在你的心目中，一个公义的国度将会是怎样的呢？它会不会没有罪恶、没有疾病、没有衰败、没有死亡，甚至是没有试探？实在是超乎我们所能理解。这正是基督的国度。当神给祂儿子的应许完全成就的那日，我们这些作为神国子民的人，便能够亲自体验在这公义国度生活的滋味。我们期盼它的来临，因为我们确信神的话语真实。你已作好准备去迎接我们这位大君王了吗？

主啊，愿你的国降临。

Day 22

THE COMING KINGDOM

Isaiah 35:1-10

1 The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;

2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the LORD,
The excellency of our God.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.

4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“ Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.

7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.

9 No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,

10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Message

We thought together yesterday of the personal or present aspect of the phrase "Thy kingdom come". Today we look at it from another perspective - the prophetic aspect.

The Word of God leaves no doubt that ultimately Jesus Christ will not only be king over the earth, but over the whole universe. Many passages in both Old and New Testaments affirm this repeatedly.

Before Christ was born the angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary, "His kingdom will never end." (Lk 1:33) What did the Father say to the Son? "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." (Ps 110:1)

What has God said to the world? "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth ..." (Php 2:10)

When we pray "Thy kingdom come" we are praying as John did in the last words of Revelation - "Come Lord Jesus". "Come and reign over us. Take Your place on the throne of the universe.

Throw out for ever the prince of darkness and rule in righteousness. Come King Jesus and come quickly."

We cannot have the kingdom without the king, and when He does come, how wonderful it will be.

Can you imagine a kingdom of righteousness? A kingdom where there is no sin, no sickness, no corruption, no death, not even temptation? It is beyond our comprehension. This is what Christ's kingdom will be like. As individual members of Christ's kingdom, all this will be our experience when God's promises to His Son are ultimately fulfilled. We can look forward to it because of the certainty of God's Word. Are you ready for the coming of the King?

LORD, THY KINGDOM COME.