In our conversation last time, we noted that ancient history as well as the past two thousand years have been a time of political and social upheaval.  Nor was it any different in the existence of God’s people.  One would think after the wars to take possession of the Promised Land, there would be a time of peace and prosperity, but nothing on this earth is ever ideal.  

One of the hollow promises of communism was a kind of Utopia of unprecedented peace when the workers, the common people, rule over everyone.  Religion was the opium for the people to make them look forward to a better dispensation.  Communism would bring heaven to earth. We all know how that worked out. 

Heaven here and now is at the heart of the Gospel message. This is why we pray: Let Thy will be done in heaven as on earth. It took me a long time to understand the meaning of that line in the Lord’s Prayer.  I realized that heaven is not a distant abode of God somewhere in the universe.  Heaven, or the heavens, is the invisible realm here with us, also where we are dealing with evil.  Where God’s will is done, it is heaven, if we understand it as an ideal place of security and prosperity. Where His will is done, He is present and that is heaven. 

Jesus came to establish the invisible Kingdom of God on earth.  His words to Pilate underscore the very fact: My Kingdom is not of this world.

Are you a king after all?” asked Pilate. Jesus answered him: “You say that I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone whose existence is grounded in the truth listens to my voice. (John 18:37)

Here is a key to the Kingdom of God, the earthly invisible Kingdom of which we become citizens through rebirth.  Rebirth is a rational decision to personally accept the work of Jesus on the Cross and surrender your life to Him so that the Holy Spirit can dwell in you – your spirit is reborn. This is the only way we “see” the invisible Kingdom of God. (John 3) 

Let us rejoice that this is possible. We invite the Holy Spirit into our inner being to transform us through the renewal of our minds. (Romans 12:2)  It is a process of “thinking differently” counter-intuitively and daily submission to God’s principles, not at all a quick fix for all the darkness we are immersed in every day.

It is with this new thinking that we face our world. It is in the light of God’s authority over our lives and thoughts that we view the news of the nations with a different perspective.  

Our God rules. 

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of a messenger of joy, one who preaches peace, who brings good news, who preaches salvation, who says to Zion: “Your God reigns as king!” (Isaiah 52:7)

Of course, it doesn’t look like it.  It seems to be quite the opposite. Anyone who enters any news source is aware of murder and manslaughter, war and bloodshed, indescribable large-scale human suffering and that’s just the part that makes it into the spotlight of the media. 

In the midst of it all, the Kingdom of God functions, not the churches or denominations, the true, blood-washed, born-again children of God. (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1) They are the Church, the Body of Christ, the New Jerusalem, living the power of God in the world.  (1 Corinthians 12:27) 

In the light of Christ and his victory over death and hell, we can look at the world around us. 

Oh, the uproar of many peoples
Who roar like the roaring of the seas,
And the rumbling of nations
Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters,
But He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,
And be chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind,
Or like whirling dust before a gale. (Isaiah 17:12,13)

Whenever the news provokes me to fear and anger, God’s control over the destinies of the nations is my comfort. Disappointment in leaders and what they initiate is part of the daily trauma of being human. It is again, as always, the Word of God, words that are alive, that enable one to take the step back or perhaps rather take the step upwards and put on the “eyeglasses” of a heavenly perspective. 

The eyeglasses you need to put on are the Word.  These are the words of the ancient prophets who throughout history have seen and described the chaos and destruction of “the nations,” sometimes in reality, sometimes in prophetic insight.

The nations are to Him like a drop in a bucket, like a speck of dust on a scale. If He puts the islands on a scale, they are like dust particles.  (Isaiah 40:15)

What, then, is on God’s scale?  For sure the Cross on one side. The only possibility on the other side for balancing is human souls. The purpose of the Cross is salvation and the transformation of human beings.

It was a revelation to me a long time ago when I realized there is always a rainbow to be seen. It just depends on how the sun or light falls and the prism available to show the colors. I can move my position, open the curtain, let the sun in and see the rainbow. A rainbow is the symbol of God’s covenant with Noah, the promise of seasons and the rhythm of time given to us by God. With our eyes on God He reveals to us the hope of Spirit-controlled upheaval that we call miracles. The promises of the Word are as guaranteed and infallible as the dawn and the seasons. (Genesis 8:22)

Let the Sun of Righteousness shine. Get the prism of celestial perspective in your hand.  Shift your thinking. Look right. Get yourself eyeglasses of hope.

But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and frolic like calves from the stall. And you will crush the wicked underfoot, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day  that I am preparing,” says the Lord of armies. (Malachi 4:2,3)

I mentioned the Michtam psalms last time.  It is a group of six psalms, marked with the mysterious Hebrew term, michtam.  Most commenters think it’s a musical term and is all about the performance of the song. These are Psalms 16, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60.  All were written by David in times of extreme danger and battle with Saul or other enemies. 

In all of these Psalms, there is a theme of an unwavering trust in God, a cry for salvation, and a strong Messianic hope.  It is interesting to read only the introductory verse that deals with the circumstances in which David wrote the Psalm. 

Read it with an open mind so that the Word can enter your soul and the peace that surpasses all understanding can guard your heart and minds.  (Philippians 4:7)

Read and read again… your tears in God’s jar… written in the scroll… promises… thanksgiving… light of life… steadfast love… truth… revenge… judgement… blood… praise…

But I will sing of Your power;
Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;
For You have been my defense
And refuge in the day of my trouble.
To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;
For God is my defense,
My God of mercy.