Christ will rule His earthly Kingdom with absolute, righteous, and benevolent authority from the throne of David.
Isaiah 11 says the Branch from Jesse will judge the poor with righteousness, reprove the meek with equity, and slay the wicked with the rod of His mouth. Les Feldick explains that His rod-of-iron rule is not cruel but absolute, just, fair, and benevolent, and that the Beatitudes serve as the Kingdom's constitution.
Isaiah 11:2-5 — Describes the Branch from Jesse and how He will judge with righteousness and equity rather than by sight or hearing.
Isaiah 9:6-7 — Announces that the government will be on His shoulder and that His Kingdom and peace will have no end from the throne of David.
Revelation 19:15 — Shows Christ smiting the nations and ruling them with a rod of iron.
Isaiah 11:1-5 describes the Branch coming from the stem of Jesse. The Spirit of the Lord rests on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and fear of the Lord. He will not judge after the sight of His eyes nor reprove after the hearing of His ears. Instead, with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will reprove the meek of the earth. He will smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be the girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins. Isaiah 9:6-7 says the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David. Revelation 19:15 shows the same King smiting the nations and ruling them with a rod of iron.
Les Feldick teaches that the Kingdom of Christ is an earthly Kingdom. He says the Lord's Prayer request 'Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven' is asking for the Kingdom promised since Abraham, and that heaven will come down to earth rather than believers going up to heaven. He points to Isaiah 11 as a graphic Old Testament description of that Kingdom over which Christ will rule and reign. After Armageddon and the final hours of the Tribulation, Christ will smite the nations and the curse will be lifted; then the Kingdom comes in and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron. Les is careful to say the rod of iron does not mean a cruel rule—it depicts absolute rule, with no 'funny business,' and will be absolutely just, fair, and benevolent. Les calls the Beatitudes 'the constitution of His government.' They will come into full definition in the Kingdom, blessing the poor and the meek, just as Isaiah 11 says He will judge the poor with righteousness and reprove the meek with equity. He adds that this does not fit the church age. The same Isaiah passage describes a perfect rule—no sin, corruption, or rotten politics—from the throne of David, with peace and righteousness characterizing His thousand-year reign.
The Bible says the Messiah will rule the nations with a rod of iron and smite the nations with the sword of His mouth. Les Feldick explains that after the destruction, the curse is lifted and the Kingdom comes in. He teaches the rod of iron depicts absolute rule—there will be no 'funny business'—yet it will be just, fair, and benevolent, not cruel.
Les Feldick points out that the Beatitudes are the constitution of His government. They will come into full definition when the Kingdom is set up. Just as Isaiah 11 says Christ will judge the poor with righteousness and reprove the meek with equity, the Beatitudes bless the poor and the meek. Les says this does not fit the church age.
Isaiah 9:7 says the increase of His government and peace will have no end, upon the throne of David. Les Feldick teaches that the government will rest on the Messiah's shoulder and that He will rule from the throne of David—not only over Israel but over the whole world.
Les Feldick explains that when the Lord's Prayer says 'Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven,' it requests the Kingdom promised since Abraham. The Kingdom will be here on the earth; heaven comes down on earth, rather than believers going up to heaven.
The Kingdom Prayed For Is Earthly
Les explains that 'Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven' is asking for the Kingdom promised since Abraham—a Kingdom on earth over which Christ offers Himself as King, not a departure to heaven.
Absolute but Benevolent Rod-of-Iron Rule
Les says after the nations are smitten and the curse is lifted, Christ will rule them with a rod of iron—absolute rule that is just, fair, and benevolent. He identifies the Beatitudes as the constitution of that government.
Noah’s Ark: How Did All the Animals Fit? (Genesis 6-7)
With the spoken Word, just with the spoken Word. All right, "...that He should smite the nations, and He shall rule them. After He has finished His destruction, the curse is lifted, and the kingdom comes in." Then what's He going to do? He's going to rule them, see? "...and He will rule the nations with a rod of iron." Now that doesn't mean a cruel rule, it's going to be a benevolent one.
The Branch Judges Like the Beatitudes
Les connects Isaiah 11's language about judging the poor and reproving the meek with the Beatitudes, showing the same people are blessed in the Kingdom.
Judging Without Secondhand Reports
Les emphasizes Christ will not judge by what He sees or hears, but will judge the poor with righteousness and the meek with equity; the wicked are slain at Armageddon.
Perfect Government on His Shoulder
Les teaches that Isaiah's child is the Messiah-King whose government will rest on His shoulder, ruling Israel and the whole world in a Kingdom with no sin, corruption, or rotten politics.
Rule from David's Throne
Les applies Isaiah 9 to the Messiah and says He will rule from the throne of David; of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.
Beatitudes in Full Bloom and Peaceful Creation
Les calls the Beatitudes the Constitution of the Kingdom and says they will come into full bloom in His thousand-year reign; he also takes the wolf-and-lamb imagery literally.
Isaiah 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Shows the promised King comes from the line of Jesse/David.
Isaiah 11:2: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Lists the Spirit's attributes resting on the Messiah and inspiring His rule.
Isaiah 11:3: And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Explains His judgments are not limited by human sight or reports.
Isaiah 11:4: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Defines His righteous judgment of the poor/meek and destruction of the wicked.
Isaiah 11:5: And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Describes the character of His rule as righteousness and faithfulness.
Isaiah 11:6: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Pictures the peace of His earthly Kingdom in nature.
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.
Announces the child on whose shoulder the government will rest.
Isaiah 9:7: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Places His rule on David's throne with unending peace.
Revelation 19:15: And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Shows Him smiting nations and ruling with a rod of iron.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the rod of iron depicts absolute rule, not cruelty. He says Christ's rule will be absolutely just, fair, and benevolent—there will be no 'funny business' in His rule and reign.
Les Feldick says that after Christ smites the nations and the curse is lifted, the Kingdom comes in and He rules them. He places this at Armageddon and the final hours of the Tribulation.
Les Feldick calls the Beatitudes the constitution of Christ's government. He notes that Isaiah 11 speaks of judging the poor with righteousness and reproving the meek with equity, matching the Beatitudes' blessing on the poor and meek. He says this does not fit the church age.
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