The seventh kingdom continued.
Additionally, the confidence that Jesus would return during the Roman Empire’s rule contributed to the difficulty in understanding the seventh kingdom. Therefore, Jesus reminded the believers that he would not return during the Roman Empire but during the seventh kingdom on earth. Jesus said that preceding his return, “there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world.” Mathew 24:21. The prophet Daniel received the same information concerning the great distress. Daniel 12:1. While instructing the apostles concerning the end time, Jesus added that immediately after the great trouble, the “sign of the coming of Son of Man would appear.” Mathew 24:30. Therefore, Jesus gave the general time of his return. However, no one can know the day and the hour of Jesus’ return during the general time. Later in this series of blogs, we will see that the early phase of the seventh kingdom will experience a difficult time unequaled from the beginning of the world. The participants in the realization of the global system of an Integrated World do not dispute the coming of a difficult time.
Concurrent with the challenging time, the redeemed will proclaim the “gospel of the kingdom to the entire world.” Mathew 24:14. The “gospel of the kingdom” is not what various churches and Christian groups teach about Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Gospel of the Kingdom. The “gospel” is the Good News, Jesus Christ, and what he has accomplished while in the body on the earth, on behalf of humankind. Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of God. Mathew 3:1 – 2; Luke 17:20 – 21. Jesus stated that the end would come when “this gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world.” Mathew 24:14. Apostle Paul stated, “While people are saying, peace and safety, destruction will come.”
1 Thessalonians 5:3.
These two future events must form a foundation for study and all conclusions concerning the book of Revelation’s end-time applicability. The readers of the book of Revelation should be mindful of how they apply the imagery found in Revelation to the end-time events. The current day and mostly local events will, if concentrated on, confuse the minds of the readers of the book of Revelation. Therefore, how we approach the books of Revelation and Daniel is critical. It is of the greatest importance to study Revelation and Daniel’s prophecy with an open mind, free from personal organizational bias. The readers of the book of Revelation should aim to avoid being influenced by current-day popular interpretations, theories, and teachings. What the readers should concentrate on will be presented in the succeeding blogs.
Continued in the next blog.