(381) – THE KINGDOM OF JEHOVAH 1

The Holy Scriptures say: “Jehovah has established his throne in the heavens. His kingdom rules over all” (Ps. 103:19). In this psalm David declares that both the kingdom and the throne of Jehovah are in heaven. The prophet Isaiah tells us: “Thus says Jehovah, ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool’” (Is. 66:1). A footstool, as the word suggests, is used to give rest to the feet.

The prophet Jeremiah reveals the following: “At that time they shall call Jerusalem ‘The throne of Jehovah;’ and all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem. Neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart” (Jer. 3:17). Does Jehovah move from heaven to earth? Does the earth offer better conditions for the rule of Jehovah than heaven? Jerusalem was going to be the throne of Jehovah. Around 2800 years ago, Jerusalem, or the throne of Jehovah, was a furnace (Is. 31:9). Jerusalem means ‘Possession of Peace,’ and how come it became a furnace? Speaking of the abominations of Jerusalem, Jehovah declared: “You, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? then cause her to know all her abominations” (Ezek. 22:2). By the mouth of Ezekiel, Jehovah also declares that he married Jerusalem, had children with her, and that she was a prostitute (Ezek. 23:1-4). By the mouth of Isaiah Jehovah reveals that Jerusalem is like Sodom, which parades its sins (Is. 3:8-9). How can this be? Is the throne of Jehovah, that is to say, Jerusalem, packed with abominations, known as a prostitute, receiving the name of Sodom?

And Jehovah dictates a terrible judgment: “In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you shall not be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest” (Ezek. 24:13). Jehovah asked Amos, “‘Amos, what do you see?’ I said, ‘A plumb line.’ Then the Lord said, ‘Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more’” (Amos 7:8). And Jehovah said once more: “‘Amos, what do you see?’ I said, ‘A basket of summer fruit.’ Then Jehovah said to me, ‘The end has come on my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more’” (Amos 8:2). One more time Jehovah bawls: “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city which I have chosen, even Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, ‘My name shall be there’” (2 Kings 23:27). With the destruction of Jerusalem Jehovah destroyed his throne on earth. It looks as if the idea of moving heaven to earth was a thwarted plan. The truth is that the throne was destroyed 2,600 years ago.

However, David declared: “For Jehovah has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his habitation. This is my resting place forever. Here I will live, for I have desired it” (Ps. 132:13-14). It will never be forever, because it was interrupted for 2,600 years, and no one knows when it will be restored, or if it will be restored, for Jerusalem continues to be a furnace. But the psalmist said: “Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom”  (Ps. 45:6). As we have said, the earth, here, is not eternal. Even Jeremiah was deluded when he said, “A glorious throne, [set] on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary” (Jer. 17:12). Moses was also mistaken, when he said: “You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, Jehovah, which you have made for yourself to dwell in; the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established. Jehovah shall reign forever and ever” (Ex. 15:17-18).

What happened with El Shaddai? He said to Abraham, I am the god Almighty (Gen. 17:1). The Almighty that could not prevent the destruction of his kingdom on earth? Isaiah thus refers to the god Jehovah Almighty: “For JEHOVAH of Armies has planned, and who can stop it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Is. 14:27). The truth is that Jehovah moved from heaven to the earth and created a people for his glory (Is. 43:7). The people created for his glory confronted him and profaned his name among the nations (Ezek. 36:20).

The Almighty was not powerful enough to persuade his own people to be faithful to him. And the psalmist declared: “Whatever JEHOVAH pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps (Ps. 135:6). This declaration is not real, for the people he created for his glory humiliated him. He moved his throne from heaven to Jerusalem, which rested on the Ark of the Covenant, kept in the holy place inside the temple. The text says: “Jehovah reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved” (Ps. 99:1). This is the reason why Jehovah lived among the cherubim (2 Sam. 6:2; Ps. 80:1). Jehovah sat among the cherubim because his throne was above the ark, between the cherubim. That is why we read in Psalm 99:1 that Jehovah was enthroned among the cherubim. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple on the year 587 before Christ. The ark disappeared, and with it, the throne of Jehovah. We read in the book of Revelations: “God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed” (Rev. 11:19). This text reveals that Jehovah removed the ark from the temple of Solomon, upon its destruction, and took it to heaven. What for? As a reminder of the defeat of his kingdom on earth forever. The same spiritual being that destroyed the kingdom of Israel also subjected all creation to a system of corruption, as Paul writes it in Rom. 8:19-23. Therefore, Almighty is this angel, or spirit, who brought Jehovah and his entire kingdom in this world into submission.

Finally, let us find out what is the earth where we live. The Psalmist says that this earth is the abyss, in Ps. 104:5-6. But what is the abyss? Paul answers, saying: “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” (Rom. 10:7) The abyss is the place where the dead — who think they are alive—are. Jesus reveals that there are two kinds of dead: The ones who are alive in their flesh, but spiritually dead, and the ones who are dead in their spirit and in their flesh, too. This is found in Matt. 8:21-22. But Isaiah reveals even more, for he says that the abyss is hell, where all the wicked men will be cast down, together with Satan. The great prophet wrote: “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north! I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will make myself like the Most High!’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the pit” (Is. 14:12-15).

Jehovah established his kingdom in hell. And what for? Certainly to destroy the kingdom of Satan, which is hell. But he was defeated, and had to return to heaven.

Then Jesus came humble, meek and poor. And with the love of the Father, with the forgiveness of the sins of this hell’s doomed ones, through his death on the cross, he delivers from darkness, from crime, and from animality all those who believe. He gives them the life eternal and takes them to the kingdom of his Father (John 14:1-3; Matt. 25:34; 2 Cor. 5:1; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Tim. 4:18; 1 Pet. 1:3-4). Glory to Jesus, then, who broke the fetters of the abyss with the weapon of faith, and who snatches from the hands of the destroyer all those who believe in his name and follow him (Mark 16:15-16).

By Olavo Silveira Pereira

Deixe um comentário

O seu endereço de e-mail não será publicado. Campos obrigatórios são marcados com *