THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF GOD

“In the year king Uzziah died, I SAW THE LORD SITTING ON A THRONE,
HIGH AND LIFTED UP. THE HOUSE WAS FULL OF HIS GLORY. Around
Him stood Seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his
face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried
to another and said, ‘HOLY HOLY, HOLY is the Lord of Hosts; the whole
earth is full of His Glory” [Isaiah 6:1-3].

“…the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God…I looked, and
behold, a sweeping wind came from the north, and a great cloud was
in it, with a surrounding brightness and fire flashing forth from it…
In the midst, there was as it were the likeness of four living creatures.
This was their appearance, and the likeness of a man upon them.
Each had four faces, and each had four wings…There were sparks like
gleaming brass and their wings were light…I looked and behold, there
was one wheel on the earth next to each living creature with its four
faces…when the living creatures went, the wheels went with them…
The behold, a voice came from above the firmament, above their head…
Upon the likeness of the Throne there was as it were the appearance
of a man above…[Ezekiel 1:1-27].

“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the
first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John,
saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud
voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men,
and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people. God Himself
will be with them and be their God…Then He Who sat on the Throne said,
‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these
words are true and faithful.’ And He said to me, “It is done! I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…
“…And He showed me a pure river of water of fire, clear as crystal,
proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb… And there shall
be no more curse, but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in
it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face and His
name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They
need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them Light.
And they shall reign forever and ever” [Revelation 21:1-22:5].

When we read these passages, we note an abundance of mystical, apocalyptic images. But the strong similarities between these passages suggests an inspired consistency of reporting on the visions. The living creatures, the light , the cherubic beings, the throne, and the glory of the Lord all work together to unveil a Kingdom of celestial Majesty and splendor.

While confessing with Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul that “eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9), we nonetheless find, taking the Scriptures AS A WHOLE, that certain things can be said about the Eternal Kingdom.

1. “The saints who inhabit God’s Kingdom live in active fulfillment of His Eternal plan.” In the Kingdom, humanity becomes all it is meant to be. There is nothing of all in Scripture to suggest that Eternal Life means people passively afloat on huge white clouds strumming harps unto the ages of ages.

Originally created to inhabit Paradise, our first parents chose to sin against God and were expelled from the Garden. The Kingdom of God was closed to mankind [Genesis 3:24]. But God in His love called His creation back to Himself, speaking to us through the law and the Prophets and ultimately through His Incarnate Son. Through new life in Jesus Christ, we are brought back by God’s mercy into the new creation. His Everlasting Kingdom. As kings and priests we will reign with Him forever [Revelation 1:6].

2. “We experience a foretaste of the Kingdom in the Church.” The very first words of the Divine Liturgy spoken by the priest are, “BLESSED IS THE KINGDOM OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOW AND EVER AND UNTO AGES OF AGES.” The Church at worship enters or ASCENDS TO THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM. For it in the Church that we are seated “together in the heavenly place in Christ Jesus” [Ephesians 2:6] and are raised to “WHERE CHRIST IS SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD” [Colossians 3:1].

In worship we join the heavenly Hosts–the Saints and the Angels–in giving praise to our God. As the body of Christ, we participate with the “GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES” [Hebrews 12:1] surrounding us as we come to “Throne of God” [Hebrews 12:2]. We come liturgically “TO THE CITY OF THE LIVING GOD, THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM, TO AN INNUMERABLE COMPANY OF ANGELS, TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN WHO ARE REGISTERED IN HEAVEN, TO GOD THE JUDGE OF ALL” [Hebrews 12:22-23]. With this heavenly vision, the Orthodox Church each Lord’s Day REMEMBERS NOT ONLY THOSE IN THE PARISH BUT “ALL THOSE WHO IN FAITH GONE ON BEFORE US TO THEIR REST.”

3, “Knowing of the Kingdom motivates us to live in complete devotion to Christ.” In this life, we have A FORETASTE OF THE KINGDOM that inspires us to seek its fullness. In Saint Paul’s words, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face” [1 Corinthians 13:12]. WORSHIP IS NOT A SOLITARY ACT. RATHER IT IS THE Bride of Christ, the ONE CHURCH–THOSE ON EARTH JOINING WITH THOSE IN HEAVEN–GIVING THANKS TO OUR GOD AND KING, WHO HAS MADE US CITIZENS OF HIS MAGNIFICENT DOMAIN.

The holy Apostle John writes, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as he is pure” [1 John 3:2-3]. [Source:The Orthodox Study Bible]

___________
“Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!”
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George