paul talks about in Galatians 6:12-16 i.e. those who glory in the cross of Jehoshua Messiah. Paul calls us the Israel of God. It is those who are the seed of Abraham which Paul says are those in Messiah.

 

Galatians 3:26-29 (KJV)

 

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

What a powerful message by Paul! The apostle removes any hope for ethnic, economic or gender pride but says that all who have put on Messiah through baptism are children of God and heirs of the promise given to Abraham. All believers whether Jew or Gentile are referred to as the seed of Abraham and thereby heirs of the Abrahamic land covenant which is now expanded to include the new heavens and new earth. 

 

Paul clearly lays out who is Israel in Ephesians 2:

 

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

 

Paul clearly refers to the Church as the commonwealth of Israel as His definition of the commonwealth are those in covenant with God through His only begotten Son. We as Gentiles were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and not partakers of the covenants of promise. The covenants of promise are the Sabbath, Abrahamic, Davidic and new covenants. These covenants belong to the commonwealth of Israel not the Catholic, Protestant or Evangelical Churches. Paul's definition of the commonwealth of Israel is not the "Geo-political state of Israel" either then or now but rather those in covenant with the God of Israel Jehovah. The thing that brings Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel is the Son of God and His atoning sacrifice. Having faith that Jehoshua is the Son of God and what He did on the cross brings one into covenant with God.

 

In Galatians 6, Paul clearly lays out who comprises the Israel of God

 

¹² As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.

¹³ For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

¹⁴ But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

¹⁶ And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

 

Paul identifies the Israel of God as those who glory in the cross of our Lord Jehoshua Messiah which is the rule that those who desire to be the Israel of God must follow.

 

We must remember what was said by both John the Baptist and the Messiah Himself concerning the timing of the arrival of the Kingdom:

 

Matthew 3

 

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,

² And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Mark 1:14-15

 

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

¹⁵ And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

 

John the Baptist preached, before the arrival of the Messiah on the scene, that the Kingdom of heaven was at hand. It would be hard to imagine that he meant 2,000 years later. The Messiah also preached that the Kingdom was at hand meaning near. Again, it’s hard to believe that this was meant to be understood as 2,000 years later. This brings us to the tension of the Kingdom. Acts 1 shows us that the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel coincides with the second advent of the Messiah which has not happened yet, so how are we to understand John’s proclamation?

 

Let’s remember these words by the Son of God:

John 18:36

³⁶ Jehoshua answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

 

When Jehoshua says His Kingdom is not of this world he is referring to the political nations of this earth. One day His Kingdom will be consummated on this very earth renewed, but in the meantime His Kingdom is not be identified with any of the countries in this system of things. Also, if the Kingdom of God is indeed a present reality as scripture states then we could rightly say that the Kingdom of God is here on earth now but not in the form that it will be when the Lord returns.  This statement above by Jehoshua eliminates any possibility that the modern Geo-political Israel has anything to do with God’s Kingdom or is a part of bible prophecy in any way. This statement also exposes the fallacy of America being a Christian nation. It also shows us that we are not to fight in the nations of this earth’s wars. Jehoshua’s servants do not fight for the kingdoms on earth because the Lord’s Kingdom is not from here.

 

The scriptures do teach that the Kingdom of God arrived nearly 2,000 years ago, but if the Kingdom is not from here then how do we understand the Kingdom as being a present already?

 

Luke 17:20-21

 

²⁰ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:

²¹ Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

 

Here is the answer to the above question, Jehoshua clearly said that the Kingdom does not come with observation meaning it is absolutely not a Geo-political military Kingdom like those of this world. No country can ever claim to be the Kingdom of God because as Jehoshua said, the Kingdom comes without observation meaning not seen visibly as earthly governments are. The Son of God said that the Kingdom that was established nearly 2,000 years ago is within us meaning it is a spiritual Kingdom. This statement by Jehoshua is despised by those that have not eyes to see because it refutes their dispensationalist, pre millennialism ideas and their false doctrine that we are NOT kings and priests now and that we are NOT under the leadership of our Davidic King who is NOT on that throne now. It attacks their false eschatology (end times), soteriology (salvation) and ecclesiology (doctrine of the church).

 

What does Jehoshua mean by a spiritual Kingdom? That God’s law would be written in your heart which would be evidenced in how you treat others including your enemies. In fact, the terms of the new covenant Kingdom would be that God’s law would be written on your heart:

 

Jeremiah 31:31-34

 

³¹ Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: ³² not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; ^[j]which my covenant they brake, although I was ^[k]a husband unto them, saith Jehovah. ³³ But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴ And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.

