When the church was established on the earth during Pentecost, Peter took the keys of the kingdom of the heavens and opened the door for the Jews and the Gentiles to believe in the Lord. This brought God’s authority to the earth so that man could enter into the kingdom of the heavens. At this point, the church replaced the Israelites and obtained the position for God to reign.
In John 3 the Lord said that one must be born anew to enter into the kingdom of God. This was the beginning. Colossians 1:13 also says that God delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. All who have turned to the Lord have been delivered out of Satan’s authority of darkness and have been transferred into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love. Furthermore, 1 Peter 2:9 says, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” People who are saved have become a kingdom of priests, a sphere in which God is able to reign. John 18:36 says that this kingdom is of the heavens, not of the earth. Romans 14:17 says, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” This is the condition of God’s spiritual kingdom in the church. Today the church is God’s spiritual kingdom, God’s heavenly kingdom on the earth; a saved one keeps himself by righteousness, treats others with peace, and always rejoices in the Spirit.
However, the church gradually lost its firm stand. Even before the apostles passed away, the church was filled with the works of Satan. Through the flesh, the world, and sin, Satan gained authority once more and usurped God’s position. This is clearly seen in the seven epistles in Revelation.
When the descendants of Adam failed, God called Abraham. When the church failed, God called the overcomers. The Lord’s epistles to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are His call for overcomers. He calls some of His lovers to stand in the proper position of the church to answer His call and to meet His need in this age, thus allowing Him to reign through them.
The man-child brought forth by the woman spoken of in Revelation 12:5 and 10 is a group of overcomers in the church who have allowed God to reign in them and who, as a result, bring God’s authority to the earth. The kingdom on the earth then becomes the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 20:4-6 says that because the overcomers bring in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Lord will reign for a thousand years, and the overcomers will also reign with Christ for a thousand years.
First Corinthians 15:24 says that at the end of the millennial kingdom, the Lord will receive the kingdom from God and will deliver it up back to God; thus, eternity will begin, and the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem will appear. At this point, heaven and earth will be fully joined, without any distinction between reigning in the heavens and reigning on the earth. Now the Lord and the church, including all who belong to God throughout the ages, will rule and reign together forever and ever. This is shown in Revelation 22. Through this kingdom, this reign, God’s life will flow and God’s building will be completed.
Brothers and sisters, after seeing these matters, we can arrive at one conclusion—both the growth in life and the building up of the church depend upon God’s reigning. Whenever the church lacks God’s reign, everything is in confusion and the condition of Babel is manifested. When someone in the church overthrows God’s authority, the sound of confusion rises up. However, when someone in the church allows God to reign, immediately the scene on the day of Pentecost appears—everyone speaks the same thing. Thus, the scene of the New Jerusalem is manifested. The harmonious condition in the church comes out from the throne of God. In the New Jerusalem, everyone will be standing in his own place according to the proper order with the proper authority. In this way everyone will be built up together. Therefore, I say again, both life and building depend upon the throne of God.