(Extract from the message preached at The Festival of Peace, Pune on 17th Feb, 2006)
The Bible says that King David was blessed with a very handsome son whose name was Absalom, the only son of David by Maacah (2 Sam 3:3).
He was remarkable for his beauty and for his fine head of hair, 2 Sam. 14:25, which being cut from time to time, used to weigh 200 shekels by the king’s standard, that is, probably about three Kilos an extraordinary weight. Ammon, another of the king’s sons, having violated his sister Tamar, Absalom caused him to be slain, and then fled to Geshur, where Talmai his grandfather was king. Three years he was away from his father’s house, then at the intercession of Joab (the commander of David’s army), David permitted him to return to Jerusalem, and after two extra years received him again into favour, 2 Sam 14:1-33. Absalom, however, grossly abused his father’s kindness; he soon began to play the conspiracy against his father, and by many artful devices “stole the hearts of the people,” and got himself proclaimed king in Hebron. David had to flee from Jerusalem; Absalom followed him; and in the battle, which ensued, the troops of Absalom were defeated, and he himself, being caught by his head in a tree, was found and slain by Joab. David was much affected by his death, and uttered bitter lamentations over him, this entire above incident you will find in 2 Samuel from chapter 13-18.
After the death of Absalom, King David returned and all the Israelites accepted him and God re-established David as the king in Israel once again. David was so sorrowful and grieved for losing his son, that it is written “And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 18:33.
Beloved, this is what exactly happened with the human race. God created Adam and Eve and had close relationship with them and gave them power and dominion to rule their environment. Genesis 1:28 says, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”. Satan deceived Adam and Eve and what they actually lost was not just their relationship with God but they also lost their kingdom on earth and were sent out of Eden. They lost dominion and authority to rule their environment. This gives us the understanding that Jesus Christ came not only to restore our relationship with the Father but also to restore us the Kingdom – the power and authority to rule our circumstances. David returning back as King is a picture of you and me getting back our position and power through Christ to cause the difference.
It was said about Absalom that he “hung between heaven and earth” (2 Sam. 18:9) because of his rebellion. So also Jesus the Son of God, the fairest of ten thousand took our rebellion and our sins and hung between heaven and earth on the cross and made a way for us to repossess the Kingdom (i.e. Power to rule, influence and cause difference in our surrounding through the Presence of God). This is what Jesus Christ came to give us. Not religion but a Kingdom. Therefore, He started His preaching by saying, “Repent (turn from your ways) for the Kingdom of Heaven is near”.
Once when His disciples requested Him, “Lord teach us to pray?” to which Jesus replied this is how you must pray “Our Father who art in Heaven Holy be Thy name, LET THY KINGDOM COME, LET THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN…” God’s desire has always been – how His Will is executed in heaven so it should be executed on earth. When this happens in a particular area then we can say that the Kingdom of God has come here.
At the end of His ministry said, when the disciples asked Him, “………and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” to which Jesus replied, “And the gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come.” (Mat. 24:14)
So the Gospel has two sides (i.e. It’s a two sided good news, two sides of the same coin). One side your relationship with God is restored and you receive eternal life and another side – you will get back your Kingdom and the Power to rule. The former prepares you for Heaven and the later prepares you for Earth. Remember, the original purpose of God in creating you was to rule the earth. So if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord, then you are a king who has returned back to rule this earth. Jesus said, “It is the Father’s pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” Encourage yourself – you are God’s appointed king on earth to establish His way of doing things. Revelation 5:9-10 says that in Heaven they sang a new song about Jesus, saying “… Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
Therefore take authority over your circumstances and reign in life through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 says, “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shalt reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
We have seen David returning as the King. Secondly, now we ourselves are returning as kings to reign in life and finally let me remind you that one day our precious Lord Jesus is going to return to this planet earth as the King of kings. “… for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” Rev. 17:14b. “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints” Jude 1:14.
So now it is your time to walk in authority over all the powers of darkness. One thing let me remind you, when we talk about kingdom we are not talking about a physical territory but of allowing God’s presence to change everything around us and bring it under subjection to the Will of God.
God Bless You !!!
Bro S. R. Manohar