| Isaiah 25:1 |
Vol.1.8
November 2009 |
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THE REIGN OF THE
LORD IN ZION – The News of Life. Obadiah 21
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Prepare the
Table, Watch in the Watchtower, Eat, Drink ...
Isaiah 21:5 |
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This is a monthly Christian
Newsletter and hereby state the object of its publication: That we are living in
the last days — the end of the
Gospel age; as well as the dawning of the long prayed for Kingdom of Christ in
power; are facts not only discernible by the close Student of the word, led by
the Spirit; but the outward signs recognizable by the world, bear the same
testimony: And we are desirous that the “household of Faith” be fully awake. Not
only help awaken but to assist them to “put on the whole Armor of God that they
may be able to stand in this evil day”. And beside all this, that giving all
diligence, they add to their Faith, Virtue, and to virtue, Knowledge,
Self-control, Patience, Godliness, brotherly Kindness, and Love; whom trust in
the merit of Christ’s Sacrifice for the world. Luke 21:36; Matt. 6:10; Eph.6:13;
2 Peter 1:4-11
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BEHOLD, YOUR KING COMES UNTO YOU!
“And Enoch also, the seventh from
Adam, prophesied of these, saying, BEHOLD, THE LORD COMETH WITH TEN
THOUSANDS OF HIS SAINTS, To execute judgment upon all, and to
convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds
which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly
sinners have spoken against him” — Jude 14-15 KJV.
Enoch the preacher of
righteousness in the first world as seen above and as for the testimony — “By
faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found,
because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this
testimony, that he pleased God” (Heb. 11:5; Gen. 5:22-24 KJV); lived 308 years
with father Adam or before Adam’s death. It is evident that Enoch being a
faithful messenger of God, must have told Adam, their grandfather, about the
coming of Messiah — Christ (head and body) — Adam’s deliverer from the fall! So
Adam, the father of the race, rested in peace at his death, waiting for the day
of his deliverance in Christ’s Kingdom! So great is the love and mercy of the
LORD of heaven and earth, Adam’s Creator and ours too!! If the Gospel was
preached to Adam, pointing to the Messiah, then how glorious is the day of the
one coming in the Name of the LORD! Yes, and how blessed are Adam and his
children beholding their Messiah! Yes, the opportunity given to Adam and all his
children who died in the First World — for Salvation will be given to all who
have not had the TRUTH of the so great Salvation (all the heathen, Moslems, and
nominal Christians) which was first spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ — an
individual trial in the Messianic 1,000 year rule on earth — Acts 15:14-17;
3:19-23; Rev. 5:9-10 KJV.
“Hosanna to the Son of
David: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the LORD!” And Jesus said — “For
I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is
he that cometh in the Name of the LORD” —
Matt. 21:9,
23:39.
The scene of this
lesson occurred about six days before our Lord's crucifixion. In many respects
it differed from any other circumstance in his ministry. Previously, when the
people had spoken of taking him by force to make him their King, Jesus had
withdrawn himself. To such an extent was this true that his friends and
disciples marveled that anyone proclaiming himself as the Messiah should
seemingly avoid being the center of public attention and sentiment to make him a
King. (John
7:4-6.) But on this occasion our Lord deliberately sent for the ass
upon which he rode triumphantly as King into Jerusalem. When the people shouted
our Golden Text, “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord [God]” and strewed their clothing in the way and put palm
branches as marks of honor to the King, breaking all previous records, our Lord
accepted these marks of honor. It was when the Pharisees, being greatly
displeased, remonstrated, urging that he should rebuke the people and not permit
them so to honor him, that our Lord explained, to the effect that a prophecy was
being fulfilled. Since the Prophet had said, “Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, thy King cometh unto thee,” there must be a shout to fulfil the
prophecy: so that, if the people had not shouted, the very stones would have
cried out, in order to fulfil the Word of the Lord by the Prophet
Zechariah. — Zech. 9:9
KJV.
The fact that our
Lord was thus fulfilling prophecy, explains the entire situation. We at
once catch the thought, elsewhere enforced in the Scriptures, that our Lord’s
previous ministry to Israel had not been as their King, but as John had
introduced him — as their Bridegroom and as their Teacher. But now, at the close
of his ministry and just as he was about to finish his course of sacrifice at
Calvary, the time had come to offer to Israel, formally, the King and the
Kingdom which God had long before promised to father Abraham and reiterated
through the prophets. The hour was come. Would they now at this moment of trial
and testing as a nation receive the Messiah, the long promised King, or would
they be so blinded by false expectations, superinduced by wrong conditions of
heart, as to be unable to know him and to appreciate him when the crucial moment
should come? God had foreseen that, notwithstanding the favors which He had
bestowed upon Israel, including sending them John the Baptist to prepare them,
including also the work of our Lord and the apostles, and the “other seventy
also,” they would not be ready, would not receive their King, and would hence be
rejected from being His peculiar people. God, acting upon His foreknowledge,
might have avoided sending our Lord in this formal way to make a formal tender
of the Kingdom to the nominal seed of Abraham, knowing in advance that they
would reject it; but had He done so, His course would not have been so plain and
clear to the Jews, nor to us. God’s judgment would have been just, but its
justice would not have been apparent to His creatures, and the latter is a part
of His good pleasure.
