SUMMARY: In this teaching, Reverend Catania shows us that God as the owner and possessor of the heavens and earth has a kingdom. We also learned that in the Hebrew scriptures, when you had capitalized LORD that was the word 'Jehovah' and Lord was 'Adonai' and the word "God" was generally 'Elohim'. Then we looked at the significance of these words. We saw that God's original intent for Adam was that he would rule the earth. He lost that privilege and currently Satan is the god of this world with the power and authority that God had originally intended for Adam.
Go to the first book of the Bible, the very first verse. Genesis chapter 1 verse one. I'm going to share you this morning about the Kingdom of God. And I'm going to expound it to you, because for the most part; it's not God's fault; the church does not understand the Kingdom of God. Moreover, those that attempt to present it, many of them present it in error.
So, what I'm going to do for you today, and in the several following segments, is to let the Word of God itself present to you the truth about what the Kingdom of God is. Not what I say it is. Not what another denomination says. Not what another minister says. Not what a theologian says. But, there is no greater authority to define and present itself than the Word of God, which was authored by God Almighty; but written by many different individuals. Nonetheless, it was all God breathed.
Genesis chapter 1 verse one says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." God created the heaven and the earth. "Heavens" is the plural in the Hebrew: heavens and the earth. So God is the creator. He's the one who created the heavens and everything in the heavens - including the devil - and the earth; and everything that's on the earth.
See, the devil was (originally his name was Lucifer) a good guy. Then he was in charge of a battalion, a group of angels. And his job was, from what we know of the Word, to coordinate worship, music, and such. So he used his power and authority that he was created with and it got to his head and he got full of pride. So you know the rest of the story: along came the serpent.
So God created everything in the heavens. God created the earth. Genesis 14 contains a record of Abram, who was later renamed Abraham. When they kidnapped some of his people along with their possessions he goes and gets it back. And when you get the verse 18 of chapter 14, it says
Genesis 14:18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: [because he was the high priest] and he was the priest of the most high God. 19And he (Melchizedek) blessed him (Abram), and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God [who is the] possessor of heaven and earth:
So Melchizedek recognized Abram and he also knew that Abram was in fellowship with God and that he was a special person. He also knew that the most high God was the possessor of heaven and earth. So God not only created the heavens and the earth; but God is the possessor of the heavens and the earth. In other words, he's the owner. He's the boss.
Acts 17:24. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
So God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. God is the possessor of the heavens and the earth; and here in Acts 17:24, we learned that God is Lord of the heavens and the earth. God is Lord. He is the master. He's top dog.
1 Chronicles 29:11 Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.
All that is in the heaven and in the earth is what? Thine. Thine is the what? Kingdom. So here we've learned that God created, that God's the possessor, that God's the Lord of heaven and earth. But when we get here, we find that all is thine in heaven and in earth. And then the word "kingdom" is introduced. They say "thine is the kingdom". Now it doesn't tell you there what the kingdom is, but here we are alerted to the fact that there's a kingdom.
Thine is the kingdom and whoever's kingdom this is, it belongs to who? God. So whose kingdom is it? It is God's kingdom. This is the kingdom that belongs to God. It is the kingdom of God. Now we don't know what that is yet. But, we know that God is in charge of the kingdom. It's his kingdom.
Now look at 1 Chronicles 29:11 again. It would be good for you to learn this. "Thine, O LORD." You see the word "LORD" there? The word LORD in the Bible is in all caps. Now normally when you would name a proper noun. For instance, "Nick", you would capitalize N - i - c - k; but that's not the case here. The word "LORD" is all capitalized. "Thine O LORD."
When you read the word "LORD" in the Bible in all caps. (Now we were talking especially in the Old Testament now.) That word is put that way by the translators, who translated out of the Hebrew to show you; to let you know that the word is "Jehovah" in the Hebrew. How do they indicate to you, the English reader, that the Hebrew word "Jehovah" is being referred to? They indicated to you in English by capitalizing the word LORD. So anytime you read that word in English, with all caps, you immediately know that it's referring to the Hebrew word "Jehovah"
That's the way it works. When "LORD" appears in all caps, it indicates the word "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" as used in the Old Testament. Why? "Jehovah" is the sacred name of God; and that name, he revealed himself to Moses by God in the burning bush. It's the unspeakable name of God to the Hebrew people; the indescribable name; the holy name that's guarded from profanity in the life of Israel. And normally it occurs with the use of its four consonants: Y, H, W, H. It's "LORD" all caps. Strong says it's used 6510 times in the Old Testament, and there are some uses in the New Testament; but not in the Hebrew. So it's used a many times.
