Two Kingdoms of Opposite Values

In this world damaged by evil, there are two kingdoms of opposite values. They are the Eternal One’s kingdom and humanity’s kingdom. As you listen to Two Kingdoms of Opposite Values be blessed, empowered and transformed in Jesus name.

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Transcript

00:00 Intro music and voice over.

Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name! 

00:21 Speaker

In this world damaged by evil, there are two kingdoms of opposite values. They are the Eternal One’s kingdom and humanity’s kingdom.

Since humanity’s rebellion against the Eternal One, there have been individuals who have built their own empires. Creating a kingdom for themselves that has opposite values to the Eternal One and His kingdom. Yet the Eternal One in His great love continues to reach down into humanity’s dirt and shame, to raise us up and set us free.  

The first time the word that has been translated as kingdom recorded in the Bible is in  reference to humanity’s empires. This word that has been translated as kingdom means to ascend to the throne. It is the dominion or reign over a people or region. 

So let us go back to that time recorded in the Bible that refers to a kingdom of humanity. 

The situation was this. Noah was a man who had given his allegiance to the Eternal One and worshipped only Him. After the great food that covered the whole earth, Noah’s 3 sons had sons. 

In the list of the genealogy of Ham, one of the sons of Noah, there is the first reference to the kingdom of a man. His name was Nimrod. His name means rebellion or the valiant.

Let us read the genealogy of Ham starting with Nimrod as recorded in Genesis 10:9-19 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city). Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

The beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom was Babel. What happened in Babel contrasts the two  kingdoms of opposite values. The kingdom of humanity and the kingdom of the Eternal One.

The circumstances in Babel was this. It was at a time when the whole earth had one language and speech. The people who dwelt there pridefully chose to make an empire for themselves. They wanted to be as the Eternal One. That is to be the supreme God. 

In building a tower to the heavens, they reasoned that it would bring glory and fame to themselves. Everything the people did was for self-gain and self glorification. 

But the Eternal One stepped down into the dirt of humanity. Into the destructive force of humanity’s pride.

Let us read Genesis 11:4-9 to discover how the Eternal One protected humanity from themselves. Beginning with what the people said. 

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

In His selfless love He protects humanity from the destructive forces of pride. The Eternal One mixes the one language. This was the moment in time when unique languages and people groups were created. As a result the people scattered throughout the earth. 

The Eternal One not only protected the people from their foolish pride, but revealed to them their need for a saviour. 

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In complete contrast, humanity’s kingdom is of selfish pride for self-gain. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of humility for the benefit of others. For that is His nature.

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The next location of the kingdom of Nimrod that is listed in his genealogy is Ninevah. The Bible and history records that Ninevah became a great city. That is great in the eyes of humanity. As it became a great city of earthly wealth and self glorification. The two values of humanity’s kingdom. 

Ninevah was the opulent capital of the Assyrian Empire. Portraying to the world that they were the most powerful, the most advanced and the most prosperous in their own eyes. 

As the Eternal One’s kingdom has the opposite values, He has a very different perspective of Ninevah. It was in the time of Jonah that the Bible records how the External One views  Ninevah.  

Let us read Jonah 1:1-2 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

The Eternal One reveals that the people of Ninevah have become wicked. This word that has been translated as wickedness is first mentioned in Genesis by the Eternal One Himself. 

In that instance however that word has been translated as evil. Let us read Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

Verses 16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

In eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the first man and woman would give power to evil. As a result activate death and evil into the Eternal One’s once perfect world. 

So like those of Babel centuries after, the first man and woman wanted to be as God. They chose to feed their selfish desires and eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They chose to become one with both good and evil, instead of only good. 

Therefore from the first man and woman, each subsequent person is born from the good and bad seed of humanity. The Eternal One continues to pursue in love each individual and people group. Giving each one a choice. That is to become one with only good in turning to the Eternal One. Giving total allegiance to Him. Or reject the Eternal One and become one with only evil. 

Many centuries later, the people of Ninevah chose to reject the Eternal One. Yet as we read earlier, the Eternal One pursued the people of Ninevah in love. He sent a prophet to cry out against their wickedness. To reveal to them their need for a saviour. So they could choose to  turn to Him and be one with only good. 

Let us go to that moment in time. 

Jonah 3:5-10 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying,

Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

In verse 8 the word that has been translated as violence means injustices. This is in reference to the wickedness of the Assyrian empire. For they oppressed others and seized by violence other regions and people. 

In response to the word from the Eternal One, the king of Ninevah stepped down from his throne. He took off his robe, which is the right to rule and reign in an act of surrender to the Eternal One. The king of Assyria led the people into surrender to the Eternal One. Where each one surrendered their right to rule and reign to the Eternal One.

The Eternal One knows the heart. He looked into the heart of the people of Ninevah and saw their genuine surrender to Him. They not only believed the Eternal One, but responded in surrender and honour to Him. For the Eternal One is the only one worthy of worship. He is the only one who can deliver us from evil. The only one who can bring justice and equality. He is the only one who is only good. 

The king of Assyria did not surrender to the Eternal One with a divided heart. He surrendered to the Eternal One acknowledging who He is. For He is the supreme God, the self-existent Eternal One. Who created the heavens and the earth and all things good. 

The text states that the Eternal One saw the people of Ninevah’s actions. That is the actions in their hearts. They no longer wanted to be one with injustices and values of humanity’s kingdom. Instead they wanted to be one with the values of the Eternal One and His kingdom of true justice. That is true justice that is determined by the Eternal One. For only the Eternal One is just and true. Only He can determine what is right, what is just and what is good. For that is His character.

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In complete contrast, humanity’s kingdom is of evil, violence and injustices. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of goodness, peace and freedom.

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Another kingdom of humanity mentioned in Nimrod’s genealogy is that of the Philistines. They grew to be a great military might. Over time they too turned their hearts away from the Eternal One. They too like the Assyrians became the oppressor over other people groups, including the Ancient Israelites. 

The Ancient Israelites had also turned their hearts away from the Eternal One. They chose to serve the gods of all the surrounding empires of humanity. Having aligned themselves with the ways of the empires of humanity, they wanted a human king. For a human king would be violent on their behalf and oppress others.

Yet again the Eternal One pursued them in love. He told them that if they had a human king rule over them, instead of Himself, the human king would be oppress them and bring the to shame. Not just by the surrounding nations but by the king who rules over them, they would be oppressed and shamed. Even knowing all this they chose the pathway of oppression and shame. Instead of turning to the Eternal One whose pathway is of honour and respect. 

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In complete contrast, humanity’s kingdom is of oppression and shame. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of honour and respect.

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In complete contrast, humanity’s kingdom is of oppression and shame. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of honour and respect. For that is His nature.

There are two kingdoms of opposite values. Humanity’s kingdom or the Eternal One’s Kingdom.  Jesus states in John 18:36 “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

To sum up, in complete contrast, humanity’s kingdom is of selfish pride for self-gain. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of selfless humility for the benefit of others. For that is His nature.

Humanity’s kingdom is of evil, violence and injustice. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of goodness, peace and equality. For that is His nature.

Humanity’s kingdom is of oppression and shame. The Eternal One’s kingdom is of honour and respect. For that is His nature.

19:40 Outro music and voice over. 

For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!