Category: heavenly kingdom

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #14

Friday, February 13, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

“Which [mighty power] he [Father God] wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:20-23). It was to our benefit (advantage) as members of the Church the Body of Christ that Father God granted the Lord Jesus Christ governmental authority in Heaven: after all, we will share that authority throughout the endless ages to come.

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7). We even have resurrection (glorified) bodies to function in outer space! “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:…” (2 Corinthians 5:1,2). “For our conversation [lifestyle reflecting citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20,21).

As in Revelation 12:7-12, Satan and his angels will be thrown out of Heaven so we can be permanently installed, with that kingdom of God spreading to Earth for believing Israel’s sake (Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2), thereby achieving Ephesians 1:9,10!

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #13

Thursday, February 12, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

Since creation is divided into Heaven and Earth (Genesis 1:1), and Satan has corrupted both spheres with sin (Job 15:15; Job 25:5; Luke 4:5-7; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4), Father God has a plan to end the rebellion and bring Heaven and Earth back under the Headship of Jesus Christ the Creator.

“For by him [Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:16-20). “[Father God] Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:…” (Ephesians 1:9,10).

As long as we see this overall picture of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we will not be confused. Israel is God’s earthly people, destined to be filled with Christ’s life on Earth. We the Church the Body of Christ are His heavenly people, ordained to be filled with Christ’s life in Heaven: therefore, Father has blessed us with “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

Let us conclude this devotionals arc….

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #12

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

In his farewell sermon, Moses counseled Israel to obey the LORD to receive the blessing, “That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land [on Earth!] which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21). Notice the comparison to an heavenly Earth.

Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” From verse 2 onward, the Bible’s focus is “the earth.” The LORD God labors to make Himself a home with mankind on Earth (check Psalm 132:5,10-14), which encompasses the Davidic Covenant of 2 Samuel 7:12-17 (cf. Luke 1:31-33). Recall again how God’s earthly kingdom loops all the way back to Adam and reaches all the way into the future to Christ’s Second Coming (Matthew 25:34; Acts 3:20,21). Jesus’ return and subsequent kingdom is Earth-oriented: “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth…. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (Daniel 2:35,44).

However, beginning in Acts chapter 9 with Paul’s salvation and commissioning, God shifts from restoring Earth to Himself, to restoring Heaven to Himself, for both realms must be brought back to the Creator God to achieve His eternal purpose….

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #3

Sunday, February 1, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

As Peter expresses in today’s Scripture, believing Israel has a hope in Heaven, not a hope on Earth. Some maintain that this challenges—yea, disproves—dispensational Bible study. A second line of argument is offered via an appeal to other verses. Note the recurring expression of Christ’s earthly ministry, “the kingdom of heaven,” which is clearly to and about Israel. Observe, again, how it is not the Kingdom of Earth, but the Kingdom of Heaven.

The 31 “kingdom of heaven” references are exclusively in the Gospel Record of Matthew (see Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 5:3,10,19,20; 7:21; 8:11; 10:7; 11:11,12; 13:11,24,31,33,44,45,47,52; 16:19; 18:1,3,4,23; 19:14,23; 20:1; 22:2; 23:13; 25:1,14). Also, remember, this “kingdom of heaven” is at the heart of the Gospel of the Kingdom: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:17,23).

Souls who have not matured in the Word of God rightly divided have reached an impasse at this point, facing a difficulty that appears to have no satisfactory resolution. Two options are available. The first is easiest, and therefore, most tempting. We can throw up our hands in defeat, and never take up the Bible again. Or, maybe we could do a little study, a little digging, a little thinking, looking for a Bible cross-reference here and there that will afford us the ability to weave together a tapestry of superb spiritual judgment. We certainly do not have to be spiritual geniuses, or graduates of Bible college or seminary (Bible cemetery). All we need is to be humble enough to let the Holy Spirit enlighten the eyes of our understanding….

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #2

Saturday, January 31, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

These (unexpected) references of Israel’s inheritance and Heaven fall under two categories. Firstly, we have today’s Scripture and similar verses, which indicate believing Israel has an inheritance “reserved in heaven.” Observe!

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11,12). “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets” (Luke 6:23). “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:…” (Matthew 6:20). “Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth” (Luke 12:33).

“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me” (Matthew 19:21). “Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21). “Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Luke 18:22).

Again, these mentions of Israel and Heaven are most surprising, and we cannot change them. They say exactly what they mean and mean exactly what they say. Now, let us see the other grouping….

A Hope Reserved for Israel in Heaven? #1

Friday, January 30, 2026

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,…” (1 Peter 1:3,4 KJV).

Perhaps we can search the Scriptures to resolve an apparent contradiction, thereby perfecting that which is lacking in superficial readers….

We Pauline dispensational Bible students have been charged with wrongdoing—the accusation being utterly false. Never do we confine our reading and studying to Paul’s epistles of Romans to Philemon. We throw away none of the 66 Books of the Bible, Genesis to Revelation. (What is true is that some in Christendom throw away Paul’s epistles altogether!) Dispensational Bible study allows us to think of God’s words in an orderly fashion, arranged on a timeline… instead of jumbled thoughts and disparate activities that make people lose the overall “big picture” of God’s plan for the ages. We will easily demonstrate this, and, in doing so, provide the solution to that aforementioned “contradiction.”