Now, when you read the word "Lord" in the Bible - specifically in the Old Testament, we're talking about now - and only the "L" is capitalized, what does this mean? Now, the translators are indicating to you that the word "Adonai" is being used, "Adonai" is found in the Hebrew Bible. So if it's all capitals "LORD": Jehovah. If it’s one capital Lord: "Adonai". They indicate different Hebrew words; and you can tell just by looking at how it's spelled in the Bible.
"Adonai" means "sovereign one". It's not the name of God; it's a title for God. See, "Nick" is the name for me. Reverend is a title for me. Okay? "Nick" is a name for me. "Father" is a title for me because I have children. Same with God. "Jehovah" is a name for God. But"Adonai" is not a name for God. It's a title for God that refers to God. It means "sovereign one". It's the supreme title given to God in the Old Testament.
Now this truth about what I taught you "LORD": Jehovah, "Lord": Adonai carries through to the New Testament. Now the words are going to be different because you have Greek and Hebrew; but it’s the truth they tried to show. Go to Acts chapter 2 please verse 34. You see, most people just read over them, but yet God's Word is so intricate and so precise, he takes the time to teach us.
Acts 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
This is what David said. The what? LORD. It's all capitals, right? So it's talking about who? Jehovah. This is what David is saying: "The LORD (Jehovah) said unto my..." what? Lord. One capital, lowercase right? And see? This is how you distinguish it. God said unto my Lord (David was the "my"); my Lord, (the Lord being Jesus Christ lowercase.) " sit thou on my right hand". And we know that Jesus ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of the father. Right? But see? That's how that verse teaches you that... By using those all capitals or just one capital.
So, when you read the word LORD in all caps in the Bible; the Hebrew Bible is trying to indicate, or it is indicated through the translation that it's the Hebrew word "Jehovah". When you read the word "Lord" with just one capital L, the Hebrew Bible is indicating to you that it's "Adonai".
Psalm 145:1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
He says in verse one. "I will extol thee, my God, O what? King. "... and I will bless thy name forever and ever." So David, not only says that He's his God, but he also calls God, his King. Here David doesn't say "I will extol thee my LORD (Jehovah). He doesn't say Lord (Adonai). He says, "My God".
Now when they use the word "God" in the Hebrew, t normally it's the Hebrew word "Elohim". Now we find that David refers to God, Elohim, as his King. He's his king. It is very simple.
Psalm 145: 8The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. 10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. 11They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; 12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
The LORD, which is the Hebrew word "Jehovah", is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great mercy. The LORD (Jehovah) is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee O Jehovah (O LORD), and thy saints shall bless thee. What else are the saints going to do?
Verse 11 says, "They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power." Whose kingdom is it? It is God's kingdom. And we found out that in the previous verse that we cited, that David called God his King.
Verse 12 says Elohim, David’s King will make known to the sons of men "his mighty acts in the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Whose kingdom is it? It's God's kingdom. It's the kingdom of God, Okay? David said it's thy kingdom, referring to Jehovah. So, we find out that God has a kingdom. You know what else we find out? One of the things verse 12 said the Saints were supposed to do is to speak of the glory of thy kingdom.
How can you speak intelligently about the glory of a kingdom that you don't know anything about? How are you going to teach anybody anything about the kingdom of God if you don't know anything about it? You can't do it; can you? Maybe you can sit up in the barroom and talk like all those guys that sit at the bar after about three, four shots, because they know everything.
How right are they? You can hear a different version from the guy on your left. And that's what happens with the church. But you are going to find out that the kingdom of God is, and it is so pervasive in the Word of God that when you finally see it, those things are just going to pop off the page at you. because they know everything. Okay? But they ain't right, are they? Because you can hear a different version from the guy on your left. And that's what happens with the church.
