In which kingdom is your citizenship?

In which kingdom

is your citizenship?

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure." Daniel 2:44-45

In which kingdom is your citizenship? Our first thought might be to our own nation -- to the United States of America -- but will this nation stand? Even though many confuse it with God's eternal kingdom, this nation, too, will come to an end and be replaced -- possibly by other earthly kingdoms but, ultimately by an everlasting kingdom not made by man.

We may not think of it, but the Babylonian Kingdom was the head and crown of world kingdoms. Nebuchadnezzar ruled the inhabited world of his day and his kingdom was viewed by many as one which would endure. But it was short lived and fell in a single night to the Medes and the Persians.

The Medo-Persian Empire, the largest empire the world had yet seen, fell too, to the Greeks when Alexander the Great conquered it. But the Greek Empire was divided after Alexander's death and was later replaced by the Roman Empire -- though not as glorious, the most powerful kingdom to rise in the world. But, after time, Rome also was divided and fell, though partially resurrected under the Roman Papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. To some extent, it continues to this day as a group of nations and rulers.

All this was revealed to Daniel when God made known to him the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and its meaning.

Will the United States of America continue forever? The answer is no. If this world goes on a little longer, history will likely repeat itself and another nation or kingdom will arise to supplant it, as has happened to kingdom after kingdom which refused to submit to the LORD God. Of course, when Jesus returns, it will be subject to judgment for its evil deeds just like every other nation and people.

But one kingdom will remain. It is that kingdom made without hands which will supplant all the kingdoms of this world. It is the kingdom being established by Christ Jesus and is made up of all who repent of their evil ways and look to Him and His cross for forgiveness and life eternal.

By His sufferings and death, Jesus has paid the debt of our sins and opened citizenship to all people; and as our risen King, He sends out His Word and His Spirit to translate His elect from the kingdom and rule of darkness to His own everlasting kingdom in which we have forgiveness and life through His shed blood (Col. 1:12-13). Those who trust in Him have citizenship in His eternal, heavenly kingdom. Those who continue in rebellion and impenitence, will be cast out and condemned to the eternal fires of hell.

Dear Lord Jesus, grant us a place in Your everlasting kingdom, for the sake of Your shed blood. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible. Additional devotions at www.goodshepherdrogers.org.]