“For our citizenship is in heaven…” (Philippians 3:20)
As I write this, its election day in the US. Americans will line up at polling stations all across the country to cast their ballot for numerous positions, including the next US President. In the eyes of some, the very fate of the world rests upon the outcome of this election. In reality, that sentiment has always been the case. To those whose eyes are on this world, and whose hope is in this world, the specter of changing politics is frightening. The structures of governance and social cohesion that we all rely upon to some degree are fragile and constantly changing.
Without a foundation to stand on, the ebbs and flows of changing world order must be terrifying. And make no mistake, the world, she’s a changin’. In the multi-decadal transition from a bipolar (think Cold War) to a unipolar (American global supremacy of the nineties) to the multi-polar world order that is emerging, the very assumptions about the reality of the world that people rely upon are collapsing. Driven by fear and instability there is a global shift towards authoritarianism. It should be no surprise that those whose hope is in this world are reacting with fear. Like the children’s character Chicken Little, it may truly seem that “the sky is falling down."
For those of us whose faith is in Jesus, this should be no cause for fear. In fact, we can rely on him “who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11). He is the one who “removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2:21), and from whom ALL earthly authority is established (Romans 13:1). We know that the King of kings is working out his will upon the earth. Moreover, He even lets us know what that will is, so that as it happens, rather than fear, we can have our faith strengthened to see that all things are happening according to the counsel of his will.
"We are warned of false Christs who will claim to offer stability and peace, some even claiming to represent Jesus himself, but who are ultimately deceivers, sent to cull out those whose faith is insincere."
This is important, that he has told us what will happen. We are given a picture of a world that grows ever darker, and of an evil that grows more pervasive. We are told of a time that darkness will be called light, and evil called goodness. Many will walk away from their faith, and the world and its kingdoms will grow increasingly antagonistic to Christ and his people. The ruler of this world will exert increasing power. We are warned of false Christs who will claim to offer stability and peace, some even claiming to represent Jesus himself, but who are ultimately deceivers, sent to cull out those whose faith is insincere. All of this is happening today.
A Remnant
In this milieu, there will be a remnant whose light will grow brighter in the darkness. They will do so by looking not to this world, but to the King himself. Their focus will be not on the kingdoms of this world, but on his Kingdom, and truly “his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).These are those who have chosen citizenship in his kingdom rather than the kingdoms of this world.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
This remnant consists of those who know they belong to a kingdom that is not of this world and that, though we live in this world and serve in this world, the structures of this world are impermanent and not our home: “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come” (Hebrews 13:14). These are those whose “heart is set on pilgrimage” (Psalm 84:5), and whose hearts and minds are set on “things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).
Regardless of who is President of the US in January, the King is working out everything in his way, and the world is advancing towards that glorious time when the King himself returns:
"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:11-18).
He is coming soon, not to make America (or any other earthly kingdom) great, but to finally establish his kingdom. May we focus more and more on His Kingdom and less and less on the kingdoms of the world!
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