Not only did our
Lord accept the salutations of the people as the Messiah, but continuing the
same thought of his dignity of power and authority, Jesus went to the Temple.
With a scourge of small cords he drove out the money changers and merchants, who
were defiling the Temple and violating the divine rule respecting it. Whether it
was because of our Lord’s dignity of person and presence alone, or whether also
because of the large multitude that was with him and shouting for him, the fact
remains that no attempt was made to resist him. The King had his way — he
cleansed the typical Temple, reproved the wrong doers and received the poor
outcasts of society, the blind and the lame, and healed them in the Temple,
while the shouting of Hosanna to the Son of David was continued, fulfilling the
testimony of the Prophet, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast
perfected praise” — Matt. 21:12-15.
It was on this
occasion that our Lord in his journey, when on the hilltop opposite Jerusalem,
wept over it, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,
and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and you
would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto
you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord” — the very shout the Pharisees objected to —
Luke 19:41;
Matt. 23:37.
This was the
turning point in Israel’s history, as the Prophet Zechariah has marked out
(Zech. 9:9-12). It was here that the Lamb of God offered himself to Israel as a
nation as their Paschal or Passover Lamb, and they did not receive him as a
“house” or nation. In the type the lamb was to be taken into the house on the
tenth day of the first month and to be killed on the fourteenth (Exodus 12:3-6).
Here our Lord appropriately offered himself to them as the Lamb on the tenth day
of the month in fulfilment of the type, and on the fourteenth day he was
crucified — the Lamb was slain. But since Israel did not receive the Lamb into
their house, they lost the great blessing that the Lamb was to bring; their
house was not passed over, their house was given up to destruction: and from
that day onward until A.D. 70 the work of destruction progressed, and from it
they have never since recovered until 1948 when a new birth took place. Only
since is their measure of chastisement coming to its full, so that we may fulfil
the words of the Lord through the Prophet Isaiah, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my
people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her,
that her warfare [her appointed time] is accomplished, that her iniquity is
pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double [a second part of
chastisement] for all her sins.” —
Isaiah. 40:1,2.
Thank God, that the failure of the natural seed of Abraham to prove worthy of
the great promise did not frustrate divine grace: but that, using the little
band of Israelites indeed as a nucleus, our Lord at once began the work of
gathering “a holy nation, a royal priesthood.” This true seed of Abraham, with
himself as its King, shall ultimately fulfil all the exceeding great and
precious promises implied in the promise and oath to Abraham — that all the
families of the earth should be blessed through Abraham’s “Seed.” —
Gal. 3:16,29
KJV.
But while the incident of this lesson is both interesting and instructive of
itself, it assumes still greater importance when we remember that the fleshly
Israelites were typical of the spiritual Israelites, and that those features in
the close of that Jewish Age correspond to a considerable degree to the closing
features of this Gospel Age. Here our Lord has come to the second house of
Israel, and he finds it as he found the fleshly house, nominally pious,
compassing sea and land to make a proselyte, yet, as described in his own words,
neither cold nor hot, and ready to be spewed out of his mouth; — knowing not
that they are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” — (Rev.
3:16,17 KJV). Poor, in that they lack the true riches of
divine grace, the gold of the divine nature and the precious hopes and promises
associated therewith. Blind, in that they cannot see afar off, cannot see
the length and breadth and height and depth of the divine plan revealed in God’s
Word, cannot see either the high-calling of the Church, or the blessed
provisions of restitution for the world of mankind in general. Naked, in
that their chief ones have already lost faith in the Ransom, the only covering
of our nakedness (which the filthy rags of our own righteousness will not
cover), and in that the people are following the examples and precepts of their
leaders in discarding the precious robe of Christ’s righteousness — the only
“wedding garment.” Surely, this is a pitiable condition, and to many of
themselves a miserable one.
As the King, he
is now taking possession of his Kingdom — first, as
with the Jews, offering himself to his professed people — but now, as then,
finding only a remnant, in the nominal mass, truly anxious for his Kingdom, and
prepared to receive it and him. He is now seeking for all the Israelites indeed
in whom is no guile, and he will thoroughly winnow the “wheat.” When it shall be
gathered into the garner, it shall be found exactly sufficient to complete the
foreordained, predestinated number of the “elect” Church.
As the nominal
Jewish “house” was given up and left desolate, and the true Israelites were
gathered out of it, so with the “house” of nominal spiritual Israel —
Christendom. The Lord is calling out all who are his people, saying, “Come
out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive
not of her plagues” — (Rev. 18:4-5 KJV). As soon as this
call and the various siftings of divine providence shall have found the worthy
ones, who shall inherit the Kingdom with the King (as his Bride and Consort),
then the plagues shall come upon the residue, the nominal system. The great time
of trouble so long foretold in the Lord’s Word (in which the whole world will be
humbled before him, its proud heart broken, its pride and haughtiness brought
low) will then break forth upon the world — (Zephaniah 3:8-9; Daniel 12:1 KJV).
We must remember,
however, that the King takes his Kingdom not to destroy men’s lives, but to save
them; to bless them. And while the early part of his reign shall be the ruling
of the nations as with a rod of iron, and the breaking of them in pieces as
unsatisfactory potters’ vessels, yet the intent of all this is that he and his
Kingdom may thus be recognized of all, and the work of healing and restitution
will progress for a thousand years to earth’s blessing — Rev. 20:6; Acts
3:19-23.
