Dr. Terry Threadwell's Blog

These are the words of Jeremiah, Hilkiah’s son, who was one of the priests from Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. The LORD’s word came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of Judah’s King Josiah, Amon’s son, and throughout the rule of Judah’s King Jehoiakim, Josiah’s son, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah, Josiah’s son, when the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile. The LORD’s word came to me: “Before I created you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I made you a prophet to the nations.” “Ah, LORD God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak because I’m only a child.” The LORD responded, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’ Where I send you, you must go; what I tell you, you must say. Don’t be afraid of them, because I’m with you to rescue you,” declares the LORD.  Then the LORD stretched out his hand, touched my mouth, and said to me, “I’m putting my words in your mouth. This very day I appoint you over nations and empires, to dig up and pull down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”  (Jer 1:1-10 CEB)

For every king in the Old Testament, there was at least one prophet, though Ahab had five.

·       Saul and David had Samuel (1 Sam 9, 10, 16).

·       David had Nathan and Gad (2 Sam 12; 24:11).

·       Solomon had Nathan (1 Kings 1:38).

·       Rehoboam had Sheminiah (1 Kings 12:21, 22).

·       Ahab had Elijah, Elisha +4) (1 Kings 17, 19).

·       Joash had Joel (2 Kings 11, 12).

·       Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz & Hezekiah had Isaiah and Micah

·       Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehioakim, Jehoiachin & Zedekiah had Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel

·       Herod had John the Baptist.

Jeremiah was the thirteenth year prophet to Josiah, a good king that had instituted major reforms, opening up the temple, bringing back the word of the law, and tearing down the idols that his father had put in place. Revival had broken out, and then Jeremiah shows up. His mandate was deconstruction and rebuilding.  The problem wasn’t Josiah, but his father Amon, and his grandfather Manasseh, their sins would not go unpunished. The judgment would not happen in Josiah’s life, but it was coming.

Some Christians have tunnel vision and focus on abortion as if that is the only ethical question that should concern us, but there’s more. A deep walk with God, and as we dig deeper into God’s word, we find out what breaks the divine heart of God, that is why we need that prophetic voice! You might be looking for revival; I’m looking for our ‘thirteenth’ year prophet(s).

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. (1 Tim 2:1)

Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”  And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. (1Ki 18:17-18 NKJ)

Should we pray for the President, the presidency and our structure of government, Executive, Legislature and Judicial? Absolutely!  It is an awesome responsibility, given by God to govern. Those in that position should be leading the country in a manner that is pleasing to God, so that ‘we the people’ can live our lives peaceably. That being said, there isn’t one single President, going back to Nixon, that has got everything right.

We have a responsibility also, and that responsibility is to speak against injustice and unrighteousness.  God doesn’t create an oligarchy, that functions as a lone power.  God has his people, the salt and light, to correct any imbalance that might exist. Silence is not an option, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” Wrong is wrong, and unless someone speaks against it, it will become the accepted norm.

The Kingdom as a Christianized culture believes that Christians should be working to transform society by actively changing the way things were done.  In the old days, such people were called social reformers.

A shoot will grow up from the stump of Jesse; a branch will sprout from his roots. The LORD’s spirit will rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of planning and strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD. He will delight in fearing the LORD. He won’t judge by appearances, nor decide by hearsay. He will judge the needy with righteousness, and decide with equity for those who suffer in the land. He will strike the violent with the rod of his mouth; by the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked. Righteousness will be the belt around his hips, and faithfulness the belt around his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion will feed together, and a little child will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze. Their young will lie down together, and a lion will eat straw like an ox. A nursing child will play over the snake’s hole; toddlers will reach right over the serpent’s den. They won’t harm or destroy anywhere on my holy mountain. The earth will surely be filled with the knowledge of the LORD, just as the water covers the sea. (Isa 11:1-9 CEB)

Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,  To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

Isaiah 42:1-7  “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.  He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.  A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.  He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”  Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:  “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles,  To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, started a company making matches, to light cigarettes and cigars, using red phosphorus because the other companies were using yellow phosphorus that was killing the workers.  William Wilberforce fought against child labor and slavery in factories, mills and mines.  Emily Pankhurst fought for the right to vote, and Dr. Martin Luther King fought for civil rights.

