Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

It is evident that the purpose of God in making a human being in the image he had always perceived in his mind, was for him to have dominion, ruling over all things for God’s glory! But that dominion was never intended to be as fallen, selfish men would have imagined! It was to be only brought into effect as God intended by way of man himself becoming a servant!

(The “image nation” {imagination} is one of the “nations” that Christ would rule with a rod of iron! 2 Corin. 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;)

Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

It is little realized, and seemingly never a topic of Christian conversation, that the very earliest “image” one can find in the scriptures is that of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Rev. 13:8). Therefore that must be that the image the Lord spoke of in our above listed verse, which he intended to use as his pattern to make man, which was one of a sacrificing servant. He would be Lamb-like! (My SHEEP hear my voice.. Jn. 10:37 …we are his people, and the SHEEP of his pasture. Psa. 100:3)

They would constantly be living sacrifices! Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

They would bear about death in their bodies, and be always delivered unto it! 2 Cor. 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

While they remain dead, they would have the Lamb Himself to actually live their life in, and for them! Gal. 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Therefore the man fit for dominion is only that man who himself has been conquered by Christ and his cross! Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

That Word “Dominion”
The Hebrew word dominion, Strong says, means “to subjugate.” It is the same word translated in 1 Kings 9:23 to bare rule. And in Lamentations 1:13, and it prevaileth against them.
The Greek word translated dominion as found in Ephesians 1:21 is from the word Lord in Ephesians 1:15, 17. It is also from the word in Ephesians 6:5, there that are your masters. And in Ephesians 6:9 master. And our word dominion is the exact same Greek word government in 2 Peter 2:10.
All sin is a rebellion against God’s appointed dominion! For none are outside of delegated authority! Romans 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Therefore all punishment is due to that rebellion against God’s Christ! For the “government” of the entire world rests upon his shoulders! Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Failure to submit to the presently reigning Christ is the greatest of crimes! Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. 27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
This is exactly how the most glorious angel became the most hideous Devil! Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Sin and rebellion against God may seem as nothing, or even sweet for a time to those rebelling, but that will never continue! Even Satan, for a time was termed, prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2), and god of this world (2 Corin. 4:4), but that shall soon, and eternally turn into bitterness! For that temporary sweetness is only due to the longsuffering of God! And that will soon come to an end. You have God’s word on it! Psalm 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
Christ’s Present Dominion
The dominion of the entire universe has already been transferred back to the Lord’s Anointed One – Jesus Christ. For he, the last Adam, has fully recovered all, and even more than the first Adam lost! He is the one who fulfills that dominion spoken of in our Genesis 1:26 verse! Rev. 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
And just when was that dominion to begin? The scriptures are very plain about this, though religious persons continue to ignore it, thereby filling the world with false doctrine concerning the end times! Just listen to these scripture passages!
Hebrews 1:3 clearly tells us that his reign began after his cross work was completed! Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Daniel 7 tells us it was upon his ascension, and gives us the scene in heaven of this event! Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. 12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Did you notice in verse twelve that concerning the rest of the beasts, that is, the Gentile governments, they had their dominion taken away? Their lives were prolonged, that is, human government would continue, but none would ever have the dominion any more! And when did that take place? Why that is made evident in verse thirteen! It took place when the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven into the presence of the Ancient of days! – that is, the Lord’s ascension!
He left here in physical clouds of the first heaven! Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And he arrived in spiritual clouds of glory in the third heaven! So, without doubt, Christ then received world wide dominion at his ascension! Just reread verse fourteen! – his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
And what about these verses in Daniel chapter seven? 18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Jesus Christ is the presently and eternally reigning Lord of all the universe!
Three Areas of Dominion
Remember our beginning verse in Genesis? There were three specific areas in which the Lord God said that the dominion would be exercised. Let us see if Christ met those qualifications. First there was the sea. And the Lord Jesus walked on it. (See Matthew 14:28,29.) He had caused his people to walk through it. (See Exodus 14:22). And as one has well said, he did his banking there! Matt. 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee. And as far as the fish of the sea, he made his disciples fishers of men. (Matt. 4:19, Mk. 1:17).
Then there was the air. And in Phil. 2:10 we read at his name the knees of things in heaven shall bow! And it was there that Satan, who sought to steal the dominion, was said to be prince. (Eph. 2:2). But the scriptures state that Satan was cast out of the heavens when salvation was accomplished! (See Revelation 12:7-10). Christ, the Landlord, threw that squatter out for overdue rents!

And as far as the fowls of the air he makes his people to be as eagles, mounting up to soar in the heavens, thinking Christ’s thoughts and seeing by faith things unseen by the human eye. Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
And finally there is all the earth. And where, and of what did he make this man who was to have dominion? Was it not from the dust of the ground? As a child, long before Play-Doh was around, we used to make figures out of mud. But we had rocks for eyes and buttons, and sticks for arms. But none of us ever thought we could give them life! But the breath of God started blood to flow in that form, (for the life is in the blood), and then that dust became a living soul! I’d say that was dominion over the earth, wouldn’t you?

And when one of his was to glorify Him, as God, he caused that body, quickly returning to dust to “Come forth!” And he that was dead came forth! (John 11:43,44). The earth was once again required to yield itself to the sovereign Voice, calling forth life from it’s dust! All praise to the Lord and the Lamb forever!