Meanwhile,
however, the Temple class, the “little flock,” must be purged, cleansed; the
money changers, and those who make merchandise of the sacrifices, must be driven
out, before the Temple, composed of living stones, with Christ as its top-stone
and foundation, shall be ready to be filled with the glory of God and to become
the place of prayer for all nations, the channel which all mankind may, during
the Millennial Age, find access to God — Rev. 22:17 KJV.
BEWARE!
Fleshly Israel failed to receive the King because “They knew not the time of
their visitation” — Luke 19:44. And they were left in ignorance, because their
hearts were not right — they were not worthy of the TRUTH. Realizing that
they and their experiences were types of Christendom (so many denominations/
churches) today, let us take heed to our hearts that we may continue to
be accounted worthy to be reckoned among the “brethren” to whom the Apostle
declares, “Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you
as a thief; ye are all children of the light and of the day” — 1 Thes. 5:4,5.
THE BUILDING OF
ZION.
“When
the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory”
—
Psalm 102:16
KJV.
We have no doubt
that Zion as used in scripture is double, aside from its being the name
of a literal mountain. It represents “the city of the Lord” (Isaiah
60:14) — Jerusalem. But which? There are two Jerusalems:
the old and the new: the earthly and the heavenly; and two corresponding nations
or churches — the Jewish and the Gospel. Some apply the text wholly to the
restoration of the earthly Jerusalem, and others apply it wholly to the success,
in some way, of the Gospel church; perhaps it is most commonly applied to what
is familiarly called a “revival of religion.” We believe such prophecies apply
primarily to the building up of the old Jerusalem, by restoration,
and in a higher sense, to the building up of the New Jerusalem by
glorification, and that both will be accomplished in one and the same day,
i.e., “the day of his preparation” or the “day of wrath.” We do not believe that
a revival of religion fills the prophetic picture in any proper sense. The New
Testament clearly locates the appearing in glory after the resurrection of the
saints, for, says Paul: “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall
ye also shall appear with him in glory” —
Col. 3:4. That
it is associated with the Christian’s reward, and not with his work in
this life is evident, because Peter speaks of our trial when ended as
being “found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” —
1 Pet. 1:7 KJV.
The
“manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom.
8:19 KJV) — the appearing in glory, and the descent of the New
Jerusalem, may be the same great fact under different names. The same glorious
results are clearly foretold as coming from each. When the New Jerusalem comes
down “having the glory of God,” it is said, “The nations … shall walk in the
light of it;” to its flowing river “whosoever will” are invited to come and
drink, and the leaves of its tree are “for the healing of the nations” —
Rev. 21:10, 11, 24
; 22:1, 2. 17.
As a result of the
“manifestation of the sons of God,” it is said that the creation “itself also
shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of
the children of God” —
Rom. 8:21 KJV.
Compare these results with what is stated in the connection of our text as to
the great benefits to earth’s inhabitants, of the Lord’s appearing in glory, and
two things must, we think, be impressed on the reader’s mind: first, that
the three things mentioned above are one and the same; second, that the
appearing in glory is an event greatly to be desired for the benefit of mankind.
Certainly the manifestation, or descent, are not due until after the church is
glorified, hence the building up of Zion must precede the time when a perfect
theology will prevail among men on earth. It is when the “Lord shall bring again
Zion” that “the watchmen shall … see eye to eye.” Then, the veil being removed
the knowledge of the Lord shall prevail, “and all the ends of the earth shall
see the salvation of our God" —
Isaiah 52:8-10.
“Thy watchmen shall lift up the
voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye,
when the LORD shall bring again Zion. … The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in
the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the
salvation of our God” — Isaiah 52:8-10.
It is during a
period of imperfect theology, when we know only in part, that the
stones of the heavenly building are selected and hewn to fit their places; but
when the temple is built and filled with the glory of the Lord, “All the ends of
the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the
nations shall worship before thee” —
Psalm 22:27.
Some, who are believers in the restoration of the earthly Jerusalem, object to
the double application of the term Zion, and yet they believe in the same
general results as to the world’s conversion in the dispensation to come. They
believe that the Jew restored will be God’s agency in the great work. To this we
agree, and with them we would quote: “In those days it shall come to pass, that
ten men shall lay hold … of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for
we have heard that God is with you” — Zech. 8:23. That the earthly Jerusalem
restored is to be capital city of the earthly nations and center of earthly
service does not, as we see it, militate against the idea that the New Jerusalem
in glory will be the power manifested through restored Jerusalem. Satan’s
invisible kingdom has acted largely through the visible city and government of
Rome, and by the same law of correspondence, the Roman Empire, the “great red
dragon” with seven heads and ten horns, is “called the Devil and Satan” —
Rev. 12:3, 9.
In this sense we
believe the restored Jerusalem will be called the Kingdom of God, but the real,
the heavenly Kingdom will be as much higher than the earthly, as Christ is
higher than he was. The Jews restored will be natural men, bearing the
image of the Earthly, and such can neither see nor inherit the heavenly Kingdom
of God. —
John 3:3;
1 Cor. 15:44,50.
That not only the
earthly Jerusalem is called Zion but also the Heavenly is evident from
Heb. 12:18,22:
“Ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched... but ye are come unto
Mt. Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem.” A
literal mountain could be touched and stands associated with literal or
earthly things. The earthly is but a symbol of the Heavenly, which is therefore
called a mount which could not be touched. None we think can object to the
double application, who see that in God’s plan nearly everything is double — the
two standing related to each other as the natural and the spiritual.