 

Jehoshua equated the installment of the new covenant with the inauguration of the Kingdom:

 

Luke 22:28-29

 

²⁸ “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. ²⁹ And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

 

We see that the apostles were appointed (covenanted) a Kingdom by the Son of God at the last supper. Since the apostles were to remain on earth after the Messiah’s resurrection, the Kingdom that they were appointed to was earthly. However, it wasn’t earthly in the Geo-political sense but rather the spiritual one for the Messiah said His Kingdom was not of this world (Geo-political). This Kingdom was the Church of the Messiah in which the apostles were to judge the 12 tribes of Israel. Remember, that Messiah gave the keys to the Kingdom to the apostles in Matthew 16:19; and in Matthew 18:19-20. The reference to the 12 tribes of Israel refers to the church as a whole, both Jews and Gentiles, as the lost tribes had been scattered throughout the Gentile nations. All throughout the new testament, prophecies and statements that applied to old covenant Israel are applied to the Church. We see this done by James, Paul, John and Peter.

 

Jehoshua is not telling the apostles that they will get a Kingdom some 2,000 years in the future but rather it is (present tense) being bestowed upon them on that very day. The eating and drinking at the table of the Kingdom likely refers to the Eucharist meal where the saints would break bread in honor of Jehoshua’s death and partaking of His doctrine as well as drink wine in honor of His shed blood and His Davidic lineage as they referred to Jehoshua as the holy vine of David.

 

The emphasis on the spiritual aspect of the Kingdom over the Geo-political is seen in Jehoshua’s conversation with Nicodemus in John chapter 3:

 ³ Jehoshua answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be begotten from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be begotten when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be begotten?

⁵ Jehoshua answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be begotten of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

⁶ That which is begotten of the flesh is flesh; and that which is begotten of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be begotten from above.

⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is begotten of the Spirit.

⁹ Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

¹⁰ Jehoshua answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

 

This is a revolutionary statement by Jehoshua as He tells Nicodemus that the kingdom can only be seen by those who are begotten from above by the Spirit of Jehovah, proving undoubtedly that the Kingdom is spiritual and not Geo-political. Those who try and dismiss that the Kingdom has already been here for nearly 2,000 thousand years and that it is only a Geo-political kingdom centered in earthly Jerusalem in the distant future, are rebuked here sharply by the Son of God. He is emphatic that the Kingdom is spiritual in nature and is only seen by those who have born from above by the Holy Spirit. God’s Kingdom brought by His Son is not one that can be seen by human eyes as it takes spiritual eyes to see it. The Kingdom is one of spiritual treasures, in which its members enjoy the riches of heaven as a foretaste of eternity in the new heavens and new earth. Those who are still waiting for the Kingdom to arrive in some Geo-political format are the Nicodemus’s of the world who although being learned in the word of God lack the Spirit to see the true treasures of heaven. The true treasures of this Kingdom are not in wielding power to lord over others but rather to serve others in humility like the great King Jehoshua did during His earthly ministry.

 

To see the Kingdom spiritually is to appreciate the here and now of it and to pick up one’s cross and follow Messiah with all one’s heart. It’s to live out the principles of the Kingdom outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. Much of Christendom misses out on this as they are told that Kingdom isn’t here yet and thereby also negate the need to follow the Kingdom law as taught by Jehoshua.

 

To see the Kingdom now spiritually is to deny the riches of this world and the lust of it and instead build treasure in heaven. Essential to this Kingdom is the willingness to pick up the cross of Messiah and die for it. This is why American Christianity is lukewarm because they do not see that the Kingdom is here and now and thereby look at this world as their Kingdom and that God’s is only future. What a cost the Church has suffered by giving up the idea that Kingdom is the Church and instead await some Geo-political Kingdom ran by ethnic Jews.

Kingdom of The Son of God

This blog has gone through a few ideological changes and each time that change reflected a new outlook in how I view the faith. I have changed the outlook of this blog to a “Kingdom of the Son of God” motif. While this doesn’t seem like a big change because it still reflects the belief in our Lord, there are a couple reasons for it. First, I prefer to go back to the primitive form of Christianity, however I realize that someone coming across the blog may not be familiar with that nomenclature. I believe the ideological change to “Kingdom of the Son of God” motif is more closely how the early Christians looked at what we call ecclesiology (the doctrine of the Church).

 

The phrase “Kingdom of the Son of God” actually has a very important meaning in terms of prophecy, the identity of the new covenant church as well as that of the Messiah and His current function on the right hand of God the Father. Just two days after Jehoshua was baptized by John the Baptist, these words were uttered by Nathaniel to our Lord:

 

“Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.”

 

This very statement by Nathaniel was revolutionary and has gone over the head of most of Christendom. Jehoshua referred to Nathaniel as an Israelite without guile and responded to his confession with these words:

 

“Jehoshua answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.”

