Editor’s Note: Mr. Ames asked that we publish this article, adapted from his sermon of the same name. Sadly, though he saw an early draft, he died before he could do his final review of the adaptation. Nevertheless, we hope you will spiritually profit from this last article he sought to publish.
During the Millennium, which the Feast of Tabernacles pictures for us each year, today’s firstfruits will have been born into the Family of God. Each of us will be in two different dimensions—in the timeless dimension of God’s spiritual existence, but also manifesting ourselves as kings on planet Earth, ruling under the King of kings, Jesus Christ. It will be the time matching the description the Apostle John recorded: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15). Indeed, He will always be King. While the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment will see Him reigning for around 1,100 years on this present earth, we know that beyond those years, “of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33).
God promised the Israelites, “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine” (Exodus 19:5). Do you think of yourself as a special treasure? I gave a sermon titled “True Treasures” (DVE 1074) that you might want to review. In the book of Malachi, God calls His people “My jewels” (Malachi 3:17), and we as Christians today are His spiritual Israel.
God calls us His treasure, and we should be thankful for that. One reason we are His treasure is that He has a very special calling for us. “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). We are training to become kings, priests, and judges. Ancient Israel consistently failed in those areas, though there were some righteous rulers like King David who made Israel a light to the world.
Paul wrote those words to the Corinthian brethren at a time when they were having problems judging among themselves. And Paul reminded those brethren that “if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31).
We are called to be priests, but there’s even more. We are called to be “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). We will not just be priests, but kings as well. Priests, of course, are teachers, and we will teach the way of God—His laws and His statutes—to the world. But we will also administer His law, as kings serving under the King of kings, Jesus Christ.
Of course, some of our preparation can only be completed when we are born into the Family of God at the resurrection. But we need to be living our lives now in a way that prepares us for what is to come. So, we should consider—what are the characteristics of kings that we need to develop as Christians?
Godly Kings Have Vision
The Apostle Peter had a literal vision, along with James and John. Christ said He was going to show them the Kingdom to come. “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matthew 16:28). We do not receive such visions today, but we ought to visualize what the Kingdom will be like. We read:
Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:1–4).
Later on, as they came down from the mountain, Jesus said, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead” (v. 9). So, they were given a vision, but what was the vision of? They saw a glimpse of the Kingdom of God, of Christ glorified and two major rulers in the Kingdom: Moses and Elijah.
We look forward to the Kingdom of God. I’m sure that some of you have thought about talking to various patriarchs and luminaries of the Bible. Maybe you’d like to talk to King David and ask him a question, or maybe you want to ask Joseph the son of Jacob how he saved the wheat for those seven years in Egypt to save all the world.
We thank God for the vision that He’s giving us, and Moses and Elijah are shown as being in the Kingdom. Who else is going to be in the Kingdom, as we visualize it? We read here of Abraham:
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (Romans 4:13–16).
We often use the term “father of the faithful” to describe Abraham. That exact wording isn’t in the Bible, but we read that he is “the father of us all” and the exemplar of faith. And we know that Abraham was a type of God the Father in being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22).
Godly Kings Have Responsibilities
We know that God will bring His wonderful government to planet Earth. The solution to all of this world’s problems is the government of God, administered by the Family of God. How should we think about our responsibilities toward that Kingdom? “Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said: ‘A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, “Do business till I come”’” (Luke 19:11–13).
Now, notice the reward of those who were given the minas. “Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities’” (vv. 16–17).
By the measure of our future responsibilities, our efforts today are small, yet we must learn to be faithful in the little things so we can be faithful in the big ones. We must all be overcomers. We have to fight the good fight of faith. We have to discipline ourselves and have the spiritual gift of self-control. The Days of Unleavened Bread teach us that lesson—that we have to put out the leaven of malice and wickedness and grow in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, replacing human nature with God’s divine nature. God will help us to do that. He says that if we are faithful over very little, He will give us great authority.
Some people are going to be over ten cities. But maybe you are a woman and thinking, I don’t know if I’ll be over ten cities. Remember that when we are born into the Family of God, we will be neither male nor female: “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:30). And, even in our present world, you can think of women such as Queen Elizabeth and Indira Gandhi—there are and will continue to be world leaders who are women. Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong personally met Golda Meir, Prime Minister of Israel. Women can absolutely be leaders—and true servants in their leadership.
You may not exactly know, but God knows what you’re going to be doing in His Kingdom. And, no matter what, as you’re thinking about the characteristics of kings and priests, know that you’re going to be part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We’re going to be kings, priests, and judges with God. Godly kings in training have vital responsibilities.
Godly Kings Care for Their Subjects
Scripture instructs us, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We pray for one another. I have a prayer list that I look at occasionally, but I probably pray for the majority of the people on it without a written list, just the list in my mind. The Apostle Paul said, “I make mention of you always in my prayers” (Romans 1:9). In passing, he mentioned several individuals just in the last chapter of the book of Romans. He was probably praying for them by name.
