Temple Institute: Wandering in desert; COGwriter: The plan is for Christians to live as exiled ambassadors for the kingdom

(Exile from Public Domain Pictures)

In its newsletter today, the Temple Institute has the following:

Tammuz 22, 5781/July 2, 2021

Forty years of wandering through a vast wilderness are coming to a close. The children of Israel, born in the desert, born into freedom without ever having tasted the bitter taste of slavery, raised on manna and miracles, are currently focused on one thing and one thing only: crossing the Jordan into Canaan and beginning the long march of conquest and inheritance of the promised land of Israel, the land of their forefathers and the land of their own children and their children’s children, forever and ever.

The final two Torah portions of Numbers, Matot and Masei, are read together this Shabbat, bringing our wilderness experience to an end.

The children of Israel wandered for 40 years in the wilderness.

But finally that exile ended and they were able to enter the promised land.

As Christians, we look for a different promised land, the millennial Kingdom of God.

Once it is established, the time will come when every one will have their own home (cf. 1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4) and wars will cease:

1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And peoples shall flow to it.
2 Many nations shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion the law shall go forth,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples,
And rebuke strong nations afar off;
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 anymore.

4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid;
For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 For all people walk each in the name of his god,
But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
Forever and ever. (Micah 4:1-5)

However, before then we are to live as if we were in exile. Furthermore, we are getting closer to a time when all real Christians will be subject to intense persecution (see also Persecutions by Church and State).

While we Christians go through our day to day lives, the Bible is clear that those who live long enough are going to be subject to intense persecution and becoming refugees.

Did you know what seems to be the second most looked up verse in the Bible is?

The first is John 3:16, but the second is found in Jeremiah. Here are three translations of it:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction, to give you an end and patience. (Jeremiah 29:11, Douay-Rheims)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, New Living Translation)

Some quote Jeremiah 29:11 as proof that God has a plan for them. And while God does have a plan for all, many tend to not consider the verse in context.

Notice what the Bible teaches:

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Notice that the plan was exile. To be a sojourner, to be a refugee. Now, this is worded slightly differently in the New Testament, as the Apostle Peter wrote:

7 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,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

9 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; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:1-12)

Yes, we are to be sojourners and pilgrims in this age. Notice that the Apostle Paul pointed out that what happened to the children of the Israelites.

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. (1 Corinthians 10:1-12)

Paul is telling Christians that the Israelites were wandering and we should understand that was recorded for us to know and so we would not complain and disbelieve as they did.

Furthermore, we are not just NOT to complain, but be examples as Peter wrote (1 Peter 2:12) as well as be ambassadors as the Apostle Paul wrote (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:20).

Here are some excerpts from our free online booklet Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian:

The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should be ambassadors for the gospel of God’s coming kingdom:

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ … (2 Corinthians 5:20; NKJV used throughout except where noted)

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — ¹⁹ and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:17-20)

What is an ambassador? Here is what Merriam-Webster states:

Definition of ambassador

1 : an official envoy; especially : a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of his or her own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment

2 a : an authorized representative or messenger

But as Christians we are not temporary, we are to be permanent representatives of God, His government, and His kingdom.

Although the Apostle Paul was a Jewish and Roman citizen (Acts 21:39; 22:3, 28), he wrote that Christians have their citizenship in heaven:

²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20).

The Apostle Peter, while not specifically using the term ambassador, backs this up as he was inspired to write the following:

⁹ 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; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Christians are part of a royal priesthood and a holy nation. They were not a recognized people, like other nations, but now are essentially ambassadors for the coming Kingdom of God.

Did you realize that about Christianity?

Along those lines, the late evangelist Dr. Herman Hoeh wrote:

The Church in Prophecy

While most people today suppose that the true CHURCH was rapidly to grow BIG, to become a powerful organization, exerting powerful influence on the world, making this a better world, becoming the stabilizing influence of the world’s civilization, actually Christ founded His Church for no such purpose! In His final prayer for His ONE Church, Jesus prayed: “I pray for them: I pray not for the world … Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be ONE, as we are. … I have given them thy word; and the world hateth them, because they are not OF the world, even as I am not OF the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not OF the world, even as I am not OF the world” (John 17:9-16 KJV).

Those of His Church are described as being strangers and foreigners in this world — AMBASSADORS for Christ — ambassadors representing HIS Kingdom which is foreign to this world — yet never being OF the world! (Hoeh H. Why So Many Denominations? Tomorrow’s World, April 1972)

Christians live on this earth as representatives of that kingdom, obeying human governmental authority. When there is a conflict with the higher laws of God, Christians obey God (Acts 5:29), sometimes suffering for it (1 Peter 4:15-16), but they are not taking part in its politics.

That being said, ambassadors are not to be fearful, even if they are from a numerically-small country. Notice what Jesus told His people:

³² “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

Actual Christians are part of a “little flock”, as also the Apostle Paul said only a remnant was being called in this age:

⁵ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Romans 11:5)

Real Christianity has been spoken against since the beginning. When he got to Rome, Paul was told:

²² … concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere. (Acts 28:22)

It should be no surprise that those who still hold to original Christianity are often spoken against these days—including by accusers of the brethren (Revelation 12:10) on the Internet.

God’s people also are to be brave:

⁷ He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7-8)

The unbelieving are cowardly. Christians are to stand for the truth (Matthew 10:32-33). …

In His final prayer for His true Church, Jesus prayed:

¹² While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:12-16)

Those of His Church are described as being strangers and foreigners in this world — AMBASSADORS for Christ — ambassadors representing HIS Kingdom which is foreign to this world — yet never being OF the world! We are to be set apart from the world by our actual adherence and obedience to the word of God. This makes us different from the world—including the many that claim to reverence scripture, but will not actually live by it.

The New Testament shows that God’s people in the Old Testament:

¹³ … confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13)

The Apostle Peter also calls Christians pilgrims and sojourners:

¹ Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied. (1 Peter 1:1-2)

¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, ¹² having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:11-12)

Polycarp of Smyrna, ordained a Bishop/Pastor/Overseer by the apostles, started his Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians with the following:

Polycarp, and the presbyters with him, to the Church of God sojourning at Philippi (Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians)

So, he wrote that the Christians in the Church of God were sojourning at Philippi. The idea that Christians were to be sojourners and pilgrims was retained by him.

The Apostle Peter further wrote to Christians:

¹ Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ² as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³ if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Christians need the pure milk of the word, but many who profess Christ do not know much about what that means. Most who claim Christianity will not live as pilgrims and sojourners in this world as ambassadors for Jesus. …

Notice something that the prophet Jeremiah was told to record:

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Notice that the plan was exile. To be a sojourner, a stranger, an ambassador. That is still the plan for Christians in this age.

Jeremiah also recorded:

²⁸ For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘This captivity is long; build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit. (Jeremiah 29:28)

Notice that those in exiles were to plant and build and produce fruit. Planting takes faith. Translating materials into multiple languages, including many that the church does not have supporters takes faith–but that is part of the work that we in the Continuing Church of God are part of. And just like the exiles, we are to produce fruit.

Yes, Christians are to live as exiled ambassadors in this age. We are to produce fruit and support the work of God as we look forward to the coming Kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Christians are to Be Strangers and Pilgrims? Should Christians sojourn? What does the Bible and Feast of Tabernacles teach? A related video sermon is titled Christian Pilgrims.
Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphian Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2028 or or 2031 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.