Kingdom Come

Ferdinand and Isabella: The Making of the First World Power

The union of the two future monarchs would shape the destiny…of the world….

after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century, a power vacuum developed in Iberia. It was quickly filled by the fierce warrior-like Visigoths…the most influential cultural impact they had was their adoption of Christianity. The importance of this decision cannot be understated. The new religion imbued its Iberian adherents with a fiery sense of purpose, an attribute that would lead them to greatness in later centuries, as Christianity would go on to play an important role in the formation of the future Kingdom of Spain and its empire…

In the year 711, warriors of the new religion surged into the Iberian Peninsula…One by one the cities of Iberia fell under the sway of the Muslim forces. The Christian kings of Iberia were pushed back to the Pyrenees…the Muslim capital of Cordoba…became the third most important mosque in the world after those in Mecca and Jerusalem…

Thus began a long period in Iberian history known as the  Reconquista, which would last for over 700 hundred years…However, before they could conquer [Muslim] Granada, the Christian kingdoms needed to achieve unity among themselves. And that is where Isabella would play a vital role.

The reign of Queen Isabella of Spain was one of the most consequential in world history…She is the founder of not only the Kingdom of Spain, but also, the Spanish Overseas Empire. Spain would go on to acquire territory in both Central and South America, Italy, and the Netherlands. Her actions shaped the history of two continents, and her legacy still endures today. Wherever, in these distant lands, the Spanish language is spoken, wherever the Catholic faith is practiced, we have Isabella to thank.

Can we see that the same process of unification applies to the Reconquista of the Kingdom of God?

“And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost…was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil… the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it; If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Luke 4:5-8)

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon / wealth, who will commit to your trust the true riches?…No servant 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. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.” (Luke 16:10-14)

As do all his followers to this day. That’s a clue as to which leaders are really followers of YHVH’s Anointed Savior.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world… But ye have despised the poor…where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy…From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?…Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you.” (Letter from James)

Significantly, James, the brother of Jesus Christ and the head of the Jewish sect of followers of YHVH’s Messiah at Jerusalem, addresed his letter “to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”

^“My brethren, count it all joy when YE [too]  fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

What is he talking about that would be specific to the Israelite twelve tribes?

He, like his half-brother and Melchizedekian High Priest Jesus Christ, drew all his wisdom from existing holy scriptures.

“Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book…We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace…wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble

BUT! he shall be saved out of it…For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee…

• • I will correct thee in measure,
  • and will not leave thee altogether unpunished…

 because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee…

Not to destroy but to discipline; not to disconnect forever but to drive home the wayward child.

• • their congregation shall be established before me…
  • And their nobles shall be of themselves,
  • and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them;

The process of re-storation? Re-penting / re-thinking, re-turning, re-lating.

• and I will cause him to draw near, [by allowing the Adversary to leave him no other choice for salvation]
• and he shall approach unto me…
• And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

At the same time…will I be the God of all the families / nations of Israel, and they shall be my people…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Lovingkindness expressed by terrible tribulation, like the Nazi Holocaust? Yes. Physical suffering is limited by mortality. Hellfire is not.

The sequence of chapters in the book of the Acts of the Apostles corresponds to the chronology of events and explains what is ignored by secessionists.

Acts 1: ye disciples shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me

1. both in Jerusalem: beginning Acts 1
2. and in all Judaea: beginning Acts 5
3. and in Samaria with people who have the scriptures but don’t have leadership to follow them fully: beginning Acts 8 with the Samaritans who Jesus himself taught, the Ethiopian eunuch proselyte who traveled a long distance to Jerusalem to worship, and a Roman centurion who had no scripture / law but was a righteous man whose conscience drew him to God. I would count him among the Hebrews scattered throughout the world who join the assembly of believers once it is made known to them.
4. and unto the uttermost part of the earth: beginning Acts 10 with uncircumcised Gentiles categorized as Hebrews then completely pagan Gentiles.

Acts 2: the day of Pente-cost, fifty days after Passover when YHVH’s Savior had been crucified, the disciples were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven [there to participate in the Jewish feast required of practicing Jews as much as Passover, according to Levitical law.]

the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language, wherein we were born? Jews and proselytes, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

• Parthians
• Medes
• Elamites
• the dwellers in Mesopotamia
• Judaea
• Cappadocia
• Asia
• Phrygia
• Pamphylia
• Egypt
• Libya about Cyrene
• strangers of Rome
• Cretes
• Arabians, 

Acts 3: Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

Acts 4: And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, Being grieved that they taught the people [of Israel], and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold [because they had religious authority over this Jewish sect]…Howbeit many of them which heard the word [Israelites] believed….And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles’ / leadership feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 5: And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch)…And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women…There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Acts 6: And in those days [before any Gentiles had been converted] when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians [by language and sect of Jews] against the Hebrews…Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:

Acts 7: Then said the high priest, Are these things so?…Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven…And said, [quoting Daniel’s prophecy of the destruction of the fourth empire, Rome, with whom the high priest was allied] Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

Acts 8: And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles…they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them….and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship [despite restrictions on entering the temple. Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet [unquestionably identifying with “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows:” moving on the to promise in the very next section “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear;” and “Neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name / attribute, success better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name / eternal life, that shall not be cut off.” Remember, in pagan cultures like Egypt and Ethiopia, after death, the only relief of eternal torment of the soul was provided by heirs’ offerings.} Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized / joined into the existing assembly of believers. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God…and he baptized him

As a eunuch joining the assembly of believing Jews this was one small step for Jews, one giant leap for mankind.

Acts 9: And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision…enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus…Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Acts 10: There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion…A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision…an angel of God coming in to him, and saying…Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God…Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which /because it was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized / included into the body of believers, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Acts 11: And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them…But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, saying…God gave them the like gift [of the Holy Spirit] as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 12: Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some…men of Cyprus and Cyrene…when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians.

In context, these contrast with “Jews only” so must not be Jews but Gentiles. This conclusion is supported by bring in Saul, known to be anointed by God through Ananias to minister to the Gentiles

And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord… Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul…he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Acts 13: the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them…the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”