Of the various offices into which Christ was inaugurated at His ascension, the two greatest are that He is the Ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5) and the Head over all things to the church (Eph. 1:22).
As Ruler of kings, He is administering all the governments on this earth. The purpose of this administration is no doubt the spreading of the gospel. By this means God’s chosen ones are being gathered in. From studying world history we can see that the course of events has been for the spread of the gospel. Our common calendar, which is in worldwide usage, is based on the birth of Christ. Even atheistic countries, like Russia and China, use this calendar, thus implying that they are under Christ’s sovereign ruling. According to Christ’s calendar, we are in the year 1980. This date does not refer to the Roman Caesars nor to the Russian Czars, but to the number of years since Christ’s birth. Our Christ is Ruler over the whole earth for the spread of His gospel!
I would like to testify of this from my own experience. Toward the end of World War II I told the saints that China would be liberated from Japan, that it would become a republic, and that we would have freedom. This did happen. Japan surrendered unconditionally in 1945. We exulted in our freedom. From 1946 through 1948 the gospel preaching among us quickly spread far and wide. In 1948 a missionary traveled throughout China and then reported to his mission that the gospel work was in the hands of the “little flock” (as they referred to the churches) and that it was so prevailing there was no need to send foreign missionaries. This was truly the case. I was in Shanghai in those days. How happy we were! The churches numbered four to six hundred throughout China. One day in Tsingtao, a former German concession and a beautiful modern seaport, over seven hundred were baptized. In the 1930s the number of those baptized was quite small, rarely more than ten. After 1945, however, the number baptized at one time was usually over one hundred. Our joy was short-lived. Almost overnight, it seemed, the political situation changed, and from 1949 the work was very much frustrated.
I left in April 1949 and from that time had no open correspondence with those I knew there. All these years I grieved over that great work. Watchman Nee was imprisoned in 1950 and died in prison in 1972. I was heartbroken, fearing that the whole work was lost. My only comfort was that, through the loss of the work in China, the Lord brought His recovery to the United States, and then to Europe, South America, Africa, and Australasia. But whenever I thought about the work in China, my heart ached. Many of my contemporary co-workers died in prison after spending years there. Brother Nee’s term was the longest. He died the day before he was due to be released.
In 1979 the situation changed once again. The United States and China opened diplomatic relations. Red China opened its doors to visitors. Now the news has come out. My heart is no longer aching; it is leaping for joy! I have learned that in some cities from 1949 the Lord’s table was never stopped. The saints on the Mainland consider the years from 1949 to 1970 as a time when the church was dormant. Then in 1970 a new generation, born and educated under the present government, came of age. Some of these young people were raised up by the Lord and became prevailing. Even though they had no Bibles, just some written verses, they began to preach the gospel.
The response was overwhelming. The way had been prepared for the gospel! The new generation of the church began to preach by teaching the young people a gospel song. These empty young people loved singing songs about Jesus! In addition, many sick people were miraculously healed. Thousands of young people believed. The officials made things difficult for them, but it had no effect. They imprisoned some of the believers, but there were too many, mostly in the countryside. If ten were imprisoned, two hundred would go to visit. Prison, they told the officials, was to be preferred, because then they did not have to work! They could simply sing the hymns. If they were released, they would believe all the more! In one province there were over three hundred thousand believers. In just one city there were over twenty thousand.
I say this to show you that the Lord Jesus is the Ruler of kings. I thought China with its nine hundred million people was lost, as far as the gospel was concerned. Last year, however, the world situation and China’s need caused her to open up. Is this not the Lord’s government? Praise Him!
His office as Ruler is primarily for the spread of the gospel. By the Lord’s control of the world situation, the recovery has come to the Western world. Now, after thirty years, His sovereign hand has caused the doors of China to open again. Hundreds of thousands of young people have been saved. Who can hinder the Ruler of kings? This is 1980, the year of the Lord, according to His calendar! The Red Chinese government last year printed a hundred thousand copies of the Bible. They have also opened the doors of the cathedrals in the leading cities for the Christians to meet there. In Shanghai over fifteen hundred crowded into the first building they opened. They have since opened two more. All these events prove that Jesus is the Ruler of kings! He is carrying out His heavenly ministry. He is administrating the whole earth that the gospel may be spread.