Righteousness in High Places

Greetings, Wayne, a servant of God, by the grace of God, teaching truth under the authority of Jesus Christ to any who are willing to receive it, or as Jesus put it, to any who have ears to hear (Mat 11:15).

I will be the words in green. Purple Highlights will be key words or phrases of truth.

Merriam-Webster defines righteousness as "acting in accord with divine or moral law." Moral law focuses on right or wrong behaviours or actions. But what about divine law?

Merriam-Webster defines divine as "of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God." With that in mind, let us see what proceeds from the very first verse that mentions righteousness in the Holy Bible:

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

So we see that believing in the Lord is counted as righteousness. The same Lord who dealt with the people or house of Israel in both the Old and New Testaments:

1Ki 22:17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The same Lord who is now available to all who call upon His name:

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek [Gentile; anyone other than a Jew]: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

And when we acknowledge the righteousness of Jesus Christ and believe in Him, we are also acknowledging the righteousness of the most High God, God the Father, who sent Him:

Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one [in total agreement].

Joh 5:30 I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me.

And this is a profound statement from Jesus Christ as it indirectly highlights the reason for all of mankind's misguided attempts at trying to solve major issues without God's will in the loop.

There has to be righteousness in high places to effect any positive changes. Righteousness that begins with an unshakeable faith in God and a relentless determination to carry out His will. Clearly, this is not the mindset in the high places of this present evil world:

Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Again, from the apostle Paul, though speaking to baptised Christians of Jesus Christ, indirectly speaks of mankind's struggle against spiritual wickedness which the devil orchestrates from high places:

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

And confirming who is responsible for the spiritual wickedness:

Mat 12:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Notice "his kingdom"?

Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get you behind me, Satan: you are an offence unto me: for you savour not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Consider all the evils that have occurred, particularly from men in high places.

Mar 4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word [the truth] is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And Satan has many worldly distractions to keep mankind from the truth. Nevertheless, this is what a servant of God is commanded to do:

Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Perceived righteousness can be a deception. Knowledge of the scriptures is the defence:

2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Rev 2:9 I know your works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but you are rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews [of Christ, who was born of the tribe of Judah - Jews], and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Again, knowledge of the scriptures will force them to stand out as anti-Christ. Now, confirming the devil's world-wide deception of the nations:

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels [demons or devils] were cast out with him.

And world conditions will continue to grow worse as the devil knows that he will soon be replaced by the returning Jesus Christ:

Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens, and you that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time.

And the returning Jesus Christ:

Act 1:9 And when he [Jesus] had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Act 1:10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Act 1:11 Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.

Divine righteousness comes from teaching, and living by, the divine laws of God. Are the righteous in authority now? Here is the wisdom that God gave to king Solomon:

Pro 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bears rule, the people mourn.

Ask yourself, how many people actual care enough about God's righteousness to ensure that the person they are about to elect to rule over them follows that righteousness? Is the person keeping all of God's commandments? Will those commandments be taught in all schools along with the rest of God's laws and statutes?

So you see, it is only by the people uniting with God's righteousness that we could ever see true righteousness in high places (strength in numbers). True righteousness will come, but only through the returning Jesus Christ:

Mar 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

Mar 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

Mar 4:32 But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

Here is an explanation of this parable of the grain of mustard seed. The kingdom of God is the kingdom the returning Jesus Christ will rule in on the earth with the saints of God:

Psa 72:7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.

Psa 72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth [eventual, complete dominion].

Psa 103:22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Psa 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Dan 4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.

Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The called, chosen, and faithful saints of God (first fruits; 1Co 15:20; Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4) will be resurrected at the return of Jesus Christ in the first resurrection (Rev 20: 5,6):

Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High [Joh 6:44], whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Rev 17:14 These [leaders of the nations, along with the beast, who will oppose Christ when He returns] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

The grain of mustard seed shows that when the kingdom of God is sown, or planted on the earth, it will be smaller in comparison to all the other kingdoms of the earth but will eventually take dominion over the entire earth:

Mar 4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

Mar 4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

Mar 4:32 But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

Luk 13:20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?

Luk 13:21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

And so it will be at this time of God's full dominion on the whole earth that the knowledge of God will also be spread out over the whole earth:

Hab 2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Also, the devil's influence will be removed from the earth for a thousand years:

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Complete, world-wide, divine righteousness will not be achieved until Jesus Christ returns with the saints of God to replace the spiritual wickedness in high places with divine righteousness in high places. Will you be with Him?

Freely I have received, freely I have given.

Farewell,

Servanthood