brookkidron
02-25-2008, 08:49 AM
The Lord told the Parable of the Ten Pounds as He approached Jerusalem for His Triumphal Entry because His followers expected His promised earthly kingdom to immediately appear (see Luke 19:11-27). This expectation was due to a misconception on their part. They did not realise, although He had said it earlier, that “the Son of man must [first] suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders” (Mark 8:31). He therefore told the parable to let them know that the kingdom was still some way off at the time. But more importantly, He wanted them to know that they had a part to play in securing a place for themselves in it.
Invest Till I Come
In the parable, the Lord told of a noble man who was to embark on a journey to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself. Before leaving, he called his ten servants and gave to each a pound, with the instruction, “Occupy till I come” (verse 13). On his eventual return, he summoned the servants again to determine what each had accomplished with the money given to him. There was one who had with the one pound he received made ten more. To him the master said, “Well, thou good servant: because thou has been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (verse 17). There was another who had with his pound made five more; to him the master gave authority over five cities.
This noble man the Lord spoke of in parable is, of course, Himself. The long journey He embarked upon was to Heaven to receive the crown of His future kingdom (see Matthew 19:28,29 and Revelation 2:26,27). The servants entrusted with the noble man’s money and commanded to invest and make profit till He returns are none other than Christian believers.
Not Silver, and Not Gold
We know, however, that the Lord did not hand out literal pounds to His disciples at His Ascension. No, for it was not yet time for Him to major in “silver and gold.” The leader of the pack He commissioned actually once confessed to not having any to give (see Act 3:6). But such things as the Lord had, He gave unto us. He said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
It is this Holy Ghost power believers have received that the apostle Paul expounded upon: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues” (I Corinthians 12:7-10).
These are the spiritual pounds the Lord has divided among all His followers, with the command, “Occupy till I come” – that is, “Invest and make profit till I return.” What we each achieve with the gift that has been given to us, as the parable teaches, will determine the office we occupy and the authority we exercise in His coming kingdom.
Understanding the Rewards
Although the noble man the Lord spoke of rewarded the servant who had made a ten-fold profit with authority over ten cities, and the one who had made a five-old profit with authority over five cities, we should realise that this was only a parable being used to convey a truth. In other words, just as the “pounds” we received from Him were not literal, so also will the kingdom rewards for our stewardship with the same not necessarily be authority over literal cities. That should be obvious to any meticulous mind that simply compares the figures of the parable with the number of believers that have been redeemed through time from each city of the world.
To grasp the very big and spectacular picture of these kingdom dividends the saints will reap from their present investment, we only have to decipher the symbols employed in “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). In the fifth chapter of the Revelation, John wrote: “And when he [Christ the Lamb of God] had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:8-10).
These crowned Elders and four Beasts – likened to a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle, respectively (see Revelation 4:4-7) – are excellent representations of the diverse capacities in which the redeemed saints will exercise authority and “reign on the earth” in the kingdom. They symbolically project the diversity of the kingdom dividends they will reap from their present investment, which is their stewardship with the spiritual gifts that have been given to them. In other words, just as “there are diversities of gifts” (I Corinthians 12: 4), so also will the nature of the kingdom rewards for their diligence with those gifts be diverse.
As I explain in detail in my book We Shall Reign: The Promise of the Millennial Kingdom, the crowned Elders are symbolic of the “political leaders” among the saints in the kingdom – the ones who might be regarded as having authority over literal cities. The roaring Lion is symbolic of the “disseminators of the word of influence and instruction” – a broad category of the redeemed comprising those who will function in a sphere that includes the judiciary, the mass media and diverse human development institutions and organisations. The workaholic Ox is symbolic of the “creators of wealth and funds” – the various commerce and industry experts among the redeemed. The intelligent Man is symbolic of the “bearers of intellectual wisdom and understanding” – the “egg heads” among the saints that will be versed in the different fields of human knowledge, including science and technology. And, finally, the sharp-eyed and majestic Eagle is symbolic of the “possessors of inspired perception and ability” – an expression used to capture the category of the redeemed that will dominate the art and entertainment industry (including sports) of the kingdom.
