Second, the Lord Jesus will be anointed King over "Judah," over the firstfruits company of whom we have spoken. This will take place when the Lord appears in the clouds of glory, calling up to Himself His "mighty men." These are the kings, judges, and priests who will be seated on the thrones of the air, the thrones vacated by Satan and his angels.

David ruled Judah for seven and one-half years before the remainder of Israel came under his scepter. As was true of Judah, the firstfruits company will be governed by the Lord before the remainder of the elect are willing to obey the Lord. Most believers of today are unwilling to obey the Lord to the extent He demands. But some are willing and these will be His firstfruits of the earth.

Finally, Jesus will become the undisputed Lord of all His people and over all the nations of the saved of the earth. One might ask, Isn't Jesus "Lord" over all the Christian people of today? Definitely not! Most of the believers have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior but have no intention of receiving Him as their personal Lord. Jesus has not been accepted as the Lord of the Christian churches except in word. He is called "Lord," but He is not Lord in fact.

The believers claim to have given their hearts to Jesus but they haven't really.

If Jesus were Lord of the churches there would be no denominations. The churches would be one in Christ in the Father. The existence of denominations proves beyond doubt that Jesus is Lord in name only. It is "man" who is sitting on the throne just as King Saul ruled Israel for a season.

But in the churches there is a firstfruits of Christian believers who are accepting the lordship of Jesus over their lives. They are serving and worshiping Jesus while the remainder of the believers still are living in the flesh to a great extent.

These followers of the Lord are "overcomers." They are victorious Christians. Through the grace of Christ they are gaining victory over the world, Satan, and their own lusts and self-will.

The overcomers will not always be separate from Israel. But now for a season they are much more involved, than is true of the majority of professing Christians, in the Lord's warfare against Satan. The overcomers are as "Zion." They are as "Judah." They are the first members of the Body of Christ to overcome in their personalities all opposition to the rule of God through Christ.

It is not that the overcomers are different from the remainder of the elect; it is true rather that they are gaining victory before the others. It is as though a bound individual were struggling to free himself from ropes with which he had been bound. First he got his hands loose, and then with his hands he untied the rest of his body. The conquering saints are like those hands. After they are loose they will release the remainder of the Body of Christ.

To be continued.