There are two
Adams (1 Cor. 15:45), their two wives, and two families; two births and two
lives; two covenants, two laws, two sanctuaries, two circumcisions, two temples,
two seeds, two nations and two lands for inheritance. Abraham, to whom the
promise was made, saw through the earthly, and so looked for a “better country,
that is, an heavenly,” (Heb.
11:16) and so also he looked for a “city whose builder and maker is
God” (Ver. 10). Man could build an earthly city, but not the heavenly.
To build up
Zion implies a process, and so far as relates to the earthly
Jerusalem, includes the restoration of the Jewish nation of Israel according to
the flesh, in all its parts; and we believe in its application to the
Gospel church, the same must be true. From 1878 onward is during the last trump,
as has often been shown; this is the period during which earthly Jerusalem is to
be restored. The last, or seventh trumpet covers the day of wrath, angry nations
and the time of reward for prophets, saints and “them that fear thy [God’s]
name, small and great” —
Rev. 11:15-18.
All Christians, whatever their grade of development, are thus included. Some
occupy a position with Christ in his throne, as a reward of their faithfulness,
while many serve him before the throne. But all are included in the
heavenly city, and that city descending in its completeness and glory, as the
light of the nations, is called the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. As the whole
Jewish church was the Bride in type, so the antitype includes the whole Gospel
church. This does not shut out the idea of order and variety in the city of God,
nor lessen the motive of seeking by faithfulness a high position, even a place
in the throne, but it does preserve the idea so clearly taught in the New
Testament, of the Unity and indivisibility of the One Body of Christ. “They
shall be mine saith the Lord in that day when I make up my
jewels.” Even them that think on his name are dear in the sight of the
Lord.
The day of this
building is here and both the earthly and heavenly will be built up. Then indeed
the Lord in his temple will appear in his glory, and the people which shall be
created shall praise the Lord.
ZION
HEARD AND WAS GLAD.
“Zion heard and was glad; and
the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord”
—
Psalm 97:1-8
KJV.
The satisfaction
of Justice by the Man Jesus Christ on behalf of Adam and resurrection of Christ
are a great cause of our rejoicing, whom first trusted on Jesus Christ. But
there is still another cause of rejoicing mentioned by the Prophet, and it is
the greatest cause of rejoicing we have ever yet had. It was blessed to know
that the plan of God had so far progressed as to secure the birth, death, and
resurrection of the promised deliverer; but it would be still more blessed to
know that the plan has so nearly reached its glorious consummation as to show
that the time is fulfilled for the actual establishment of Christ’s Kingdom and
the commencement of his reign which is to bring mankind into the actual
possession of the life and blessings secured by the Ransom. This is just the
message that now comes to us; and those, who believing, realize it, rejoice with
joy unspeakable and full of glory: “The Lord reigneth!” and the
fulfillment of every foretold sign of his presence bears witness to the fact!
Amen, even so rule our King!
But where is the
Zion that rejoices? We see that it is not all who claim to be of Zion; it is not
the great nominal church for they turn away from the message and say, where is
the promise of his presence? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning. They have forgotten the foretold sign
of his presence and the object of his coming and do not desire his appearing.
But the true Zion are now made manifest. They hear of his presence, remember the
foretold signs and realize their fulfillment; they mark the accumulated
testimony of all the prophets, and they have learned from the Scriptures that
the object of that reign is the restoring and blessing of all the families of
the earth, which he purchased from the dominion of death nearly twenty centuries
ago.
In view of this
good news the Prophet not only foretells Zion’s rejoicing, but he calls upon the
earth to rejoice with her — “The LORD reigneth! let the earth rejoice.” (ver.
1.) But the earth is not yet prepared to rejoice; for “Clouds and
darkness are round about him,” (ver. 2), and they cannot see the
blessings beyond because they walk only by sight, and not by faith. They do not
know the Lord and have neither faith nor interest in his coming. They will only
come to realize his presence in the exhibition of his power, under which they
will first suffer before they can be blessed; for the powers of this world must
either melt or be overthrown in the great time of trouble which accompanies the
setting up of the Kingdom of God. “The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice”
also; for it is great cause for rejoicing if they could only have faith to
realize it. But we rejoice further to know that though their eyes are now so
blinded by prejudice and false doctrine that they cannot see the evidence on
which to rest faith, by and by their blindness shall be removed and they shall
have the evidence in demonstration. The first to realize it after Zion, will be
the daughters of Judah, fleshly Israel, whose blindness shall be taken away.
Already we learn that the blindness is beginning to be turned away. Soon all the
daughters of Judah will see and rejoice together because of the Lord’s judgments
against oppression and tyranny and because of the returning favor of his
“Covenant people.” Soon the glory of the Lord will be revealed to all; the
clouds being rolled away, the Sun of righteousness shall shine forth with
healing [restitution] in his beams and all flesh shall recognize it together.