Thinking about it, you realise that there is no professional vocation of the present time that does not fall under one of these five major areas of endeavour envisioned for the saints in the kingdom. Truly, the professional vocations of the present time are practically the same ones the saints will be practising and use to exercise authority in and through the diverse institutions and organisations – political, religious, social, corporate, academic, technological, and what else have we – that will constitute their Lord’s kingdom. Therefore, when He spoke of one servant being rewarded with authority over ten cities, and another with authority over five cities, He is actually speaking of the level, or rank, in which each of the saints will operate and exercise authority in and through those institutions and organisations that will dominate the global society of His kingdom. That’s how “we shall reign on the earth.”
Yes, that’s why I often say that, if ever there were such things as dream jobs, they are perfected in the kinds the saints are poised to grab in the kingdom! Think of it, the children of Israel’s conquest and possession of the Promised Land of Canaan – a prophetic type of the kingdom – did not revive a caveman kind of life. Their new life was much like that of the former occupants of the land, only that the idolatrous “high places” were pulled down and another mode of worship and service established.
Total Annexation and Dominion
These specialised and ranked operations of the saints in the kingdom is one reason why the Revelation depicts them as “armies.” John wrote of their invasion, under Christ, to takeover the kingdoms of the world: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns… And the armies which were in heaven [the saints are first raptured and taken to Heaven before they return with Christ to reign] followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean” (Revelation 19:11,12,14). While there would actually be some kind of fireworks in their clash with the forces of the Antichrist (see verse 19), it is their efficient organisation, specialised operations and distinguished competence that warrants their being tagged “armies” in the long run!
This comprehensive dominion of Christ and His saints over the global society of the kingdom is also the reason why the prophet Daniel wrote: “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, were given to the people of the saints of the most High” (Daniel 7:27). Furthermore, the unparalleled global revolution and advancement that they will create is what caused the apostle Paul to write: “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:19-21). It will be Another World Order!
Maximise the Moment
In closing, we will notice that the Lord’s parable also speaks of the slothful servant who could not invest or put his pound to productive use. Despite his sanctimonious defence, he was rejected. Sorry, he failed the selection exercise for recruitment into the Armies of Heaven that will reign with the King over His kingdom. Truly, if you asked me about my view of the present time, I would waste no time in describing it as an opportunity given to everyone of us to prove ourselves worthy of a place in the coming kingdom of our Lord. It is one great recruitment examination – and we are each allowed to sit for it only once. That’s what it all comes down to. And that’s what T.D. Jakes did not articulate in his book, Maximise the Moment.
So, every time we compromise, lower our standards, or prove to be slothful in the present investment of our spiritual gifts – indeed, in the investment of all the Lord had privileged us with – we threaten our inheritance in this “golden future time” – to use the words of George Orwell. Yes, George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm – an interesting depiction of what we are speaking of, only that ours will have a positive and joyous realisation! Didn’t we just read of beasts (animals) being used to represent the saints that will reign over the coming kingdom? The “farm” is the place of our present labour – our present kingdom investment.
I just love that song of aspiration that the visionary “Old Major” of the book taught his fellow beasts. It carries a strong and far-reaching testimony that can only boost our conviction and expectation of the coming kingdom, and provide a fitting climax to our discussion. As Orwell noted, the stirring tune lies close to that of Clementine, and you might want to rephrase or change a few words. Here we go:
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the golden future time.
Soon or late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man [“of sin,” the Antichrist] shall be o’erthrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall be trod by beasts alone.
Rings shall vanish from our noses,
And the harness from our backs,
Bit and spur shall rust forever,
Cruel whips no more shall crack.
Riches more than mind can picture,
Wheat and barley, oats and hay,
Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels
Shall be ours upon that day.
