Earth, World, Kingdom and the Shakings
Every word has a meaning and conveys a unique emotional-sensory information. That’s why many times we can notice the changes in the meaning of a word in a message with the changing context. Even though synonyms mean almost identical but will vary significantly when used out of their proper context. For example, ‘world war’ is meaningful but not ‘earth war’!
In our conversation, nouns form an important role to identify a point in space-time. Nouns have a concrete meaning with a real-world identifier but also can be used to get abstract meaning under metaphysical reality. When the noun is loosed from its concrete meaning, we get words with only abstract metaphysical identity that have substantial bandwidth of use with changing context. Ex: God, Spirit.
In the same way, Bible uses the word ‘Earth’ and ‘World’ in different context. Though our understanding overlaps the meaning sometimes still it significantly varies in context. Below are the Hebrew and Greek words used in the bible to describe Earth and World.
- Earth/Land (erets – H776, ge/ghay – G1093)
- World (tebel – H8398, kosmos – G2889)
Earth is physical land mass whereas the World is mental construct of the physical reality with its relationships to the ecosystem within the scope of our perception. For this reason, the world represents civilized structure whereas Earth represents uncivilized and unstructured land. Earth becomes part of the world if we include its ecosystem. For example, we use the word real-world applications which means it is tangible with physical attributes. Similarly, God’s Creation becomes part of real-world in contrast to our personal world. So basically, the word ‘World’ is used to emphasis human experience for example consider these phrases in our everyday speech:
- My world, Centre of the world,
- Out of the world idea,
- World of food or science or football etc…
Kingdom is a World System
A world could be unorganized and chaotic environment with each individual having his own perception of reality. Whereas Kingdom is a structured world headed by a King and his decrees will be the laws and his ideas the principal for the citizens to follow. Any worldview is shaped based on the enforcement of the rules under the dominion of a ruler. The citizens will have certain privileges and protections in the kingdom for accepting those rules. According to Colossians 1:16, Ephesians 1:21 and Ephesians 6:12, God created this order for Jesus Christ. Below is the list of offices with Job description according to the tasks as described in the bible:
- Thronos – Kingship
- Arche – principalities or ancients or elders
- Exousia – ruler or authority
- Dunamis – powers or commanders
- Kuriotes – governors or lords
Consider what Jesus said to Pilate in John 18:36 ‘my kingdom is not of this world’; here Jesus is contrasting his kingdom with this world. which means ‘this world’ also represent a part of the kingdom which need not be challenged. John 3:16 days “God so loved the world”, which agrees with the statement of Paul that the order was created by him and for him. So, what Jesus was concerned was about the infiltration of wrong ideas from the other kingdom in his world.
The word ‘world’ is associated with our surrounding environment which is part of our experiences that incorporates all the aspects of life that we see or observe. So, a tree, an animal or any person can be identified as a part of that individual world. That’s why world has life and can be represented as having heart, soul or spirit. Called as collective consciousness of a group or community, it can grow and can have characteristic of a lifeform. Similar to the beastly kingdoms in the Bible, they appear as the emblems of the nation represents its nature.
Worldview – Power of influence
Every system of Influence has its own domain and is guarded by an army of kings and priests. Bible mentions three types of kingdoms based on the nature of rule and the extent of domain. They are:
- Kingdom of God (KoG): Jesus is King ruling over heaven and earth
- Kingdom of Evil (KoE): enforced by the dark entities called Satan
- Kingdom of Men (KoM): represented as beasts, birds or trees in Bible
In the KoM, there are multiple worldviews with compartmentalized knowledge based on their exposure to truth. Its domain is also restricted by time. Men have to choose between the KoG or KoE as the effects of death and the pressure of the nature Increase with time.
KoG is rule from heaven where God rules and angels exercise the orders, and men are called to be kings and priest of God. Whereas KoE is domain of hell ruled by different demon armies which acts as distributed unit but are only united to fight against KoG. Every kingdom stays united under trust and the trust is directly related to pure Love. KoG is built upon that love. The rules of the KoG are built upon Love to display the works righteousness, faithfulness and holiness. KoE is built on envy and that why it traps innocent and dehumanize the body for any favor from that kingdom. God says that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that’s why every witchcraft and occult initiations begin by desecrating the body that display their hatred towards God.
Battle for Souls
Every kingdom fights against another for dominion which implies that there is end for some of them dominion. In Rev 11:15 that same is confirmed when John writes that “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever”. This is the “end of the world” or “end of civilizations” because some of the worldviews are going to be exposed with their wicked rules and regulations. When the truth is brought to light those kingdoms will implode from within leaving only the KoG.
That’s why professor’s (or priests) of each worldview are battling to have dominion over each other and sometimes even confessed or defended lies as truth because out of the depth of the heart mouth speaks. The diversity of truth in the world (real) is due to this battle of choice. And these choices steer the course of life which alluded in bible verse ” as the man thinketh so is he”. Battle for the soul of the nation (ethnos in greek) traverses’ similar path as kingdoms topple and new ones are created in the realm of men.
Whenever there is union, the society or family goes through four stages of adaptation. The dominating worldview enforces the rules to propagate their ideas initially during assimilation. But for peaceful coexistence there will be compromises and the exchanging of ideas will create new worldview drawing it a step closer to truth.
This process of awakening a stagnated mind can be recognized as shaking of once reality or world. Bible describes a great awakening in Heb 12:26 saying “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens” to awaken the entire world from comfort zone.
Shakings for Awakening
As child grows or as a community expands, their scope of understanding also expands with each new exposure or change. Baby in the Womb has different environment and when drawn out will experience new world. With each new physical changes their area of observation widens to acquire new skills or understanding of real world. Similarly, creation has rude awakening every time it forgets that there is a higher power ruling over the earth like Flood, Exodus etc. This shift in worldview is designed by God to expand our understanding of truth by shaking our preconceived ideas. Each shaking is a revelation of truth that brings a paradigm shift in reality like waking out of daydream.
These shaking teach God’s standard of justice and upgrades our understanding of the laws of the kingdom of heaven. Revelation of God’s idea (Kingdom of God) enlarges the scope of our vision and broadens our area of dominion and helps to focus. When we accept this clarity of thought and learn to know that there is much more than we know, our trust in the wisdom of elders or God grows. Jesus Said “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness than all these things will be added unto you”. So, when walking in the righteousness of the kingdom there is enough provisions to take care of our needs.
Worthiness index
To receive any reward there is certain criteria to judge righteously if a person is worthy to receive it or not. The standard of righteousness is measured by our walk of faith in God as we learn to trust his rules. Rev 2 & 3 mentions rewards for those who overcome in each of the seven churches. And Jesus set the example to describe how the overcomer is.
In Rev 5:8-14 John describes how Jesus was considered worthy to receive honor and glory by the elders in heaven. The criteria that they mention for becoming worthy is in the verse 9 ‘because he has purchased us with his blood’ and in verse 10 ‘because he has made us kings and priests. This is the kingdom principle built on love taught by Jesus.
That’s why righteousness of God unites us in love to bear one another’s burdens. Which Paul describes in 2 Cor 8:13-15 as ‘your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”’. This doing as family, knowing that there is just reward from the righteous God.
2 Timothy 2:12 -if we endure, we will also reign with Him
