LEARNING DAILY

Luke 1:32-33, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the House of Jacob forever and ever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” The angel Gabriel speaking to Mary.

The birth of a baby is a miraculous event. But the announcement of a baby to be born through a virgin was the miracle that God had planned before the creation of the world. The phrase “Son of the Highest” is referencing God; the Jewish word is ‘El ‘Elyon meaning “God Most High”. The angel Gabriel would use this terminology to say this baby would have the same divine qualities of the Father meaning the baby would be fully God and fully human.

God had promised that the Messiah would come from the lineage of David and would ultimately establish His kingdom as an heir of David. The baby would rule over the house of Jacob forever. Mary was told that His kingdom would be great and an everlasting kingdom. This king will be different from any and all previous kings, world leaders we have known or read about. Think about it for few moments. This king will not be corrupt. He will not be a tyrant. He will know everything and cannot be deceived, or rule unjustly. He will fulfill every prophecy spoken about Him. He is the promised king. He has come so all who believe in Him would be set free from the power of sin, themselves, and from death. In order to do so, He must die and be victoriously raised from the grave. Until He returns to establish His kingdom, He will change those who faithfully follow Him by His grace as they walk on the narrow way into His eternal kingdom. There will be no king like Him.

The prophesies also speak of Him establishing His kingdom on earth and never giving it up. Read Isaiah 9:6-7. The New Testament has many references to His return, the rapture of the true Church, the defeat of Satan and his Antichrist, and finally establishing His kingdom on earth. It will last for 1000 years. At the end of that time Satan and his followers will be loosed for a short time and then will be sent to the lake of fire for eternity with no hope of being released. It is at that time that the eternal reign of King Jesus will rule for eternity.

The eternal kingdom is one of righteousness and justice. No sin there. No more tears, sickness, pain, or death there. Only the peace that flows from the grace of God. The only people there are those who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, those who have walked on the narrow way. Don’t get technical here – I know that there are those who, like the thief on the cross gave their lives to Jesus and were in eternity that day. There will be loved ones there; there will be no more separation from them. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 Paul writes, “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”. He is writing about the eternal kingdom that this baby to be born to the virgin Mary, will reign over.

I have little concept how long eternity is nor a kingdom that will never end. But it seems to be a long, long time.