And upon his resurrection, the earth was so used to His making it yield up life from dust, it just started spitting out saints all over the place! Matt. 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet.
Pastor Gene Breed
September 23, 2011

AND THE LORD GAVE

Daniel 1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.

Did you know that nations, and not just individuals are judged by God? Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. (See also Matthew 25:31-32.) And did you realize that nations, like individuals, are exalted by the righteousness of Christ? Prov. 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

Nations provide the present segment of mankind which the gospel confronts!

The church is commanded by King Jesus to preach the gospel to all nations. Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: And he instructs them that the end of the world will pertain to that very activity, and not to some religiously held ‘signs’! Matt. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Our Lord even set forth to the religious leaders in Israel the remainder of the world’s population, to whom the gospel would be given, as “a nation!” Matt. 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. The Apostle Paul quotes Isaiah in the Roman Epistle as stating this also. Romans 10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

And we know that the church is called by the Holy Spirit “an holy nation!” 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: The believer is said then, by the new birth, to be translated from Satan’s kingdom into Christ’s! Col. 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: Philippians 3:20 tells us,  For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Therefore it is a truly amazing thing that the Prophet Daniel has it revealed to him the raising up, by God, of the exact four Gentile nations, or kingdoms, that shall immediately precede the coming in of the Lord Jesus Christ and his everlasting kingdom! For the words of our title are not insignificant! Daniel was made to know that it was by God’s direct hand that Daniel’s own king and nation were given into the hand of Babylon in the scheme of God’s predetermined Providence!

And Daniel also reveals to us, by the Holy Spirit, exactly when the presence of the Son of God would be received into these nations! Amazing! Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Daniel 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Jehoiakim’s sin necessitated Nebuchadnezzar’s rise!

If it had not been for the third year of Jehjoiakim’s evil reign, there would have been no need of Nebuchadnezzar’s first year of conquest!  2Kings 23:36 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign;… 37 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant… For one nation’s evil requires the next nation to arise to bring it down. And because the second nation does not bring down the evil nation for the glory of God, it now begins to fill up it’s iniquity for the same fate! (Read Jeremiah 25:14,33.)

Isaiah 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. (Nebuchadnezzar’s sword was but God’s rebuking anger against Judah!) 6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. (God, who looks on the heart, knows that Nebuchadezzar isn’t attacking Judah for God’s glory! He means never to stop until he has conquered the world!)

12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. (When Nebuchadnezzar finishes with Judah’s God-sent punishment, God shall raise up the Medes and Persians to punish him!) 13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:

God told Abram that his people would of necessity have to go into four hundred years of Egyptian bondage, But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. (Gen. 15:16). The nation of the Amorites had to have their alloted time to fill up their sinfulness before God. But once this was done, God sent Israel out of Egypt to destroy them!

And just what was the sin of Judah under the reign of Jehoiakim? Three times we read in God’s message to Jeremiah for them, that it was because ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. (Jer. 25:3,4,7). And then, very clearly stated are the Lord’s words in verses eight and nine of this same chapter concerning this issue. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, 9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. It can’t be any more clearly stated than that!

There are six words listed at the end of verse six of Jeremiah 25 that America doesn’t understand! They are, that if you are obedient to my words, “I will do you no hurt.” Yep! That’s exactly what the Lord God said to the people of Judah! Listen to Joshua 24:20, when the Lord, by Joshua, earlier warned them about this same thing. If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. America, with it’s good old Santa Claus Jesus, thinks the party shall never end, because, “We are America!” That didn’t work too well for Judah in Jeremiah’s day, nor for Israel in Christ’s! And He being the same, unchangeable Holy God still requires the same thing from us!

2 Thess. 2:10 …because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Wow! Did you see who it was that sent the “strong delusion” in order that they should believe a lie? It was God! And the strong delusion is the image of the beast that now blankets the minds of America’s citizens! The image from our fallen, beast-like imaginations presents ourselves to us as our own God!  Psalm 50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

The very least esteemed thing in America is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, by which he sets forth, not an offer, but a divine mandate, whereby he commandeth all men every where to repent: (Acts 17:30). American’s flock by the hundreds of thousands to stadiums of entertainment, hungry for a fleshly thrill. But there is zero desire to hear the word from their Sovereign concerning the well being of their eternal soul!

The proof of America’s downfall is not first seen in any outward calamities! That which is the very root of ALL evil is the love of money! It will actually cause a soul to become “seduced from the faith!” 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred (were seduced) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

THIS is part of the strong delusion that God has punished us with! We actually believe that gaining money is godly! And THIS shows that we, as a nation are destitute of the truth of the gospel! 1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (That is, “wealth!”)

Do you know what God says is hard to do? – for a rich man to enter into heaven! Matt. 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Do you know who God says is blessed? – those poor in their spirits! And why are they blessed? – because they are the ones to gain heaven! Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Even while American’s sit in religious buildings on their appointed gathering days in their fine clothing, they are naked of the grace- given garment of righteousness. Even when we  boast of “god’s blessings,” speaking of our financial accumulation, we are poor and without ability to purchase God’s eyesalve to anoint our eyes to see our pitiful plight!

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

We should not keep saying, “God bless America,” but, “America, make yourself bless-able!”

Pastor Gene Breed