Bright will shine the fields of England,
Purer shall its waters be,
Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes
On the day that sets us free.
For that day we all must labour,
Though we die before it breaks;
Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,
All must toil for freedom’s sake.
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken well and spread my tidings
Of the golden future time.
Invest Till I Come
In the parable, the Lord told of a noble man who was to embark on a journey to a far country to receive a kingdom for himself. Before leaving, he called his ten servants and gave to each a pound, with the instruction, “Occupy till I come” (verse 13). On his eventual return, he summoned the servants again to determine what each had accomplished with the money given to him. There was one who had with the one pound he received made ten more. To him the master said, “Well, thou good servant: because thou has been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (verse 17). There was another who had with his pound made five more; to him the master gave authority over five cities.
This noble man the Lord spoke of in parable is, of course, Himself. The long journey He embarked upon was to Heaven to receive the crown of His future kingdom (see Matthew 19:28,29 and Revelation 2:26,27). The servants entrusted with the noble man’s money and commanded to invest and make profit till He returns are none other than Christian believers.
Not Silver, and Not Gold
We know, however, that the Lord did not hand out literal pounds to His disciples at His Ascension. No, for it was not yet time for Him to major in “silver and gold.” The leader of the pack He commissioned actually once confessed to not having any to give (see Act 3:6). But such things as the Lord had, He gave unto us. He said, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
It is this Holy Ghost power believers have received that the apostle Paul expounded upon: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues” (I Corinthians 12:7-10).
These are the spiritual pounds the Lord has divided among all His followers, with the command, “Occupy till I come” – that is, “Invest and make profit till I return.” What we each achieve with the gift that has been given to us, as the parable teaches, will determine the office we occupy and the authority we exercise in His coming kingdom.
Understanding the Rewards
Although the noble man the Lord spoke of rewarded the servant who had made a ten-fold profit with authority over ten cities, and the one who had made a five-old profit with authority over five cities, we should realise that this was only a parable being used to convey a truth. In other words, just as the “pounds” we received from Him were not literal, so also will the kingdom rewards for our stewardship with the same not necessarily be authority over literal cities. That should be obvious to any meticulous mind that simply compares the figures of the parable with the number of believers that have been redeemed through time from each city of the world.
To grasp the very big and spectacular picture of these kingdom dividends the saints will reap from their present investment, we only have to decipher the symbols employed in “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass” (Revelation 1:1). In the fifth chapter of the Revelation, John wrote: “And when he [Christ the Lamb of God] had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:8-10).
These crowned Elders and four Beasts – likened to a lion, an ox, a man and an eagle, respectively (see Revelation 4:4-7) – are excellent representations of the diverse capacities in which the redeemed saints will exercise authority and “reign on the earth” in the kingdom. They symbolically project the diversity of the kingdom dividends they will reap from their present investment, which is their stewardship with the spiritual gifts that have been given to them. In other words, just as “there are diversities of gifts” (I Corinthians 12: 4), so also will the nature of the kingdom rewards for their diligence with those gifts be diverse.
As I explain in detail in my book We Shall Reign: The Promise of the Millennial Kingdom, the crowned Elders are symbolic of the “political leaders” among the saints in the kingdom – the ones who might be regarded as having authority over literal cities. The roaring Lion is symbolic of the “disseminators of the word of influence and instruction” – a broad category of the redeemed comprising those who will function in a sphere that includes the judiciary, the mass media and diverse human development institutions and organisations. The workaholic Ox is symbolic of the “creators of wealth and funds” – the various commerce and industry experts among the redeemed. The intelligent Man is symbolic of the “bearers of intellectual wisdom and understanding” – the “egg heads” among the saints that will be versed in the different fields of human knowledge, including science and technology. And, finally, the sharp-eyed and majestic Eagle is symbolic of the “possessors of inspired perception and ability” – an expression used to capture the category of the redeemed that will dominate the art and entertainment industry (including sports) of the kingdom.
