MORTAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE KINGDOM

Some have the idea that the political structures of the nations would be entirely abolished and replaced with those of Christ and His saints during the Millennium. I do not think so, even as “General Sam” does not do it that way. Not only does he realise that he would be unnecessarily burdening himself and cluttering the way to achieving his real motives for invading a territory, the natives would hardly be impressed by such a policy. Give an otherwise helpless man some sense of relevance and respectability and you would be accumulating on him incentives to faithfulness. If you do it right you would also be winning the allegiance of the people he represents.

This, I believe, would be the strategy of Christ and His saints in the millennial kingdom, with the “rod of iron” tactfully reserved for the unreasonably stubborn. In other words, it is the very broad priestly functions and activities of the Zion Mission that would be most visible in the settled kingdom, while the day-to-day kingly, or political, aspects would significantly be by proxy.

As one insightful Bible expositor observed, Christ’s promise of the saints’ rule over the nations (Revelation 2:26,27) should be considered in the light of trends during the “Church age” identified with the letter to the Thyatiran Church in which it was given. The “Thyatiran Church Age,” which instructively lasted for a thousand years (AD 500 to AD 1500), was one that coincided with the most influential days of the Roman Catholic Church in world affairs. With its power of “Church and State,” which gave it control over the armies of nations within its sphere of influence, it pulled down and set up their native governments at will. Those government leaders that got the church’s blessings were its convenient tool of every-day political control in their constituencies, operating under the watchful eyes of the resident bishops!

So, as I mean to say, there will be some mortal political leaders in the language nations of the kingdom, who will serve as intermediaries of sorts between the royal government of Christ and His saints and the general mortal population. This is actually evident from the Scripture on the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem that I cited in my previous article: “And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not that have no rain, these shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:17,18). As we know, these families of the earth are the language nations. I will ask: if truly the mortal political structures of the nations are entirely abolished and the saints are going to be the only visible rulers, how come that it will be possible for certain nations to keep away from the Feast of Tabernacles and not have an official delegation to bear their national banner? Take a close look and observe that it is a state disobedience that is in view. The allusion is to the possibility of the absence of some mortal national leaders and their entourage.

The scenario will be much like what we have in the present comity of nations, the United Nations, where there are transient protests of member nations even though they are all signatories to the “global treaty.” Some mortal political leaders in the kingdom might not be agreeable with a particular royal policy or judgment and may want to express their displeasure by not embarking on the annual pilgrimage to show allegiance to the King. Such intolerable behaviour would, however, be dealt with: “upon them shall be no rain.” The drought will not necessarily be literal but may include a withholding of some benefits of the millennial “showers of blessing” that we have been talking about. Talk about “sanctions” and “isolation”!

The repercussions will be as ‘stately’ as the offence. And just as the estate of the children of Israel was preserved from the plagues that fell upon former Egypt in the night hour that preceded the Exodus, so would the faithful mortal citizens and the saints’ interests in such erring provinces of the kingdom be preserved from the judgments that will be visited on them. “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will” (Daniel 4:17). The saints stationed in such territories are the “watchers,” the “holy ones” who will give the cue for the application of the “rod of iron” when the cup of iniquity has been filled beyond the red line. Their type, representing the United Nations and other global powerbrokers, are among the nations today.

This thought of the mortal political leaders of the Millennium is also uniquely foreshadowed in the state of world affairs at the time the Lord personally gave the Golden Promise of the kingdom to His followers. There was Caesar Augustus the global emperor in Rome and there were his provincial governors, with Pontus Pilate in the “imperial province of Judaea.” They constituted a type of the coming global government of Christ and His saints. We know, however, that the Jews also had their own traditional government comprising the High Priest, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people, who represented them before the real rulers from Rome (Matthew 26:3). This Jewish government was a type of the envisioned mortal governments of the millennial provinces. The Scripture reference here actually says that these Jewish leaders were gathered together in “the palace of the high priest.”

Watch the limitation of jurisdiction, however. Take for instance that great saga involving the “dissident” apostle Paul (Acts 21-28). Like that of the Lord’s betrayal and crucifixion, it went beyond the jurisdiction of the Jewish authorities and the Romans had to wade into it. The case climbed up the Roman hierarchy, until it was set for hearing in the “Supreme Court” of Rome!

Another witness of the envisioned mortal governments in the kingdom is “the kings of the earth” that the Revelation says will bring the glory and honour of the nations into the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 21:23-26). It is evident from the context of this Scripture passage that these kings are not the saints but the mortal kings of the earth. And just in case you did not notice it, this was what inspired my rhetoric of the people of General Sam’s lands of former exploits bringing the wealth of their nations into his famed city where darkness is alien.

Matthew 25:31-46, which speaks of the global convocation and judgment of the nations that ushers in the kingdom, further underlines what we are speaking of. It is obvious that what will be present at that assembly in its fundamental sense is a representation of the nations. It is to the representatives of the favoured, or “sheep,” nations that the charter of admission into the kingdom will be handed. They would be the ones responsible to the King and His provincial bishops for the conduct of their people.

Those familiar with the history of modern nations that came through colonial rule would better appreciate the picture being painted – the “colonial masters” that invaded such nations being a type of the Armies of Heaven that will invade planet earth to set up the millennial kingdom. Take the case of my home country Nigeria for instance. After all the struggles and native congressional deliberations of the mid 20th Century, and the British lords were finally convinced that the nation was ripe for an “independent” status, there was a group of “national statesmen,” the “founding fathers” to whom they handed over the new nation. Although an “independent” nation today, Nigeria still esteems her membership of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the charter of which makes certain conducts binding on her. And the British still maintain some presence and influence, carrying out various developmental activities through diverse institutions and organisations, all of which are directly or indirectly overseen by the resident British High Commissioner and his mission.

Assume the British were the only colonial lords with colonies all over the world, making every nation under Heaven a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Constitute a governing council to oversee the British High Commission in each of these nations. Give paramount authority to those local missions and make them actively involved in every facet of society. What you would be having would afford you yet another practical picture of the coming millennial kingdom, the Commonwealth of Israel. Notice also that the colonial masters of yore were largely responsible for the boundaries of the nations of the world as we know them today – just as Christ and His saints will be responsible for the boundaries of the 6,000 language nations of the millennial kingdom.

Friends, there is truly a great revolution ahead of the world. So keep the faith, and remain posted.

The Lord bless you always.

In the King’s Service,     

David Olagoke Isaac-Olawoyin.

NB: My coming book THE COMING GLORY presents a more detailed and chronological examination of this awesome kingdom agenda of the Almighty that we have been peeping into on this site. The manuscript has been completed and a publisher or sponsor is being sort for. Please join me in prayer for this purpose. Also, if you have been blessed by this article and would like to support this ministry work, contact us through kingdomherald@live.com. Grace be with you.

© David Olagoke Olawoyin