- The Building and Shaking of the Two Cities
Charles Dickens’ classic, A Tale of Two Cities, was about London and Paris during the French Revolution. While Paris was experiencing one of the most diabolical traumas in history, London was in somewhat of a golden age. From the French Revolution, many seeds that would become tares among the nations were sown, and many cities of men will soon be faced with these seeds in their full maturity. At the same time, God is building His city among men who are preparing the way for the world’s most glorious age—the coming kingdom of God. Of which will we be a part?
In Hebrews 12:26-29, we have a poignant portrayal of what is now unfolding—the conflict between what God is building and what men have built:
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.”
This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
for our God is a consuming fire.
Even the seemingly most stable governments of the world are being shaken to their foundations in this time. Several biblical prophecies predicted this, saying this clash must happen before God’s kingdom can be revealed.
The kingdom of God is growing in our midst. However, few see or understand it. God works from the inside out, but man works from the outside in, trying to correct behavior before or without changing the heart. For this reason, those who are earthly minded are trying to impose what they think to be right behavior through increasing authoritarian and totalitarian control.
However, this struggle to impose their beliefs on others through authoritarian methods will only lead to their ultimate collapse, because God created men to be free, and “where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty” (see II Corinthians 3:17). The Lord will always win this fight. In fact, the Lord has never lost a fight and never will!
We know from the biblical prophecies the kingdom will not fully come until the King fully comes. However, the prophecies also declare that He is coming in and through His people before He comes for His people. As the world comes under increasing bondage to totalitarian forces, God’s people will become increasingly free. This will become one of the major social fault lines for which this ultimate battle between light and darkness will be fought.
In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus declared, “The kingdom of God is not coming with visual signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘there it is!’ Behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
This is a more literal translation of this text. Jesus told His disciples to look for His kingdom to come inside them before they see it openly. The kingdom of God growing inside His people has recently been revealed in a most stunning, unexpected way. We will cover some of these findings and how they reveal coming major events next week.
© 2023 Rick Joyner. All Rights Reserved.
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