Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. A redeemer is someone who restores what was lost. Jesus came to restore that which we lost because of our inexperience in things of the spirit realm. Since we were not created in Heaven but on the earth, and therefore did not lose Heaven, Jesus came to restore us to Paradise on the earth. How about that!

The first job to be done was to take care of the guilt that man brought on himself. God the Father will not accept people who are guilty of sin. Therefore Jesus Christ had to come to earth to make an atonement for the sin of the world. This He did, and now God will receive us when we come to Him.

So the guilt has been taken care of. But Satan is still here in our inheritance. Of this we are certain.

If we are to establish the identity of our land of promise we must pay careful attention to the following passage:

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery. (Psalms 2:8,9—NIV)

God the Father invited Jesus to pray and ask for the nations and the ends of the earth as His possession. The nations and the ends of the earth are the inheritance of Jesus Christ. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and those who dwell therein.

Because the nations and the ends of the earth are the inheritance of Jesus Christ they also are our inheritance, for we are coheirs with Him.

So consider: the guilt of mankind has been forgiven. Jesus paid the price but He still does not possess His inheritance nor do we.

Did Jesus come only to forgive our sins? No, He came to destroy the works of the devil, especially the works of the devil in the earth.

At the present time Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God, waiting until God makes Jesus' enemies His footstool.

Why is God waiting?

Jesus could have taken control of the earth two thousand years ago, just after His resurrection from the dead. He had the power. He could have saved us two thousand years of human agony.

But it is God's intention that Jesus have a company of brothers, or a bride if you prefer, with whom to share the inheritance.

Therefore the purpose of the Church Age has been to call forth the brothers of Jesus Christ and conform them to His image that He might be the Firstborn among many who will share the spoils with Him.

This is where you and I come in.

The next great move will be for the Lord Jesus to return with His brothers and receive His and their inheritance, namely the nations and the farthest reaches of the earth. Of course, Satan and everything to do with Satan must be destroyed from the earth if Paradise is to be restored.

Are you getting the picture?

To be continued.