But you are going to find out that the kingdom of God is so pervasive in the Word of God that when you finally see it, those things are just going to pop off the page at you. For years you just read over them, just like you did with LORD (Jehovah), Lord (Adonai) and God (Elohim).
Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
"But the LORD (Jehovah) is the true God, (Elohim)…" So that tells me that there's false gods. But Jehovah, the Elohim, is the true God. Not only is that, he's the living Elohim. He's the living God. And an everlasting King. If you're a King, you've got to have a kingdom, right? And God is, look what does the Word say? He's what kind of the King? An everlasting King. Do you know what that means? That means there’s no beginning and no end. He's the king! So, can his kingdom end? No, it can't end.
Because He’s an everlasting king; and you can't have everlasting king without having an everlasting kingdom. So his kingdom is also everlasting. "He is the everlasting King and at his wrath, the earth shall tremble in the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation." Here, Jehovah Lord is called the true Elohim, God, the living God: and he's called the everlasting King.
We had this before. So God is an everlasting King over all of heaven and earth; and heaven and earth are his everlasting kingdom. Now, how do I know that? Okay, where else is God's kingdom at? He created; he created the heavens and the earth. That's it. So his kingdom has to be where? Either in one or the other or both. Correct? Is there any other place in the world, it could be? No. Sorry. That's how simple it is. Up in the air is heaven, though.
Genesis 1:26-28 26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Dominion is used twice to establish it here. God's original intent for mankind was that Adam would rule the earth under and on behalf of God, the great and everlasting King of heaven and earth. Adam was formed, made, created and perfectly equipped to rule the earth as God's vice-regent on behalf of God right from the beginning. That was Adam's job.
Adam was to rule in kingly fashion under the great King: the everlasting King. And Adam's territory to rule, that was given to him, was the earth. He was to have dominion over everything. God gave him the power and God gave him the authority to carry out the job. Remember, the power is the gun that a police officer wears on his hip and the authority is the badge that he wears on his chest to use it. Okay?
Adam had both power and authority to reign as God's vice-regent. God's King in his kingdom here on earth, so that that which was done in heaven may be done in earth; and that Adam could orchestrate and administrate and reign in kingly fashion. He was to bring the will of God and live the will of God on the planet Earth. What does it say in the Lord's prayer? "Thy kingdom come, thy will be what done!"
Psalm 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
I teach this in Spiritual Warfare, Level I. I really developed it in that class. The psalmist looks at all these marvelous things. He looks at the moon. We were looking at the sunset tonight returning from Merry Maid around 7:15; and it was over to the right and very beautiful.
Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
And do you know what the psalmist says after he looks all those wonderful things? "What is man that thou art mindful of him? The Son of Man that you visited him?" I can understand the beauty of all these things. It's wonderful. But man? What is man that you are mindful of this creep?
Psalm 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
See it? However, the word "angels" is not the word "angel" in the Hebrew. The word "angel" in the Hebrew is the Hebrew word "Elohim" and "Elohim" is the word for who? God. It would be good if God made you a little lower than an angel. Because an angel can do some damage But God goes farther. It says that he made man a little lower than God.
And if man would think of himself in light of that there be a lot fewer problems in the world, because the world wants to tell you you're bad. The world wants to tell you that you'll amount to nothing. Then the world wants to tell you you're a failure. The world wants to push your sins in your face all the time.
And yet the Bible says you were made a little lower than God. A little lower than God who hast crowned him with glory and honor. Now you are not talking about the Three Stooges crowning somebody. When God crowned you, what did he do? He puts a crown on your head. Who you put a crown on the head of? A king, right? God crowned him with glory and honor.
Psalm 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Why did God crown him as a king with glory and honor? Let the Word tell you in verse 6. "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of my hands; thou hast put all things under his feet." He is the King. God made Adam a little lower than himself. He crowned him with power and authority, glory and honor and God said, You have dominion over the earth. It's your job. Rule for me. Take care of it. Okay?
So are you beginning to see how this began to work that God has a kingdom? And in heaven, God is the King in heaven; but he gave the earth to men; and he said I'm going to let you rule as my vice - regent here on earth. Kings, he says, have dominion. Because that's what a king does. He has dominion.
1 Chronicles 28:1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.
David had a meeting in Jerusalem.
