God’s desire, revealed through the prayer which Jesus spoke as a pattern for the disciples, it establishes for us His will and purpose in setting up His kingdom. This kingdom, originating in heaven (the invisible spiritual realm) shall likewise have a further fulfillment in the earth (the visible) realm. Matt. 6:10, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. This scripture is revealing to us, as it speaks of the consummation concerning a kingdom rulership, does affect humanity’s lives in the now. Pointing to a time when the earth becomes so at one with the God of heaven, that the heavenly realm manifest itself in the earth realm. This speaks of a kingdom government which becomes the nature of a people who become the visible manifestation of that kingdom and its way-of-life. The question asked, who qualifies and where does this qualifying begin when scriptures declare that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory?
With always coming up short being the position of each person, it is God alone who can and does bring forth the qualifier. 1 Cor. 6:9-11, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revelers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God”.
Where will such a sanctified people come from? It is God, through His Son and the indwelling sent Holy Spirit that has been progressively preparing such a people. It is within them that He is making up His true pure church. These people not only receive the seed of the Son, but from that seed within they birth the Christ life nature, becoming a many member offspring that shall establish His kingdom. These many member vessels are that which Jeremiah speaks of when speaking of a woman birthing such a man. Jeremiah 31:22, “How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth. A woman shall encompass a man”.
Note that the condition of this daughter is one in a backslidden condition, but now a “new thing” woman that is subject to change. This change results in a people spiritually growing to become likened into a woman that again desires to become the spouse of her one true husband. This change will instill within her a desire to bring forth the birthing of a child. The “man” spoken of in this scripture is not just any man, but “man” as used here is a word meaning “a champion, hero, warrior, a mighty man; a man in all his strength; a man of strength or bravery”.
This also speaks of a union between the woman and a man of strength, of purity, holiness and righteousness (Christ Jesus) and a birthing of a like kind man-child, a many member body called the true body of Christ. In the New Testament, this same backsliding daughter is the apostate church. A church, that for the most part, was and is backslidden from the powerhouse church that came out of the upper-room on the day of Pentecost. However, a church with promise, one that reveals a time in God when true repentance shall again ascend before the Lord. Herein, reconciliation shall produce the birthing of a man-child born out of the women (the church). This birthed man-child people will establish God’s kingdom in the earth. Hosea 6:1-2, “Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days [2000 years] He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight”.
In God’s calendar, He speaks often of the seventh month. The seventh month is also a time for one of God’s established feast called the Feast of Tabernacles. This feast is a time of harvesting, fulfilling and restoration. In a prophecy through Haggai God speaks of a restored glory that would surpass any glory of a former time. (Read Haggai 2:1-9) with Haggai 2:9 declaring, “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And in this place, I will give peace, says the Lord of Host”. In this context (verse 8) God declares that the silver and gold are His. Here the attention given to silver speaks of God’s available redemption from the sin nature while gold is speaking of God’s divine nature resurrecting from within the redeemed man. Therefore, we behold a God who, from Himself, shall bring forth such a redeemed people. These become the manifested divine nature of God as a “many member man” moving in God’s glorious presence.
In considering the prophet Samuel, he was one born during a time when the glory of God was departing from the children of Israel because of sin that dwelt in the camp. The temple at Shiloh was desecrated and the priesthood was corrupt and immoral. During this time a certain man named Elkanah, whose name means, “God has possessed”, had two wives. One wife had birthed children while the other wife was barren. From this setting, we can receive understanding of two distinct orders that were at work concerning the two women. One wife produced children that speak of sons, which did not seek wholly after the things of God. Her children seemed to be content in living after the norm of the rebellious or carnal lifestyles of much of the Israelites. She was a wife, while representing her husband; she was one that caused turmoil and pain. This wife was willing to produce offspring, which were not offspring of completeness and fullness, but rather sons of complacency and carnal mindedness.
Is this not the same condition which exists in much of the Christian Community today? Meanwhile, the barren wife was one that longed to bring forth, not just to have offspring, but offspring of a double portion. This speaks of offspring who are returned back to God for His use. In this she travailed and groaned before God in that she might be found worthy to bare such a son, a son that God would raise up to restore Israel to a glory greater than its former glory. Likewise, we have among us today a portion of the church that also seeks God for offspring that will usher in a glory, the glory of God’s promised greater glory, which shall establish God’s kingdom on the earth.
The systematic church of today is likened unto Eli who was without vision or any pure revelation of God’s word, they are a blind people leading the blind. A people bowing down to traditional mind-sets and carnal orders instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to have leadership 1 Sam. 3:1, “Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation”. There was no widespread revelation because sin was blocking the revealing of God and His word. They, a people rebelling against God, His order and His commandments. This is a picture of much of the church today, a church that has allowed carnality to permeate the functions and purpose of the church’s existence. Nevertheless, even as God rose up in Samuel who became a prophet and judge to Israel, likewise God is raising up today through the birthing of another son, a many member son, a man-child. These many member sons shall and are in the process of restoring the glory of God to the true church order that is appearing. 1 Sam. 3:21, “Then the Lord appeared again in Shiloh. For the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel by the word of the Lord”.