Notwithstanding
the fact that mankind has been oppressed, trodden under foot, and kept in
ignorance, poverty and distress by the powers of this world; notwithstanding the
fact that by injustice, war, bloodshed, tumult, and strife, the powers that be
have gained and retained their mighty influence. Men fear their overthrow lest
the greater evils of anarchy and confusion prevail. They have come to regard
those systems of oppression with a measure of pride, and have partaken of and
manifested their spirit, and millions of men have given their lives for their
defense. But the children of God regard them in a very different light.
“The ‘Second world’
is closing, for its kings have had their day;
And with them sin and sorrow will forever pass away;
For the tribe of Judah’s Lion now comes to hold the sway:
Our King is marching on.
“I can see his coming
judgments, as they circle all the earth,
The signs and groanings promised to precede a second birth;
I read his righteous sentence in the crumbling thrones of earth:
Our King is marching on.
“The seventh trump is
sounding, and our King knows no defeat.
He will surely sift the hearts of men before his judgment seat.
O! be swift, my soul, to welcome him, be jubilant, my feet:
Rejoice exceedingly
my heart, Oh the Earth — for your King reigns,
Our King is marching on.”
LUGANDA TRANSLATION in
brief.
LABA, KABAKA WO AJJA GY’OLI
“Era ne
Enoka, ow’omusanvu okuva ku Adamu yalagula nti; LABA, MUKAMA AJJA N’ABATUKUVU BE
KAKUMI, okusala omusango eri bonna n’okubalaga obukyamu bwabwe bonna
abatakkiriza Katonda, …”
Enoka omubaka wa Katonda mu nsi eyasooka nga bwetulabye waggulu,
n’obujulizi obwa mu wandikibwako
— Olw’okukkiriza,
Enoka yatwalibwa obutalaba kufa, … kubanga bwe yali tanatwalibwa yategeezebwa
okusiimibwa Katonda (Abebulaniya 11:5; Olub.5:22-24); Enoka yawangaala emyaka
365 bwatyo n’asobola okuba ne Jjajawe Adamu emyaka 308 nga Adamu tanafa. Kale
olw’obwesigwa bwa Enoka eri Katonda , kikakasibwa nti yategeeza Jjajjawe Adamu
okujja kwa Mukama okusonga ku Kristo, omununuziwe n’abaanabe okuva mu
kibonyoobonyo ky’okufa! Kino kyawa Adamu essuubi ddene, kale nawummula mu kufa
nga alindilira olunaku lw’omununuziwe
—
Obwakabaka bwa Kristo! Laba ekisa kya Katonda ekyenkanidde awo!! Oba enjiri
yabuulirwa Adamu, esonga ku Kristo omununuziwe, kale olunaku olw’omukisa olwo
lufaanana lutya? era abantu bakwatula nti “Aweredwa omukisa agya mu linya lya
Mukama; Yee, Adamu n’abaana be bonna banasanyukira okulaba omununuzi wabwe era
Kabaka wabwe, Kristo! Era Adamu n’abaanabe mu nsi eyasooka, banaalaba obulokozi
bwa Mukama, weewaawo, ne bonna abatafunanga MAZIMA (Abasiramu n’amadiini amalala
agatamanyi mazima) mu Bwakabaka bwa Kristo okumala emyaka lukumi nga afuga wano
ku nsi — Okubik. 20:6; 5:9-10; Ebik. 3:19-23; 15:14-17; Isaaya 65:20.
Yesu yakakasa nti: temukyandaba nate okutusa lwe muligamba nti,
“AWEEREDWA OMUKISA AJJA MU LINYA
LYA MUKAMA”
— Matayo
21:9, 23:39
Tulaba nga Katonda yasubiza Isirayiri Omununuzi era Kabaka
owolubeerera (Kristo) okujja okuba Kabaka wabwe mu Isirayiri. Kale waali
wabula ennaku mukaaga Yesu okukomererwa, naggya eri Yerusalemu nga yebagadde
endogoyi nga Kabaka, so nga emirundi mingi egy’asooka abantu baayagala
okumufuula Kabaka naye n’abalemesa. Kuluno, abantu bawogganila waggulu nnyo nti
Ozaana omwaana wa Daudi; Naye abafuzi ne ba kabona ne bagana nga baagala abantu
basirike kuba si Kabaka, Yesu kwe kubategeeza nti bwe batayogerere waggulu ne
ssanyu, amayinja ganaakikola
— okutukiriza ebyawandiikibwa nti; “… LABA, KABAKA WO AJJA GY’OLI;
ye mutuukirivu era alina obulokozi…” (Zakaliya 9:9). Era bwekityo
Israeli nga egwanga ne liganna okumusembeza nga Kabaka.
Kale abaana ba Isirayiri baazibibwa amaaso wamu n’okwegomba okubi mu
mitima gyabwe ne balemwa okutegeera okukyalirwa kwabwe wamu nesaawa
y’okugezesebwa kwabwe. Bwebatyo ne balemwa okukkiriza Kristo. Wano Yesu kwo
kubakubira ebowoobe — O Yerusaalemi,
Yerusaalemi, atta bannabbi, akasuukirira amayinja abantu abatumibwa gy’ali!
