Kingdom Disciples

Disciples of Jesus and others who give their allegiance and devotion to the State are at risk of taking the Mark of the Beast . Humanity is divided into two and only two groups: Those who follow the “ Lamb wherever he goes ,” and those who submit to the “ Beast .” Members of the first group will not experience the “ Second Death ,” but everyone who takes the Beast’s “ mark ” and otherwise swears fealty to it will be cast into the “ Lake of Fire .” There is no third option, no neutral ground.

Humanity is divided into two, and only two groups, the followers of the Lamb and the devotees of the Imperial Beast . In the Book of Revelation , every man either “ Tabernacles in Heaven ” or is numbered among the “ Inhabitants of the Earth .” The terms are not geographical but reflect the leader each group chooses to follow. Men either belong to “ Heaven ” or the “ Earth .” Those who elect to follow the Lamb “ wherever he goes ,” tabernacle in heaven. The “ Inhabitants of the Earth ,” in contrast, have chosen to venerate the “ Dragon ” and therefore await a grim fate.

Jesus is the interpretive key that unlocks the Hebrew scriptures, understanding the end-times, and the nature and mysteries of God . Jesus Christ unveils the Mysteries of God. Only he is qualified to reveal the nature and glories of the “ unseen God .”  In him alone , all the promises of God find their fulfillment.  Christ is the key that unlocks the Scriptures and unveils the “ times and seasons .” This is especially so in the  Book of Revelation  which discloses the sacrificial “ Lamb ” and how he reigns over the Earth, or at least, to men and women who can “ hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches .”

The reign of Jesus on the Divine Throne is based on his sacrificial death and resurrection, the unshakable basis of his universal authority . The Death, Resurrection, and the Exaltation of Jesus are all linked in the  Book of Revelation . Christ reigns supreme over the Earth because of his obedient death and subsequent resurrection, and he therefore is authorized to reveal and put the contents of the “ Sealed Scroll ” into action. He does not tyrannize his subjects; instead, he is “ the Shepherd of the nations ” who redeems men and women from every nation.

Christ’s present reign began with his exaltation to the Messianic Throne following his Death and Resurrection – Psalms 110:1. The New Testament links Christ’s enthronement to his Resurrection and Ascension by applying key Messianic texts to his life. He qualified to reign from God’s “ right hand ” because of his “ obedience unto death .” This was confirmed when God raised him from the dead and seated him “ at His right hand ” where he now rules over the Universe.

When certain “ super-apostles ” began undermining his authority, the Apostle Paul warned the Assembly in Corinth not to heed anyone who “ proclaimed another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or a different spirit, or a different Gospel .” He pointed to the same Jesus that he first proclaimed, the “ Crucified Messiah ,” the Jesus who is the measuring rod against which all other messianic claimants must be evaluated.

The Lamb’s reign commenced with his Death and Resurrection. Since then, he has been shepherding the nations to the Holy City, New Jerusalem . The Book of Revelation  assures the beleaguered congregations of Asia that Jesus reigns and has events firmly in hand despite appearances. His sovereignty is based on his past Death and Resurrection. It is absolute, extending even over “ Death and Hades .” His resurrection from the dead marked the start of his reign from the Messianic Throne.