1 Chronicles 28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building
"I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, "What's the word "Lord" mean? Jehovah. "and the footstool of our God..." What's the word "God"? Elohim. "and make ready for the building."
1 Chronicles 28:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
But God, or Elohim, said onto me. "Thou shall not build a house for my name for thou has been a man of war and has shed blood." That's why David wasn't allowed to build the house, because he was a warrior.
1 Chronicles 28:4 Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
David was a shepherd. He didn't have all the pedigrees; but you know what? He had God's pedigree.They paraded all these guys before Samuel. God said "I want that little runt right there. I'm going to make that little guy somebody special."
1 Chronicles 28:5 And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.
Now David says "of all my sons" and you've got this parentheses (for the LORD Jehovah had given me many sons). David had lots of kids, but he had lots of boys. "he God, the LORD hath chosen Solomon my son; he chose him to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, of Jehovah over Israel."
Was it the kingdom of Israel? No! It was the kingdom of Jehovah. God chose Solomon to sit upon the throne. Who sits upon a throne? A king over the kingdom of the Lord. So Solomon was to rule over the kingdom of Jehovah; and then over Israel. God first then Israel. Mankind has not had dominion over the earth since Adam's sin. Thus, mankind cannot efficiently carry out the rulership of the earth.
When Adam sinned, he lost the privilege and ability to rule the earth as God had originally designed and intended.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Satan is currently the God of this world exercising the power and authority that God had originally intended Adam to have. When Jesus was tempted of the devil, the devil said unto him, "all this power will I give thee (the word is for "authority" in the Greek) and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it." The word "delivered" in the Greek means it's been handed over or given over. Literally, here, it means to give over by betrayal. How you like that? To cause to be taken... Who betrayed the authority that was given to him to rule over the earth? Adam. That's why Adam's sin you've heard many times was literally high treason. Let me give you some different translations; and the New International is a very good translation of Luke 4:6.
(NIV)Luke 4:6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
"I will give you all their authority... " Remember, I told you it was the word "authority" not power; they get it right. "and splendor; for it has been given to me. Who gave it to him? Who was ruler? Who had dominion in the beginning? Adam did. And Adam gave it to him; and then he goes on and says, "and I can give it to anybody I want." Just like Adam gave it away.
(New Jerusalem)Luke 4:6 and said to him, 'I will give you all this power and their splendour, for it has been handed over to me, for me to give it to anyone I choose.< /br> (NRS) Luke 4:6 And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.
The New Jerusalem says "... their splendor, for it has been handed over to me, for me to give to anyone I choose. The New Revised Standard says, "for it has been given over to me and I can give it to anybody that I please.
So what we've learned so far? We saw that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. that God created everything. We saw that God was the possessor of the heavens and the earth. He was the owner. We saw that the Lord of heaven is God and he's not only Lord of heaven, he's Lord of earth. Acts taught us that. We were told that the kingdom belonged to God.
We learned that when the word LORD is in all caps in the Hebrew Bible, It is the word "Jehovah". We learned when the word "Lord" only has the capital in the L, it is the word "Adonai". And we learned that when the word "God", for the most part, is used, it's the word "Elohim". We saw that David referred to Elohim God as his king. And we saw that Psalm 145 says it was God's kingdom.
We saw that Jehovah is called the true God. the true Elohim and he's called the living God in Jeremiah 10. And he is also called the everlasting king. That means that his kingdom has to be everlasting. That's right. God's original intent for mankind was that Adam would rule the earth.
God put Adam on the earth in the garden. He is original intent was that Adam would rule the earth under and on behalf of God, the great and everlasting King of both heaven and earth. When Adam sinned, he lost the privilege and ability to rule the earth as God had originally designed and intended. We saw that currently Satan is the god of this world exercising the power and authority that God had originally intended Adam to govern in. But God never forgot about his family. So you see, the kingdom's been since the beginning. But people have misinterpreted it; they have misunderstood it, and they sold us a false hope. And I'll talk to you about that as things go on.
To be continued.
So let's pray. Lord, thanks for your Word. Thanks for the truth of it. And especially thank you for the simplicity of it, Father. It's not rocket science. It is common sense and that you reveal things to us. And we thank you for this and for each person here in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.