Read today’s Scripture in context: “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:1-5).

Dispensational Bible students distinguish between the nation Israel (God’s earthly people) and the Church the Body of Christ (His heavenly people). Consequently, it comes as quite a shock to them (as it did to me so long ago) to learn that the Bible links Israel with Heaven. How could this be? Does that not challenge the very premise of right division? Here is where we have to exercise exceptional spiritual discernment….

Heir by Position, Pauper by Practice #24

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice!

It truly is a pity—a real shame—that billions of church members, pastors, and teachers actually have no clue concerning God’s will for them. This is not God’s fault! Rather, they have decided to squander their time with nonsense and ignorance instead of opening the Holy Bible to “study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). It is not God’s problem when they overlook the answers He has already written in response to anticipated questions.

Here is God’s will! First Timothy 2:4-7: “[God our Saviour] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not; ) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.” God wants lost people to be “saved” (place their faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for their sins). His will for Christians is they “come unto the knowledge of the truth” (learn why He delivered them from those sins and kept them out of Hell and the Lake of Fire): He purposes to fill them with His Son’s life (not rehabilitate the Adamic life). “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith…” (Ephesians 3:17).

Our inheritance from Father God encompasses not only this temporary earthly life, but reaches into the endless ages to come and all the way into the heavenly places (our eternal destiny, our ultimate inheritance [Ephesians 1:9-11; Ephesians 2:6,7]). As we learn via dispensational Bible study, how marvelous it is that He is forming the Church the Body of Christ with believing Jews and believing Gentiles of Paul’s ministry (Ephesians 2:11-22), a group of former bitter enemies who were hopeless and helpless and Hell-bound, an entity He kept secret until Paul’s salvation and commissioning (Ephesians 3:1-11). We are not sinners, but saints, so let us think and walk according to that.

We (finally!) summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Heir by Position, Pauper by Practice #5

Friday, January 9, 2026

“Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:7 KJV).

Saints, we in Christ are spiritual winners and heirs by position, but we can choose to be spiritual losers and paupers by practice!

Two passages that will revolutionize our Bible understanding (if we allow them) are Acts 3:21 and Romans 16:25,26. “Whom [Jesus Christ] the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Prophecy, or the prophetic program, is the information God has made known since He created and placed man on the Earth: this information governs and describes His work on Earth, and has the nation Israel at its heart. “Now to him [Father God] that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:…” (Romans 16:25,26). While God was revealing prophecy, He was keeping a secret (what Ephesians 1:9 calls “the mystery [secret] of his will”). The mystery program, or mystery, is the information God kept secret since He created and placed man on the Earth, which He later revealed first to the Apostle Paul in Acts chapter 9 onward: this information governs and describes His work in Heaven, and has the Church the Body of Christ at its heart.

Prophecy and mystery must be “rightly divided” as 2 Timothy 2:15 explains: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Any and all blending of that which God has separated is sure to confuse the Bible reader—and this is precisely what led to Christendom’s tens of thousands of ignorant denominations. Mystery truth or Pauline truth, Romans to Philemon, is what God is doing today….

Joy to the World! #4

Sunday, December 14, 2025

“Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Psalm 45:6,7 KJV).

The final verse of the classic Christmas carol highlights today’s Scripture.

“He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.”

When Satan’s reign on Earth and in Heaven concludes, voices in heaven cry out, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Hebrews 1:8,9 quoted today’s Scripture as true of Jesus Christ’s righteous reign. Notice how Father God addressed Jesus as “God.” Human history has never experienced a global, benevolent, theocratic monarchy. For the first time ever, all power in Heaven and Earth will be consolidated forever in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:8-10). All governments in Heaven and Earth will be cleansed of evil. By faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, we will participate in that operation of God (Colossians 1:16-22). We will reign with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6,7)!

Zechariah 14:9: “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” Daniel 2:44: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” And, Jeremiah chapter 23: “[5] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. [6] In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Indeed, there will be such joy! Jesus Christ glorified forever, in Heaven and Earth! 🙂

Joy to the World! #3

Saturday, December 13, 2025

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody” (Isaiah 51:3 KJV).

The third verse of the classic Christmas carol highlights today’s Scripture.

“No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.”

God’s Word to Adam just after he sinned included the following pronouncement, “…[C]ursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee” (Genesis 3:17,18). This is part of the “bondage of corruption” of which Romans 8:21 speaks. Sin tainted creation. Thorns and thistles began to grow, making Adam’s labor in the field even more grueling. Paradise was indeed lost… but not forever!

When God created the heaven and the earth, He selected a special location on Earth as His home. Exodus 15:17,18 say: “Thou shalt bring them [Israel] in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands have established. The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.” Isaiah 40:22 says God “stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.” While Adam’s sinful actions delayed God’s earthly kingdom, God would take care of those mistakes and still accomplish His original intention.

Israel’s mistakes further delayed God’s earthly kingdom. However, God will restore Earth’s ecology to its original, pre-Fall (pre-sin) conditions. This is true especially of Zion, Jerusalem, which will be the global and universal capital city. There will be joy and gladness, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. All believers in heaven (Body of Christ) and earth (redeemed Israel) will join the angels in song. The curse has been lifted, and Jesus Christ has been exalted (Isaiah 11:1-9)!