Thinking about it, you realise that there is no professional vocation of the present time that does not fall under one of these five major areas of endeavour envisioned for the saints in the kingdom. Truly, the professional vocations of the present time are practically the same ones the saints will be practising and use to exercise authority in and through the diverse institutions and organisations – political, religious, social, corporate, academic, technological, and what else have we – that will constitute their Lord’s kingdom. Therefore, when He spoke of one servant being rewarded with authority over ten cities, and another with authority over five cities, He is actually speaking of the level, or rank, in which each of the saints will operate and exercise authority in and through those institutions and organisations that will dominate the global society of His kingdom. That’s how “we shall reign on the earth.”
Yes, that’s why I often say that, if ever there were such things as dream jobs, they are perfected in the kinds the saints are poised to grab in the kingdom! Think of it, the children of Israel’s conquest and possession of the Promised Land of Canaan – a prophetic type of the kingdom – did not revive a caveman kind of life. Their new life was much like that of the former occupants of the land, only that the idolatrous “high places” were pulled down and another mode of worship and service established.
Total Annexation and Dominion
These specialised and ranked operations of the saints in the kingdom is one reason why the Revelation depicts them as “armies.” John wrote of their invasion, under Christ, to takeover the kingdoms of the world: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns… And the armies which were in heaven [the saints are first raptured and taken to Heaven before they return with Christ to reign] followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean” (Revelation 19:11,12,14). While there would actually be some kind of fireworks in their clash with the forces of the Antichrist (see verse 19), it is their efficient organisation, specialised operations and distinguished competence that warrants their being tagged “armies” in the long run!
This comprehensive dominion of Christ and His saints over the global society of the kingdom is also the reason why the prophet Daniel wrote: “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, were given to the people of the saints of the most High” (Daniel 7:27). Furthermore, the unparalleled global revolution and advancement that they will create is what caused the apostle Paul to write: “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:19-21). It will be Another World Order!
Maximise the Moment
In closing, we will notice that the Lord’s parable also speaks of the slothful servant who could not invest or put his pound to productive use. Despite his sanctimonious defence, he was rejected. Sorry, he failed the selection exercise for recruitment into the Armies of Heaven that will reign with the King over His kingdom. Truly, if you asked me about my view of the present time, I would waste no time in describing it as an opportunity given to everyone of us to prove ourselves worthy of a place in the coming kingdom of our Lord. It is one great recruitment examination – and we are each allowed to sit for it only once. That’s what it all comes down to. And that’s what T.D. Jakes did not articulate in his book, Maximise the Moment.
So, every time we compromise, lower our standards, or prove to be slothful in the present investment of our spiritual gifts – indeed, in the investment of all the Lord had privileged us with – we threaten our inheritance in this “golden future time” – to use the words of George Orwell. Yes, George Orwell’s classic Animal Farm – an interesting depiction of what we are speaking of, only that ours will have a positive and joyous realisation! Didn’t we just read of beasts (animals) being used to represent the saints that will reign over the coming kingdom? The “farm” is the place of our present labour – our present kingdom investment.
I just love that song of aspiration that the visionary “Old Major” of the book taught his fellow beasts. It carries a strong and far-reaching testimony that can only boost our conviction and expectation of the coming kingdom, and provide a fitting climax to our discussion. As Orwell noted, the stirring tune lies close to that of Clementine, and you might want to rephrase or change a few words. Here we go:
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the golden future time.
Soon or late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man [“of sin,” the Antichrist] shall be o’erthrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall be trod by beasts alone.
Rings shall vanish from our noses,
And the harness from our backs,
Bit and spur shall rust forever,
Cruel whips no more shall crack.
Riches more than mind can picture,
Wheat and barley, oats and hay,
Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels
Shall be ours upon that day.
Bright will shine the fields of England,
Purer shall its waters be,
Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes
On the day that sets us free.
For that day we all must labour,
Though we die before it breaks;
Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,
All must toil for freedom’s sake.
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken well and spread my tidings
Of the golden future time.