He understood that we “pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours” (James 5:16–17). Elijah had the same human nature. He fled in timidity and fear when Jezebel said she was going to kill him. Yet, on the other hand, he was very courageous in his battle against the prophets of Baal, “and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:17–18). James shows us that Elijah was just as human as we are, yet God answered his prayers dramatically. God can answer your prayers dramatically. We pray for one another. We care for one another. This is a characteristic of kings.
And every Feast of Tabernacles, we can be sure to hear these words of Isaiah: “For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers” (Isaiah 30:19–20).
We will teach our subjects in the Kingdom. One of the jobs of a priest is to teach God’s way of life—to teach God’s law, which is the law of the Kingdom of God. God will have us, as Spirit-beings, teaching and ruling over physical human beings. Although we will be Spirit, we will be able to manifest ourselves physically the same way Jesus did after His resurrection. And remember—He had gone to the throne of God in heaven and come back to the Sea of Galilee with His disciples, and it says He ate fish when He came back. He manifested Himself as a physical human being with His disciples after He’d been resurrected from the dead.
So, we will be able to manifest ourselves as physical human beings. Our students will see their teachers. “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21). We look forward to that time when we will be caring for those whom we rule. We’re going to teach them God’s very way of life.
Godly Kings Exercise Godly Judgment
We read, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” (1 Corinthians 6:2). We are in training today to become kings, priests, and judges. Solomon had to judge, of course, as did all the kings in ancient Israel. He prayed not for riches, but for wise judgment to rule his people. God gave him that wise judgment. But for most of us today, our main duty is not to judge others. “For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31). Matthew said the same. “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged” (Matthew 7:1–2). You’ve heard the saying that whenever you point a finger at someone else, you have three fingers pointing back at you.
We must judge ourselves honestly. And what are our judgments based upon? The Ten Commandments. David cried out, “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97). And he reminds us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psalm 111:10). The basis for good judgment is God’s Ten Commandments. We must meditate on them, on God’s law. We need to continually evaluate what is right and what is wrong.
When we look at world news, we see the actions of governments, statesmen, scientists, and businessmen. And we need to make sure that we are not too quick to judge, especially when we know we don’t have all the facts. But at the same time, when something is a blatant transgression of God’s law—among, as He says, those things that are abominations—we should make a righteous judgment based on what God says. We understand the laws of God, so we need to have that wisdom that begins with a fear of the Lord. You know these memorization verses: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), and “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). We read that we’re to learn the fear of the Eternal during the Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 14:23). For those seeking righteousness, that fear isn’t terror. It is deep awe, accepting the greatest reality—that God controls and rules the universe.
And we must judge what to say and what not to say. “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth” (Psalm 141:3). I hope you pray to set a guard at your mouth. I even pray about what not to say when giving a sermon: Help me in what to say, but also help me in what not to say. That takes wisdom and discretion—proper godly judgment.
Godly Kings Grow in Godly Character
Scripture exhorts us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever” (2 Peter 3:18). That should be a memory verse for each of us. The Contemporary English Version puts that verse this way: “Let the gift of undeserved grace and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever!”
What kinds of choices do we make? The very essence of character development is bound to those choices and decisions. Are we choosing under the umbrella of God’s commandments and judgments? Remember these words:
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them (Deuteronomy 30:19–20).
God tells us to choose life. We are free moral agents. And we pray that God will lead us by His Spirit. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). That applies to His daughters, as well. Do you pray daily to be led by God’s Spirit? When I ask Him, What do I need to do today, Lord? He often brings to my mind some things I’ve forgotten.
As God’s Spirit leads us, we develop more and more of God’s holy and righteous character, the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22–23). Each of us needs to be radiating the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit as we develop godly character.
What is the greatest marvel that God is developing? Certainly, we are in awe of the vast universe, with wonders almost beyond our comprehension. But what is His greatest creation? “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). The Greek word translated as “workmanship” in here is poiéma. It can also be translated “masterpiece” or “work of art.” You and I are God’s work of art when we cooperate with Him in developing His character within us.
Godly Kings Know Their Mission
Jesus Christ, our Savior, gave us the Great Commission: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).
Furthermore, He ordered us, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). So, we know that our mission as God’s Church is to go to all the world and preach the Gospel. And we should have that same passion, the passion to witness to the world, because we know that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). So, let’s have the same attitude that Jesus had as we grow in the characteristics of kings—that of truly knowing our mission. As Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34).
In this article, we have considered five characteristics of godly kings. They have vision. They care for their subjects. They exercise godly judgment. They grow in godly character. And they know their mission. Before we are resurrected, we will not have those characteristics in full, but this should not discourage us. We should be growing continually in these characteristics: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). And “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” (vv. 14–15). With the mind of Christ, we can continue to grow in preparation for our destiny as future kings and priests.
Finally, we should remember Paul’s exhortation to the Philippian brethren: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). The Feast of Tabernacles is a time of rejoicing, and it is also a time of preparation. So, take time to pray. Take time to review your notes. Take time to serve. And take time to rejoice in the calling God has given you. Use every opportunity to develop in your character the characteristics of kings!