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JEHOVAH God has promised repeatedly in the Bible that earth's New World society will be organized under a world-wide theocratic government (i.e., a government by God—"Jehovah shall be King over all the earth, in that day," when "the kingdom is Jehovah's, and he is the ruler over the nations"; Zech. 14:9; Psa. 22:28 ASV)
Jehovah will have Jesus Christ as His Representative, His Vicegerent (Matt. 28:18), in full, absolute control—“there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all … should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion … his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13, 14). The government that God established in Israel was a theocracy: God was their real King and His law governed them, even though others ruled under Him (1 Chron. 29:23; 2 Chron. 13:8). The elders of the twelve tribes supervised tribal affairs. God provided a priestly tribe, the tribe of Levi, which served the religious interests of all. Also, He sent judges and prophets to Israel from time to time as His special messengers. As Israel's Covenant God, He supervised their affairs—prospering them, delivering them from enemies and guiding their efforts favorably when they obeyed Him, but disfavoring them, permitting them to go into temporary captivity to enemies and thwarting their efforts when they disobeyed Him (Lev. 26:1-46; Deut. 28:1-68). As long as Israel looked to Jehovah and accepted Him as their Ruler they prospered; He delivered them from oppression and fought for them; He wrought many miracles on their behalf. How grand it will be when all mankind will have their new government, with their All-wise, All-just, All-loving and All-powerful Creator as their Covenant God! This, indeed, will be their joyful portion in the New World society soon to be established, when God's Kingdom on earth will come, and His will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven! Israel as a nation will be the first of the nations to come into harmony with the new order of affairs on earth—"Jehovah also shall save the tents of Judah first" (Zech. 12:7). Earthly Jerusalem will be fully rebuilt on its old site (Jer. 30:18; this prophecy is already being fulfilled), and their polity will be restored as in the beginning, under princes, or judges; for Jehovah promised, "I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city" (Isa. 1:26). "Behold a king [the Christ, Head and Body] shall reign in righteousness, and princes [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the other Ancient Worthies, and also the Youthful Worthies—all resurrected from the dead—Psa. 45:16; Gal. 3:6-9; Heb. 11:1-40] shall rule in judgment" (Isa. 32:1). However, before that grand new government of earth (of which the government of the Jewish law-giver, Moses, with its princes and judges, was merely a type) can begin its rulership, it is necessary for the great Messiah-King to exercise His great power and subdue the nations (Psa. 2:1-12; 110:1-7; Rev. 2:26, 27; 11:17). Because of this, the great Time of Trouble is now upon the earth, in which Satan's empire will be fully overthrown (Dan. 2:35, 44; 12:1; Matt. 24:21; Zeph. 3:8, 9; Rev. 11:18; 19:15). In this great Time of Trouble, Jehovah "will shake all nations," and remove all things not built upon truth and righteousness; then "the desire of all nations shall come" (Hag. 2:7; Heb. 12:26-28). Jehovah will make "wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire." He will then say to mankind: "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psa. 46:9, 10). "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Jehovah of hosts hath spoken it" (Isa. 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4). What a glorious world-wide Utopia that will be—when the New World society is organized under a world-wide theocratic government by Jehovah, with Christ and His Church, the Lamb's Wife, ruling in the spirit realm (Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17), and the resurrected Worthies as its earthly agents (Luke 13:28)! No wonder the Bible mentions it as "the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:19-21)! Through Abraham's great Seed, Christ and the Church, "shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3; 22:16-18; 28:14; Gal. 3:8, 16, 29). "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped" (Isa. 35:5). "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity" (Isa. 33:24). "Thy people shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever" (Isa. 60:21). Then "the tabernacle of God will be with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Rev. 21:3, 4). God promised, "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah" (Num. 14:21). "All the wicked will he destroy" (Psa. 145:20; Rev. 21:8); "the transgressors shall be destroyed together … the wicked shall be cut off; the righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever"; "all iniquity shall stop her mouth" (Psa. 37:38, 9, 10, 28, 29; 107:42). What joy, then, to "look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness [Jesus and the Church, the Millennial religious ruling powers, and human society organized under theocratic rule, based on truth, righteousness and love, instead of error, injustice and selfishness, which prevail in 'this present evil world'—Gal. 1:4]" (2 Pet. 3:13; Isa. 65:17-25; Rev. 21:1-27; 22:1-21)! According to Bible prophecy, which is fulfilling more and more in our day, God will soon establish His theocratic government, His reign of peace and blessing, throughout the whole earth! |
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