Ques. What does "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" mean? (Jude
21). N.
Ans. "Eternal life" is seen here at the end of our journey. "Mercy" is needed in such dark days as Jude pictures, to keep us true and faithful to the Lord, when so many who once seemed bright and happy, have turned aside. When we are with the Lord, there will be no danger then of going astray. We shall eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God, and shall be perpetually in the enjoyment of the Eternal Life.
Ans. Those Corinthian saints were treating the symbols of a dead Christ in an unworthy manner. So may we, if we lose the reality of thinking of Him in death for us, and it becomes to us only a form or religious ceremony. It may bring us as His children under the discipline of the Father's hand. (See verses following.)
Ques. Will Christ actually reign on the earth during the thousand years? Will He sit on the throne of David personally? P. R. J.
“They shall reign on the earth", we learn that the more exact translation is "over" the earth.
Christ as Son of Man with His heavenly company of redeemed ones, will reign over the earth. There are many scriptures that tell that the Church and the heavenly saints will reign with Him, both in the Old Testament types, and in the New. Gen. 1:2626And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26), is the first, "Let them have dominion." In Matt. 25:21, 2321His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:21)
23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (Matthew 25:23), "I will make thee ruler over many things"; Luke 19:17,1917And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. (Luke 19:17)
19And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities. (Luke 19:19), "Be thou over five cities" (see Matt. 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28); Luke 22:3030That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:30); 1 Cor. 6:2, 32Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? (1 Corinthians 6:2‑3); 2 Tim. 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12); Rev. 2:26, 27; 3:2126And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:26‑27)
21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)).
It is a great thing that God has purposed for us in making us companions for His Son (Rom. 8:2929For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29); 1 John 3:1, 31Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)
3And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:3)). In Eph. 1:1818The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18), God wants us to understand, "what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints" is. The saints are not His inheritance, but their inheritance is to hold the inheritance for Him (verse 11), and in Rev. 21:99And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. (Revelation 21:9) we see "the bride the Lamb's wife" as a governing city. In verse 2 we see her as the object of His affections, but from 21:9 to 22:5, we see her as the display of His glory in government, "coming down from God out of heaven," yet not on the earth. Christ is the center; the Church is with Him in glory, yet recognized by those on earth (verses 24, 26). The Son of Man is Lord of heaven and earth (Psa. 8; John 1:5151And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51); Matt. 26:6464Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64)).
We see a picture or sample of it in the transfiguration scene (Matt. 17, and Luke 9). Moses and Elijah,-the dead raised and the living changed,-are with Him, the Lord in glory. Peter, James and John on earth, picture for us the earthly part of the Kingdom. It is the Kingdom in mystery now; it will be the Kingdom in power then.