Clash of the Kingdoms

And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ. and he shall reign for ever and ever. Rev. 11:15

Does this passage refer to the past or the future? In my childhood we sang the hymn "This is My Father's World". How could I know that this title was true only if your father is the devil? For the world is now the kingdom or empire of the wicked one.

Does this statement shock you? I hope not. Had the title been, "This is my Father's Earth", it would have been true, of course.

In Luke chapter four when Jesus was tempted of the devil, he was offered all the kingdoms of the world, if only he would worship the wicked one. Feeble attempts by the "kingdom now" crowd say that the devil made a false claim of ownership of the world's kingdoms. If this claim was false, there would have been no temptation to resist. For how can one offer that which he does not possess?

Some will say that at the time of the temptation the devil did possess the world, but this is no longer true because the Crucifixion won the world back. Or the advent of the church did. So they make Revelation 11 a thing of the past, not of the future.

To these kingdom now people and their followers, I would say, "Is this your idea of the kingdom--a world drenched in misery and death?" I know the argument, because I grew up in it. "His kingdom is not of this world." O, how this verse has been twisted and distorted!

Here is my testimony. This present world is the result of the devil's rule. It will continue to belong to him until the yet future final victory of Jesus.

You might be surprised at how many churches teach that the present evil world is the kingdom of God. "Of course there is a little "mopping up" to do. Things are not perfect yet, but we're gaining." What a horrible deception!

Final argument. Isn't the church in the kingdom now? Yes we are, but by translation. The world has not changed ownership, but we have.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. Col. 1:13