With the advent of the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ and evangelical fundamentalism, social reform became a thing of the past, and the focus turned to the imminent return of Christ and ‘rapture’ of the Church. Worrying about the things ‘left behind’ seemed pointless.  Fortunately today, things are changing, Christians are once again becoming socially aware.

From Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. Revelation 1:5  

The first characteristic of this model of the Kingdom is the belief that biblical morality should be the basis for civil law. Even though Jesus came to fulfill the Law, and that we now live by grace, some Christian’s insist on the ‘Ten Commandments’ being displayed in various public places and even in the church.

” You shall not murder.  ” You shall not commit adultery.  ” You shall not steal.  ” You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Exodus 20:13-16

Secondly, the phrase the Kingdom of God has a literal meaning that God is reigning and ruling now.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33  

The third mark of the Kingdom

Those who believe this would also hold to a post-millennial belief.  Pentecostals believe that Jesus will come back and establish the thousand year reign.  A post-millennial believes that the Church will convert the world during a thousand year period and then the Lord will return. The Amillennial believes that Christ is already sitting on the throne of David.

England still to this day has the monarchy as the head of the church.  As such the queen is seen as the representation of God’s theocracy on the earth. In America, some Christians place emphasis on the President being Christian, and in the same sense establishing God’s reign and rule, we call this Dominion Theology and associated with Pat Robinson, Rod Parsley, and Liberty University.

Luke 6:20   20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.

The Kingdom as a counter-system focuses heavily on those that are abused and oppressed. The widow, orphan and alien.

Isaiah 58:6-7   6 ” Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?  7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

As a counter system, it doesn’t always go with the flow of popularity but sees itself as being prophetic. Ahab saw Elijah as a counter-revolutionary.

Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”  And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. 1 Kings 18:17-18 

Paul regarded himself as being a transformer, not a conformer, and encourages his readers to be the same. “I beseech you, therefore,…..And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom 12:1-2 NKJ)

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19  

“But you have come to Mount Zion and 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, to the spirits of just men made perfect.” Hebrews 12:22-23 

The Kingdom as an Institution tends to focus a great deal upon the structure and structures.  There is nothing wrong with denominations when they remain alive and vibrant. Unfortunately, they are plagued with patriarchy, nepotism, and tradition, that results in a movement becoming a monument (looking back) and finally a mausoleum (a dead place).

Peter reminds us that we are to be,”as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”  Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”  and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:5-9  

This aspect of the Kingdom was designed by God to be charismatic and organic. Filled with the life of the Spirit and with the priesthood of believers ministering out of that life source.

“and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6  

Romans 14:17  for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

This image of the Kingdom was seen as being a mystical journey.  To enter this spiritual experience was to experience God within.  God is often seen as light or fire or as God’s nature such as the immense sea.  This can be seen in a number of Wesley hymns:

Jesus, lover of my soul,

let me to thy bosom fly,

while the nearer waters roll,

while the tempest still is high;

hide me, O my Savior, hide,

till the storm of life is past;

safe into the haven guide,

O receive my soul at last!

Paul tells us, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” 1 Corinthians 15:50

Some of the early church believed that God reigned over the spirit world and that reality was spirit.  Some Greeks even believed that there would be no millennium reign in the physical as Paul says in verse 50.  But read on:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Corinthians 15:51

“to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:4

“Receiving the end of your faith — the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:9

“To them, God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19

“The kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21

The mystical experience that we have with God is often summed up with the word ‘communion,’ but perhaps union is a better word.  The manifestation of this union is prayer.  Though Wesley rejected mysticism in itself as a means of salvation, the concept of inner spirituality played a major role in his doctrine of entire sanctification, a key doctrine in those Pentecostal movements that came from Wesleyan Holiness and Pietists movements. It is also evident in the Revivalist hymns such as ‘Blessed Assurance’ and ‘He’s so Precious to Me.’