 

Jehoshua credited Nathaniel with believing i.e. having faith and this faith was rooted in Nathaniel’s confession of Jehoshua’s Sonship and Kingship. Those two titles “Son of God” and “King of Israel” are rooted in the royal seed of David and the Davidic covenant (2^nd Samuel 7:80-16).  This is why I say that most of Christendom has missed or ignored the significance of those titles and replaced them with a pagan understanding of what it means for Jehoshsua to be the Son of God. Peter makes a similar declaration in Matthew 16:

 

¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

 

The title Messiah is equated to being the King of Israel as is ”Son of God”. Peter basically made the same profession of faith that Nathaniel did. Like Nathaniel’s, Jehoshua affirmed Peter’s declaration of who He (Jehoshua) is by saying that the Father revealed it to Peter.

 

These titles are rooted in the Davidic covenant as stated above. It’s important to realize that we don’t just serve a cosmic Lord in heaven but we serve an actual descendant of David who fulfilled the promises made to David by Jehovah God. The promise was that there would be an immortal King that would spring from the loins of the Davidic lineage. Our Lord doesn’t just sit on some nameless throne in heaven but the actual throne of David which in the old testament was also called the throne of Jehovah God. Basically, the Kingdom of the Son of God is also the Kingdom of David. For too long, the promises that have been made to those in Messiah have been robbed by those who call themselves dispensationalists and applied to a non-believing political entity that calls itself “Israel”. The Hebrew roots and Messianic Jews have done the same. Rabbinic Judaism has claimed these promises for themselves in the future as the aforementioned groups have gladly handed those promises of the Kingdom to them. The aforementioned groups have voluntarily made themselves second class citizens in the Kingdom to unbelievers who happen to claim that they are Jews of the flesh. In fact, the dispensationalists deny that Gentile Christians have any part in the Davidic Kingdom. Yet the bible contradicts their assertions, let’s read what James, the brother of our Lord says in Acts 15 at the Jerusalem council:

¹⁴ Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

¹⁵ And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

¹⁶ After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

¹⁷ That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

¹⁸ Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

 

James is quoting Amos 9:9-11 which was a prophecy about the re-establishment of the Davidic Kingdom and he is stating that the proof of this prophecy being fulfilled is that the Gentiles were being brought into the faith. The chronology is that Jehovah would return to Israel and this He did through His Son’s ministry and then He would rebuild the Davidic dynasty which also was promised to Mary by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:26-36). The baptism of Jehoshua was the start of the setting up of the new covenant Davidic Kingdom as the anointing of the Messiah was similar to David’s anointing as king (1 Sam 16;13) in that they both received the Spirit of Jehovah powerfully. Both David and Jehoshua had to go through trials before actually sitting on the throne but during their tribulation time they were both acknowledged as the rightful King of Israel.

 

Once the establishment up of the new covenant Davidic Kingdom took place, then the Gentiles would seek after Jehovah being called by Him through the preaching of the Kingdom gospel. The Gentiles are not being called into some separate church or Kingdom but clearly from James words they are being called into the very thing that was being set up i.e. the Davidic Kingdom.

 

Ephesians 2:5-6

 

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Messiah, (by grace ye are saved;)

⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Messiah Jehoshua:

 

These words are often overlooked by Christians but they are very powerful in terms of our identity in Messiah. We must ask the question, what is Messiah’s function in the heavenly places? Obviously, He is a King and a High Priest. Paul says that we are raised up (present tense) speaking of our begotten from above experience. After we are raised up then we sit with Messiah in the holy of holies in the heavenly sanctuary where the Messiah operates His Davidic Kingship and Melchizdek priesthood.

 

This shows that we share in the kingship experience of our Lord Jehoshua as well as His priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9; Rev 1:5-6 and Rev 5:9-10 all state that we are made kings, queens and priests by virtue of what the Son of God did on the cross. We cannot be these things if we have no actual Kingdom nor an actual King. John the apostle states that the Kingdom of Jehoshua Messiah was already a reality in the 1^st century and that he along with the other brethren were a part of it:

 

Revelation 1:

 

^“I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jehoshua Messiah, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jehoshua Messiah.”

 

Clearly John identifies the Kingdom of Jehoshua as already being in existence and that going through tribulations was a mark that one was part of that Kingdom. While the dispensationalist and Hebrew Rooters mock the idea of Christians reigning now John the apostle says otherwise and indicates that reigning in this Kingdom means you suffer. The dispensationalists and Hebrew Rooters have ignored the very words of our King Jehoshua who said that those in His Kingdom who desire to be the greatest will be the servant of others. Jehoshua set the example that even though He was a King He washed the feet of theirs. Service is what makes one a king or queen in the Messiah’s Kingdom not ruling over others. In fact, Jehoshua said it was the Gentiles who lorded their authority over others. Paul said the same thing as John that the Kingdom of Jehoshua was already a reality in the 1^st century:

 

Colossians 1:12-13

¹² Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

 

Paul knows nothing of a Kingdom that starts in some future millennium but rather says that upon conversion we are translated (transferred) into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. My brethren, know your identity in the Son of God, you are a king, queen and priest.