Emirundi emeka gye nnayagalira ddala okukung’anya abaanabo, ng’enkoko
bw’ekung’anya obwana bwayo munda w’ebiwaawaatiro byayo, ne mutayagala! Laba,
ennyumba yammwe ebalekeddwa kifulukwa, Matayo 23:37. Yesu kw’okubategeeza nti:
temukyandaba nate okutuusa lwe muligamba nti, “Aweeredwa omukisa ajja mu
linya lya Mukama” —
Matayo 21:9, 23:39. Okuva olwo eggwanga lya Bayudaya ne liyingira akaseera
akazibu okutuusa lwe lyasanyizibwawo mu mwaka gwa 70 AD, olwo ab’olubatu
abawoonawo ne basaasanira ensi endala, okutuusa eggwanga lino lwe lizidwawo mu
mwaka 1948, nga ekibonyoobonyo kyabwe kiweddeko
—
Isaaya 40:1-2.
Twebaza
Katonda, nti obujemu bw’abaana bo muntumbwe za Ibulayimu te bwa jjawo mukisa
Katonda gwe yasuubiza Ibrayimu: nti Mukama waffe Yesu kwe kukozesa abatono
abayudaya abamukkiriza, okutandikawo eggwanga ettukuvu eriggya, ba Kabona era
abalangira ba Katonda, Ensigo entufu ya Ibrayimu. Kale, Yesu nga Kabaka era
omubereberye wabwe, okuba ensigo ya Ibulayimu, Katonda gye yasuubiza Ibulayimu
eneewa omukisa era obulamu amawanga gonna!! Abagalatiya 3:16,29.
Naye
tulaba nti ebyatuuka ku Bayudaya nga eggwanga nga lituuse ku nkomerero, bwekityo
bwekiri eri enkomerero y’omulembe guno ogwenjiri. Wano, Mukama waffe Yesu
Kristo akomyeewo eri ennyumba ya Isirayiri ey’okubiri, era ajising’anye nga
bwe yasanga abayudaya (ennyumba ya Yakobo); eri abo abeeyita ekkanisaye,
— “Nga
tonnyogoga so tobuguma: waakiri obe ng’onnyogoga oba obuguma. Bwe kityo kubanga
olina ekibuguumirize, so tonnyogaga so tobuguma, ndikusesema mu kamwa kange.
Kubanga oyogera nti ndi mugagga, era ngaggawadde, so ssiriiko kye
nneetaaga, so tomanyi ng’oli munaku ggwe era asaasirwa era ali obwerere.”
Yee, abakkiriza b’Amakkanisa/ kkelezia bangi bazibiddwa amaaso, so nga
n’ababakurembera bamuzibe! kyebava balemwa n’okulaba enteekateeka za Katonda
ennungi nti, abantu bonna ba kuweebwa omukisa okujja eri Amazima, bwe bulokozi
mu Bwakabaka bwa Kristo wano ku nsi okumala emyaka lukumi (Mat. 6:10; Okubik.
20:6; 5:9-10; Ebik.15:14-17; 3:19-23).
Nga
Kabaka, Kristo atwaala amaanyi n’obuyinza bw’Obwakabakabwe wano ku nsi. Era
okusooka, nga bwe kyali eri Abayudaya, bwazze kati eri abamwatula nga Kristo
—
Isirayiri ey’omwoyo. Mukama waffe ayita bonna ababe mu makkanisa/
kkeleziya ago, nti, “Mukifulumemu, abantu bange, muleme okussa ekimu n’ebibi bye
era muleme okuweebwa ku bibonyoobonyo bye…” (Okubik. 18:1-5). Amangu ddala nga
okuyita kuno kuwedde era nga n’ogezesebwa kw’abayite kuwedde, olwo nga amaze
okufuna abalonde era abasika bw’Obwakabaka, awo omuyagga negujjira amaddiini
g’ekikristayo. Era kye kiseera kya katyabaga/ ebibonyoobonyo/
eky’okunakuwaliramu, ekitabangawo kasooka wabaawo eggwanga okutuusa ku biro bino,
so nga tekalibeerawo nate oluvanyuma lwe biro ebyo (Zeffaniya 3:8-9; Danyeri
12:1).
MWEGENDEREZE! Abaana b’enju ya Yakobo baalemwa okusembeza Kabaka kuba
“Tebaamanya ntuuko z’okukyalibwa kwabwe”; era ne balekebwa bwebatyo mu butamanya,
kuba emitima gyabwe tegyali mirongoofu/ myetoowaze
—
bali tebasaanidde kumanya MAZIMA (Matayo 13:10-17; Yokana 8:31-45). Ebyatuuka
ku ba Isirayiri (Enju ya Yakobo) biraga ebinabaawo ku mulembe guno. Kale
twekuume mu mitima gyaffe n’okutegeera kwonna, okusobola okubalibwa ku muwendo
gw’abalondebe; Nga Omutume Paulo bwateegeza, “Mmwe aboluganda, temuli mu
kkizikiza, nti olunaku olwo lunabaggwako ng’omubbi; Mmwena muli baana ba
kitangaala era abemisana.”
OKUZIMBA SAYUUNI
“Mukama bwanazimba Sayuuni, analabikira mu kitiibwa kye”
Zabbuli 102:16
Tulaba nga erinya Sayuuni mu byawandiikibwa likozesebwa mu biti bibiri
era nga litegeeza “ekibuga kya Mukama” (Isaaya 60:14)
— Yelusaalemi. Waliwo ebibuga Yelusaalemi bibiri: Ekikadde
n’Ekiggya; Eky’oku nsi n’ekye Ggulu; N’enyumba ebbiri- eya Yakobo ne y’Enjiri.
