The Convergence of Two Dimensions pt 2
by Doug Fortune
May I submit to you that in His sovereignty and perfect timing Father
has another "convergence" planned? We can read about it in Ephesians
1:10, " [He planned] for the maturity of the times and the climax of
the ages to unify all things and head them up and consummate them in
Christ, [both] things in HEAVEN and things on the EARTH." (Amplified
Bible) Just as heaven and earth converged in the Life of His begotten
Son, so it shall converge again in the Life of a Corporate Son, as He
is "...bringing many sons unto glory..." (Hebrews 2:10) This
"convergence" in the Life of a Corporate Son will in turn bring forth a
"convergence" of global proportion that will manifest in the natural
realm, thus affecting all of creation.
And how, you ask, will all this come to pass?.... It will be the direct fulfillment of the cry, "Thy kingdom come! Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven!" (Matthew 6:10) Words act as containers, and contained within the words of this potent prophetic decree is the spiritual substance that shall bring it to pass in its' fullness!
So, what does this mean?... "Thy kingdom come." Obviously it speaks of HIS Kingdom, and the Kingdom is simply an extension of the identity of the King. The word translated as "kingdom" is basileia in Greek. Thayer's Greek Lexicon includes this definition: 1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule; 1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom. It is important to understand the latter part of that definition. Many in Christendom today are looking for a literal Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, to somehow fall from the sky. Perhaps we have seen a few too many science fiction movies? (smile)
The Kingdom of God is the power, the dominion, the right and authority to rule over a kingdom; and the Kingdom is IN the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is IN us! "For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy IN the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17) "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the Kingdom of God is WITHIN you." (Luke 17:21)
So when we pray, "Thy kingdom come!", we must not be looking for some abstract external event. We must understand the the way the Kingdom has entrance into this natural earthly realm is THROUGH US!
The word translated as "come" in the phrase "Thy Kingdom come" is erchomai in Greek. Its' meanings include- to accompany, appear, bring, come, enter. As I looked through the frequent usage of this word in the New Testament, it seemed to be used mostly in the context of "persons" coming, appearing, entering; it is used much less frequently in the context of "things" coming. This confirms the idea of the Kingdom "coming" or "appearing" because the Kingdom is essentially an extension of the identity of the King. The Kingdom is not so much a "thing" as it is a Person... the Person of Christ the King! Perhaps one fulfillment of the prayer, "Thy kingdom come!" might be found in 1 John 4:17, "...as HE (Christ, the Kingdom) IS, so are WE (appearing) in this world."
It is also important to note that erchomai in Greek is used only in the present and imperfect tenses. Bear with me for a quick but relevant grammar lesson. The present tense is INTERNAL, that is, it portrays the action from the inside of the event without regard for beginning or end. It is sometimes called progressive. It basically represents an activity as in PROCESS or in progress. Like the present tense, the imperfect tense displays an internal aspect. This contrasts with the aorist tense, which portrays the action in summary. For the most part, the aorist takes a snapshot of the action while the imperfect (like the present) takes a motion picture, portraying the action as it UNFOLDS.
This speaks volumes as it confirms the INTERNAL and progressive PROCESS of the UNFOLDING revelation of Christ (the Kingdom) within US! Let our urgent cry be, Thy Kingdom COME!
We also have a poignant prophetic picture in Acts 1:11; "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so COME (erchomai) in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." In a literal picture, here we find Jesus the Christ RISING UP from the EARTHLY natural realm, ascending into the HEAVENLY realm. Now shift with me into the spiritual significance of this prophetic picture. The promise was that He shall so COME (erchomai) in like manner. I believe that Father is preparing a people in which the character and nature of Christ is RISING UP causing us to ascend from life lived from the EARTHLY natural realm, into a Life that originates from the HEAVENLY realm. "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne." (Revelation 12:5) The net effect of Jesus ascending to heaven was that His Spirit was released into the realm of the earth. The net effect of our ascending into a Life that originates from the heavenly realm, is that HEAVEN will be released into the realm of the EARTH. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come (erchomai). And let him that heareth say, Come! (erchomai)..." (Revelation 22:17)
So we have seen that the Kingdom "coming" is not so much an abstract external event, as it is an internal and progressive process of the unfolding revelation of Christ (the Kingdom) within a people. Now let us move to the next part of the verse; "...Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."....
(To be continued...)
Doug Fortune
www.InChristInternational.com
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