Do you know anyone who is not comfortable until their project is done? Maybe they are driven to distraction by the details of their task. Think of the stories of men who forget to go home for supper because their mind is on a quest. Such people are so captivated that they can lose track of their basic needs.
Right now I am in the middle of a project of taking aerial photography of churches in Augusta. Thoughts of getting EVERY SINGLE CHURCH imaged and cataloged press in to my mind sometimes even crowding out most other things. On July 20th, 2017 I made my first panorama from drone images. It was done of the 15th Street Kroger which was nearing the end of its demolition. “Wow!” went my brain. “This is unique, you’ve got to go do this everywhere.” 1I don’t know what hits your brain and gets your engines firing, but that sure did something to me and I was worried sleep would not come. It did, thankfully, but the mental energy was beating and beating and beating.
Let me carry this on in another direction. When my mind is beating its loud, fast, steady cadence alongside it is a little (or big, actually) something in my imagination yelling: complete=perfect or complete things=the opportunity. I have no natural tendency to think that a process=perfect or that the process=the opportunity. On July 19, 2017 I was out taking photos of Lake Park Baptist church and while driving over the bridge on Milledge Road went by Bethany Bible Chapel. I decided that since I was right there I would just scoot up the road after Lake Park and get those images.
I met a fellow who was putting down ant killer in his yard and turns out he owns an irrigation business and was interested in drone based imaging of the work he does in laying irrigation. We connected for a good bit and may be able to collaborate in the future. That is opportunity as process meaning that going about the regular things, like getting photos and another opportunity showed itself.
When such a person comes to Revelation 11:15 there may be a tendency to over-read it.
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15–ESV)
Look down at the second half of this verse and see the two words “has become.” A goal oriented person may over-read this presuming more finality than is being attempted by this verse. The seventh trumpet is one of completion, but the trumpet sound announces a pending completion, not an accomplished one.
The kingdom of the world
In the temptation of Jesus (Luke 4 and Matthew 4) Satan took Jesus to the top of a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world. Do you remember Satan’s offer? “Worship me,” Satan said, “and I will give you all these kingdoms.” Satan said that these kingdoms had been delivered over to him.
In 2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan is called the “god of this world.”
In John 12:31 Jesus referred to Satan as the ruler of this world.
During Jesus’ pseudo-trial he said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world.”
So for much if not most of human history the kingdom of the world has been under the dominance of Satan. That dominance was not a thing he did, but a thing delivered or given to him. Satan also told Jesus that the kingdoms of the world had been delivered to him. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey God they were the instrument of delivery.
Satan’s lease ran out
Look back at Revelation 11:15 and note the following two words: “has become.” Loud voices in heaven were proclaiming this, and since they say the kingdom of the world has become it tells us of change. The kingdom of the world which Satan had dominated as a result of God’s permissive will does not stay that way. God took the permission away from Satan and the creation again is being brought to God the Father, that is Jehovah, and his son, Jesus the anointed one (Messiah, Christ).
The rule of Satan was never permanent. It has had that look, but looks are deceiving.
Steps toward God’s rule
Jesus was the one who said (John 12) that the ruler of the world would be cast out and he used the word now. With the death on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave the power of sin was destroyed. A way free through the blood of Jesus was available to mankind. Satan’s power to deceive and dominate mankind was diminished. He was not sent into hell nor was his power eliminated, but permission and enabling was given back to mankind. By resisting the Devil through the power of Jesus Satan will flee.
Here in Revelation 11 a similar notion may be elicited by the words “has become” but much of the events of Revelation have yet to be concluded. So, again, the power is broken, but the world must yet be cleaned up.
Think of a king taking over a throne. Must he not often clean up his kingdom? He does not often come to a perfect place, but a place that needs work. Enemies will need subdued, naysayers removed and proof to the men and women in the kingdom of who is in charge needs to be established. For John in Revelation a similar concept is going on. The endgame will be God’s game, but the timing will also be his game.
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