Kale ekigambo kino kikozesebwa okuzaawo ekibuga Yelusaalemi ne bbugwe wakyo
wano ku nsi; Era nate n’okuzimba Ekibuga kya Katonda ekiggya mu Mwoyo era
mukitiibwa ky’abaana ba Katonda (Yekaalu mukitiibwa) era byonna bya
kukomekkerezebwa mu lunaku lwa Mukama luno. Kino kikakasibwa nti Ekkanisa/
Yekaalu ya Mukama egya kulabikira wamu ne Kristo wano ku nsi mukitiibwa
—
Abakkolosaayi 3:4, Kristo, obulamu bwaffe,bw’alirabisibwa, era nammwe ne mulyoka
mulabisibwa wamu naye mukiibwa.
Okw’olesebwa kw’abaana ba Katonda (Abaruumi 8:19), okulabikira
awamu ne Kristo mu kitiibwa, wamu no’kukka kw’ekibuga kya Katonda, bitegeeza
kintu kye kimu mu ngyogera ez’engyawulo. Okukka kw’ekibuga era nga kituuse,
Amawanga nganatambulira mu kitangaala kyakyo, era Omugga gw’Amazzi ogukulukuta
nga guva mukyo, buli muntu yenna ayitibwa okunywa amazzi ga buwa, ge MAZIMA
(Okubik.21:10-11,24; 22:1-2, 17). Era n’olwokwolesebwa kw’abaana ba Katonda,
n’ekitonde (abantu bonna) kya kununulibwa okuva mu kufugibwa okuvunda, okutuuka
mu ddembe ly’abaana ba Katonda (Abaruumi 8:21). Kale OLUNAKU LUNO MULINDWA, LWA
MUKISA NNYO!! Era ENSI YONNA N’ABAGITULAMU, BALUSANYUKIRE NNYO, kuba kye kirabo
kya Katonda era bwe OBWAKABAKA BWA KRISTO wano ku nsi. Era tukakasa, nti Mukama
Katonda ateekateeka ekijjulo ekya ssava wano ku nsi ekiryewunyisa ebitondebye!
kale abaana b’abantu balitegeera nti Katonda y’abaagala! Era bonna balilaba
obulokozi bwa Katonda, Isaaya 52:8-10.
Tulaba
ekiseera kino eky’okutegekeramu amayinja ga Yekaalu, era nga gawedde; Olwo
Kristo (omugole ne bba), ne bavayo ng’enjuba, n’okwaka ne bayakayakana mu
Bwakabaka bwa Kitabwe, abaana ba Katonda ab’omukisa!! Ekitebe ky’Obwakabaka buno
ku nsi, kinaaba mu ISIRAYIRI, Yerusaalemi.
Mu Abebulaniya 12:18-22, tukilaba nti kiraga Sayuuni owemirundi ebiri;
Ekibuga eky’omu ggulu n’ekyo ku nsi. Era Ibulayimu yanoonya ekibuga
ekitaazimbibwa bantu wabula ekyazimbibwa era n’ekikolebwa Katonda, kuba n’omuntu
asobola okuzimba ekyo ku nsi naye tasobola kya mu gguulu (Abeb.11:10,16). Tulaba
okuva mu 1878 okutuusa leero nti, ekibuga ekyo mu ggulu ne Yerusalemi ku nsi nga
bizimbibwa era Isirayiri netekebwawo mu 1948. Guno omulimu gugenda mu maaso era
gunatera okukomekkerezebwa mangu, olwo bonna bawebwe empeera. Ekibuga era
omugole ategekedwa bba (Yekaalu) ekke era ebeere ensisikano y’abantu ne Katonda,
mmwe banamusinziza.
SAYUUNI YAWULIRA N’ASANYUKA
“Sayuuni yawulira n’asanyuka, Nabawala ba Yuda ne bajaguza;
Olw’emisango gyo, ai Mukama.”
Zabbuli 97:1-8
Kya muwendo mungi
eri bonna, olw’Omutango, ogwawebwa omuntu Yesu Kristo, okununula abantu mu kufa
n’okugya ekikolimo ku nsi. Tujaguza mu mitima gyaffe n’okwebaliza Mukama
emirembe gyonna, wewaawo ne ssaddaaka z’okumusinza, Amina. Era waliwo
n’okujaguza olw’entekateeka ya Mukama, okutuukiriza byonna byeyayogerera mu
kamwa ka bannabbibe bonna — bwe Bwakabaka
bwa Katonda ku nsi! Mukama Yesu Afuga! Era okutuukirira kwe byawandiikibwa
by’okubeerawokwe ku nsi n’obubonero bwonna, bikakasa ekyo, Amina.
