Jesus Demonstrating Rulership in the Kingdom of God
Not by Might, but by the Knowledge of God
Jesus Demonstrating Rulership in the Kingdom God
We mentioned in our previous blog "We Were Born For Such A Time As This" that Man was created to rule and have dominion on the Earth. However, just knowing God's righteousness is not enough! To be a ruler, one must also be able to exercise God's righteousness. During Jesus' walk on earth, He has shown us at least three ways on how to do this.
1. Teaching
God created the whole world and set all the principles on which His creations operate. If every creation subject themselves to God's rules, the whole world would be a harmonious place where everything operates smoothly. However, many of these rules have been broken, omitted or distorted over the years, which led to much destruction and chaos in the world today. It is therefore an important job for God's "ruling team" to teach and reinforce God's principles in all His creations.
This is in fact what Jesus spent most of His time doing while He was on earth. Before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus also gave this "teaching job" to His disciples.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
2. Restoration
Since this Fallen World is subject to corruption, many things have broken down due to Man's disobedience to God's principles. As a ruler in the Kingdom of God, Jesus therefore took up the responsibility to restore these things back to their"original state". Jesus healing the sick is an example of restoration.
When God created the world, everything was good and perfect. Disease simply does not exist. Therefore, by opening the eyes of the blind, ears of the deaf, and healing all those who were sick, Jesus restored human bodies to their original perfection as God has designed.
Same as teaching, Jesus commanded His disciples to carry on this assignment.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8
3. Judgement
Another important work of a ruler is to exercise judgement. Even though the Scripture told us that Jesus has reserved His judgement until the End of Days, we did see Him exercising judgement in some occasions. When Jesus could not find fruit on a fig tree, He judged and cursed it because it failed to follow God's rules to bring forth fruit before developing a full covering of leaves.
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. Matthew 21:19
Jesus has not yet given this authority to His disciples, but the Scripture already foretold that His disciples will exercise judgement when Jesus sit in the throne of glory. Paul even told us that followers of Jesus will judge the world and even the angels (1 Corinthians 6:2-3)
So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Matthew 19:28
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 1 Corinthians 6:2-3
Not by Might, But by the Knowledge of God
We can see that under the New Covenant, rulers no longer rule by conquering other nations or by force as in the Old Testament , but by exercising the knowledge of God. God's saints will rule peacefully, with justice and mercy with their God given authority in the new Zion.
This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel (first anointed king after return of the Jews to Jerusalem), saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Zechariah 4:6