With God’s number twelve speaking to us of His divine government, this number, as used in scripture, reveals for us the purpose of His kingdom. A kingdom that shall be established according to His divine governmental laws, His nature. This birthed man-child is a many member son of a like kind nature, a people who shall stand in God’s presence to become His established order. In the book of Revelation God reveals the end-time events that take place in the establishing of His kingdom. (Read Rev. 12:1-17). Points of interest for this writing are that the book of Revelation was written some seventy years after the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Rev. 1:19, we see that the events revealed in the book were to take place after its writing. “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this”.
Now as we look at Rev. 12:1-2, our attention is directed to a woman, a birthing and the number twelve. “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth”. This picture speaks to us of the days of fulfillment in which the church of today finds itself. Like Hannah, a portion of the church is in travail, groaning in labor pains to bring forth that son, that man-child which shall take God’s people beyond the in-part mixture of half-truths [I Cor. 13:9-10] that exist among much of today’s church systems. In her travail, a child is being birthed which is destined to rule, a rulership that shall establish an order of victory. Rev. 12:5, “She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up to God and His throne”.
This child, being male speaks of being spiritual in nature, a people who shall and are ascending into spiritual truths and realities while becoming the visible manifestation of the body of Christ upon the earth. A company of deliverers, which feed truth to the world as judgment prevails to establish God’s kingdom. Note with interest that the woman has upon her head a garland of twelve stars. This speaks to us of the place that the woman, the true church, has matured unto in her desire to see God’s word fulfilled. This is a place of worship and praise, through travail, that establishes a new mind-set. This mind-set reacts only to the divine government of God, a coming into the place of complete obedience. Is not this woman, which is the true church, washed and purified, becoming ever watchful as God reveals Himself to her today?
Notice also that this woman is clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet. This speaks to us of the positioning of herself through spiritual maturity. This puts her in the place where she is removed from all carnal coverings and through spiritual maturity submits herself unto the Holy Spirit alone. This speaks of a cleansing, which is the results of complete obedience to God’s revealed word. In this place of obedience, she spiritually ascends to a place where the moon is under her feet. Now the moon is a type of the soulish carnal woman church, the harlot. A church that can only receive light as it comes from the sun (Christ) while having no light within herself. With the moon typing the soulish carnal church it becomes subject to the same deceptions that Eve yielded herself to, high ideals and intellectual knowledge that promotes self above God. But note, that this pure woman has put the moon under her feet, meaning that she has gained victory over and conquered all that is at fault in the moon church. In this victory, she has become worthy to become pregnant with the child of God’s choosing, a many member son who is destined to establish the kingdom of God in the earth.
(Please read Luke 8:40-56). Jesus, the first born of many sons is God’s seed planted that shall bring forth a first-fruits like-kind people. These receiving one’s become the remnant that shall fulfill God’s word in manifesting and establishing His kingdom. In recognizing that the life in the seed planted shall again appear in the life of the harvest (first – the first-fruits). In the context of Luke 8:40-56 we see the manner of life imparted unto and manifested through the true church. First, the number twelve appears again. The daughter of Jairus, being about twelve years of age that was dying. In addition, we see a woman being sick with a flow of blood for twelve years and then along came Jesus, who is the expression of God’s divine government. Why is the number twelve repeated, except to witness and point us to the fact that God’s divine government was making an appearance. A government purposed by God to heal the nations as His kingdom appears and is manifest.
First note the woman, a type of a church system, which has had a sickness, a sickness that causes life to flow from her. In this, we see a sickness of death that the carnal man and his in-part ministries cannot heal, but one which the divine government of God stops immediately as she touches His glory. This is an order, which not only heals the flow of death but also restores that which had been lost. Does not the word declare, “The glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former”?
Today there exist a church system which has not lived up to its purposed potential. Meanwhile there is a people who are even now pushing their way through the crowd of complacency, doctrines of devils, carnal minded traditions, and intellectual philosophies, all that which subtracts from the truth of God’s word. Thus, the need for the people to touch Him who is the way and truth, the God life. These are not allowing the old orders of religion to separate them from God’s presence, but in their sickness and groaning, they desire to touch Him.
Now let us also note the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus who received the word that his sick daughter is now dead. This speaks of an immature dying people of carnal religious knowledge only, who walk in step with the religions of the death realm. This reveals that much of the church systems of today are dead or in the process of dying, becoming one that is dead without any hope. However, along came the divine government of God. A government free from the thoughts and intents of earthly-minded men. This daughter also speaks of another part of the church systems of today. While having all the appearances of being dead, she is not dead, but only sleeping. A sleeping condition, which envelopes the church, but one to be visited by God’s divine government wherein she shall awaken. This we are beginning to see and hear as a word of restoration is returning the spirit of life into a sleeping church. A sleeping church that shall arise to shine forth with the life and light of God’s glory throughout the earth. Isa. 60:1,” Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is raised upon you”.
Thus, God’s kingdom is an order of His government that fulfills all He has purposed from before the foundation of the world. As this government appears through a people, a first-fruits man-child company, the true church shall arise until seen in all her destined glory. What is it that this awaken church has need of as God’s government begins to manifest? Luke 8:55, “Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat”. The invitation is given, and his people are to eat His flesh and drink His blood which speaks of His life. Therefore, this is the only food that is profitable to His body. God’s people are those who eat and manifest His life as promised unto all who will come to Him. It is only by being in Him that we might have life and His life more abundantly. John 10:10b, “I [Jesus] have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly”. His kingdom is come. Therefore, receive, arise and become, for His kingdom is upon us to bring redemption to a groaning world.
Duane Stewart