Kale abateefu mu mitima, abanyweevu mu kukkiriza, abeesiga Katonda era
ne bigambobye, abo BAJAGUZA olw’amawulire g’okutegeeza kw’okubeerawo kwa Mukama
waffe Kristo Yesu. So nga abalala mu makkanisa bangi bazibidwa amaaso nga abantu
b’ensi, olw’ekizikiza ekimaamidde ensi eno wamu n’engyigiriza y’obulimba! (Isaaya
60:2). Naye ensi esanyuka olw’okufuga kwa Kristo, era ekikute obudde bwe kinaata,
oluvanyuma lw’omuyaga (ekibonoobono ekinene ekitabangawo kasokedde ensi ebaawo),
abantu banaazibuka amaaso, ne balaba obufuzi bwa Kristo
— bwe
Bwakabakabwe ku nsi (Okubik. 20:6; Isaaya 65:20). Abanaasooka okulaba obufuzi
buno oluvanyuma lw’ekkanisa, be bawala ba Yuda (Abayisirayiri), kuba n’obufuzi
gye butandikira wano ku nsi. Ng’enjuba bwevaayo na magulu gaayo, bwekityo Kristo
bwa n’afuga ensi, n’okuwonya nawonya amawanga, n’ensi nedda obuggya nga olusuku
Adeni (Isaaya 35; Ezekyeri 36:35; Isaaya 11).
“Kale ensi eno embi ezingibwako ng’ekyambalo, ne Bakabaka baayo
beyagadde ekimala;
Era wamu n’ekibi n’enaku embi bigenda obutadda;
Kuba n’Empologoma ya Yuda yetegekedde obufuzi ku nsi;
Kabaka waffe asonga maaso.
Jaguza n’essanyu erisukkiride gwe omutima gwange, yee nawe Ensi
— kuba Kabaka wo afuga”
Amen.
Abantu ba Katonda temukwatibwa sonyi ku tuwandiikira n’okwetwalira
“Omusomo gwa Baibuli ogw’obwerere”
THE DIVINE PLAN OF AGES
“A Plan of Ages, which he formed for the
ANOINTED Jesus our Lord”
— Eph. 3:11, Emp. Diag.
“Write down the Vision and make it plain upon tables that every
one may read it fluently.”
— Hab. 2:2-3 L.T.
The 3 Worlds
— 2 Peter 3:5-13
YOUR OPPORTUNITY:
|
Free BIBLE STUDY Course
By
Correspondence
&
Open
to All Christians from all
Churches
OMUSOMO
GWA BAIBULI nga gwabwerere!
You can write to us or Call us:
Uganda Bible Students,
P.O. Box 28734 Kampala,
Tel: (+256) 753 116202 Or 0776
116202
Email: Eliezer_biblestudy@yahoo.com
FIND THE TRUTH ! … John 17:17
Math.25:6: “Behold the Bridegroom …”
|
SOME BIBLE TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
(EGIMU KU MITWE EGIYIGIBWA)
v
Why does God permit Evil/ Satan to do
injury?
(Lwaki Katonda owekisa aleka Satan okukola
obubi?)
v
The Most Holy Faith — the Faith which was
delivered to all Saints.
(Okukkiriza okutukuvu enyo - Okwaweebwa
abatukuvu ba Katonda.)
v
The study of Bible Covenants.
(Okuyiga Endagaano Za Katonda mu baibuli)
v
Church History— The Seven Churches and
Seven Angels; Rev. 2
(Ekanisa Omusanvu ne
Bamalayika baazo Musanvu
—
Okubikkulirwa 2)
v
The Armageddon & The End of the World.
(Olutalo ddekabusa era
olwenkomerero y’ensi)
v
Tongues, Miracles, Visions and Prophesying.
(Ebyamagero, Okulabikirwa, Okwogera mu nnimi
era n’Obwanabbi)
v
The TRUE Christian Baptism!
(Okubatizibwa okuli mu byawandikibwa, okw’amazima.)
And many others (Nebirala)!!!!
|
DESIRING GOD’S GREAT BLESSING!
Desiring to obtain God’s blessing but indifferent in doing His will results in
failure. Serving and improving the life conditions of your fellow men towards
God, is one source of God’s blessing. Therefore, desiring to spread God’s
Message of life but thinking you are too busy with work of whatever sort, poor
to give financial support as you may not have enough for food, or you are not
talented to speak, or feeling bodily imperfection that a person may ask you what
you can not explain; yes in whatever form of constraint: We advise you to
consider the many and varied opportunities the LORD of heaven has placed before
you to serve your fellow men and women; Example, obtain copies of this monthly
Newsletter — look at People interested in God’s word around you; at work place,
home, neighbors, at your church, sending a copy to mother, father, friends &
relatives in different places of the Country. Those who could promote this work
in other right way, the opportunity stands. Yes, how refreshing and motivating
you may contribute to changing Peoples lives, and yourself be God’s righteous
Servant in the belief of Christ and the TRUTH.
GROWING IN FAITH
Growth in faith is
a desired state of Christian for desired fruitage of Christ likeness; But this
must be in line with the will of God as expressed in 1 Thess. 5:21 KJV — “Prove
all things; hold fast that which is good.” In line with this exhortation we
advise all who are earnest students of Scriptures and our Newsletter, to prove
all our studies with the only standard given by God (Isaiah 34:16) and please
communicate to us! It is also, our privilege to share the message of God’s love
with others; hence we advise those who received the first publications to share
them with God’s People.
Christ’s Kingdom is a monthly
Publication by Uganda Bible Students:
All
enquiries and subscriptions to be addressed to:
The Editor, Christ’s Kingdom, P. O. Box 28734, Kampala, Uganda.
Email:
Eliezer_biblestudy@yahoo.com
Tel: (+256) 753 116202 / 0776 116202.
www.godsplan-today.com
You can visit www.bibletoday.com for more on
Bible studies.
