Peaceable Kingdom, Free Creation, Heavenly Will
An all-creatures Bible Message

Peaceable Kingdom, Free Creation, Heavenly Will
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
28 December 2014
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Joshua 24:15
Proverbs 3:31-33
Isaiah 62:1-9
Galatians 4:4-7

Peaceable kingdom, free creation, heavenly will: all may sound like three different things, but they are really speaking about the same thing.
 
If we think about the fact that we are between Christmas and New Year’s, we should be able to remember the first coming of Jesus Christ, as well as have our hope set upon His second coming, and what we are going to do differently this coming year than we did this year.
 
If we think that everything is okay in our own lives and we decide to do nothing to help end the corruption, injustice, and indifference to the horrible suffering of our fellow human beings and billions of animals, then the world is only going to get worse.
 
There will be no peaceable kingdom, free creation, or heavenly will existing for the vast majority of God’s creation, for we will have made the conscious decision to continue the corruption and suffering in the world.
 
Last week we looked at both the peaceable kingdom of Isaiah’s prophecy of 11:6-9, and thought about it, and about freeing creation from its present corruption, all of it being in the heavenly will of God.
 
God created this world in His loving heavenly will, which is what Isaiah was depicting, and what Paul tells us about the whole of creation anxiously awaiting the appearing of the children of God to free it from its present corruption (Romans 8:18-23), which is exactly what we should be doing.
 
With this heavenly will of God in our minds, let’s take a look at Isaiah 62:1-9…

1. For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem's sake I will not keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
And her salvation like a torch that is burning.

God loves His people, and for that reason He cannot keep silent, but He cannot help the people the way He desires because of their unrighteousness.
 
Every day we should also be able to see this unrighteousness, and make a conscious decision to do everything in our power to help end the evil in the world and free creation from its present corruption.
 
And most importantly, Isaiah is telling us that we will not receive the Lord’s blessing until our righteousness appears in its full glory.

2. And the nations will see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new name,
Which the mouth of the LORD will designate.
 
3. You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

These are the true children of God, who diligently work to make the peaceable kingdom a reality by freeing creation from its present corruption.

4. It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken,"
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate";
But you will be called, "My delight is in her,"
And your land, "Married";
For the LORD delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married.
 
5. For as a young man marries a virgin,
So your sons will marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.

This is what God has always wanted for us, but all but relatively few people decided to follow the corrupt ways of the world, which includes killing and eating animals for their own selfish pleasure.

6. On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen;
All day and all night they will never keep silent.
You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;
 
7. And give Him no rest until He establishes
And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Jerusalem and our societies can never be “a praise in the earth” until we cease our warring madness and the exploitation and killing of billions of animals every year.
 
But if we change our ways and become “a praise in the earth” as peacemaking children of God, then…

8. The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm,
"I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies;
Nor will foreigners drink your new wine, for which you have labored."
 
9. But those who garner it will eat it, and praise the LORD;
And those who gather it will drink it in the courts of My sanctuary.
NASB

The decision is ours.
 
Who are we going to be?
 
Will we be the ones blessed by God?
 
We hope and pray that this is the decision we make.
 
With this in mind, think about what we are told in Proverbs 3:31-33.

31. Do not envy a man of violence,
And do not choose any of his ways.

This verse is telling us not to follow the corrupt ways of this world and the violent people who cause so much pain and suffering to both humans and animals.
 
Instead, we are to choose to follow the teachings of Jesus and the heavenly will of God, in which there is no pain, mourning, or death.

32. For the crooked man is an abomination to the LORD;
But He is intimate with the upright.
 
33. The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
NASB

Maybe most people don’t understand that these blessings and curses can last for all eternity and may not come to pass immediately, but the Lord will fulfill what He says.
 
We don’t have to follow the evil and wicked ways of this world, nor the people who do follow them, for we have the free will choice to follow the heavenly will of God and receive His blessings and live forever with Him in heaven.
 
In Galatians 4:4-7, Paul discusses this free will choice that we are to make.

4. But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
 
5. in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

It has been said that the Law brings death, but the Spirit brings life, and this is the reason that Jesus came.
 
He came to redeem us from sin and death, but there is something even more important being disclosed in this passage: “that we might receive the adoption as sons”, or as the children of God that we have been talking about.
 
This means that we have to turn away from the ungodly ways of this world, and actively work at having a peaceable kingdom, free creation from its present corruption, and abide in the heavenly will of God.
 
And we cannot do this unless we stop eating and wearing animals, and feel the pain and suffering of the whole of creation: every human being, every animal, and the environment in which we all live, and when we do this, the Lord will say…

6. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
 
7. Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
NASB

These children of God are no longer slaves to sin, but they are children of God who live in His heavenly will, and who will gain heaven as their inheritance forever and ever.
 
Let’s conclude today’s discussion by looking at the free will choice Joshua presented to the people in Joshua 24:15…

15. And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
NASB

Joshua is giving the people the same kind of choice that we have been talking about.
 
Are we going to continue serving the devil and his minions (false gods like the Israelites were serving) by going along with or accepting the wanton terrorism and killing of innocent humans and animals by the billions as the people of the world are presently doing?
 
Or, are we going to turn away from this evil infliction of pain, suffering and death and, instead, choose the Lord’s heavenly will and become the true children of God who diligently work to free creation from its present corruption?
 
Remember that all slavery and exploitation of humans and animals, and all killing is of the devil, no matter whether or not some people claim they do such things in the name of their religion or tradition.
 
So, is our New Year’s resolution going to be to continue serving the devil by buying, eating, and using the products of pain, suffering, and death, or is our New Year’s resolution going to be to serve the Lord our God and live in peace with the whole of creation as God intended from the beginning?
 
We can have a peaceable kingdom here on earth.
 
We can help free creation from its present corruption.
 
We can live in the heavenly will of God as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God.
 
We can!
 
The choice is ours.
 
Amen.

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