kingdom theme in Scripture

I. God’s Kingdom

Scripture teaches that God has always been the Sovereign King over all creation (I Chron. 29:11-12; Ps. 103:19; 145:13), but the Bible also presents His kingdom as yet to come (Zech. 14:9; Matt. 6:10; also Isa. 24:23; 52:7; Zeph. 3:8-15). The distinction is between rule over the earth with rule on the earth. God’s kingdom is not yet established in its fullness on the earth in human history (cf. Matt. 28:18; I Cor. 15:25; Eph. 20:22; I Pet. 3:22; Heb. 2:8). There is a reason we pray for His kingdom to come.

“Although the phrase ‘kingdom of God’ is not found in the OT, the nearest expression being perhaps Daniel’s declaration that ‘the God of heaven will set up a kingdom’ (Dan 2:44; cf. 7:13, 14; II Sam. 7:12) the idea permeates the prophets.  God was presently King over Israel and the whole earth, but he was yet coming to rule in their midst (Isa. 24:23; 52:7; Obad. 21; Zeph. 3:15; Zech. 14:9ff. Beginning with the proclamation of both John and Jesus, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near’, (Matt. 3:2; 4:17) the NT takes this theme and carries it to completion in the second coming of Christ (Rev. 19:11ff; cf. 11:15) and the final new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21:3-5)”  (Dr. Robert Saucy, p. 105, Expositors Bible Commentary Vol. 1, The Eschatology of the Bible).

A. The Kingdom and the first coming of Christ

At the coming of Christ, the kingdom has drawn near. Jesus is born a king (Matt. 2:2) and for this cause He came into the world (Jn. 18:37). Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of heaven was near (Matt. 4:17) and preached the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; Mk. 1:14, 38; Lk. 4:43). Jesus also rebuked the Pharisees for shutting up the kingdom against men and not entering themselves (Matt. 23:13). In the person, ministry, and teaching of Jesus there was an already/not yet presentation of the kingdom in blessing and judgment (Matt. 6:10; 8:11-12; 12:25-32; 13-19; 21:31-32; 23:13; Lk. 19:11-27).

Jesus spoke of the kingdom as something past- Lk. 13:28; present- Matt. 5:3, 10; 11:12; 12:28; 19:23; Lk. 17:21; and future – Matt. 6:10; 21:43; 25:31-34; Acts 1:6-8. The phrases “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” are interchangeable. Both are used in Matt. 19:23-24. Compare also Matt. 19:23 w/ Mk. 10:23.  Entering life and entering the kingdom are also used interchangeably (Mk. 9:45, 47; Matt. 25:31-34, 46).

“The statements concerning a present entrance into the kingdom are best explained with Recker as teaching one’s relationship to God through Christ:  The passages in question point not to a realm but to a relationship, and this is substantiated by many passages in their context which call for a receiving of the Christ (Matt. 7:21-22; 8:22; 10:25; 10:32-33: 38:40: 11:6), a submission to God or a stance of humility in relation to God (Matt. 5:3; 18:3-4; 20:25-28; 23:10-12), or simply of subjection to God” (Dr. Saucy,  p. 166, The Redemptive Focus of the Kingdom of God).

“They do not, therefore, indicate a present inauguration of the kingdom on earth but only a relationship to the coming King and an anticipation of the establishment of His kingdom.  This is exactly the stance of the early church, which saw its citizenship in heaven in relation to the King whose return they awaited for the establishment of His kingdom on earth (Phil. 3:20).”  (Saucy, p. 37, Biblio Theca Sacra, Jan/Mar 1988)  The spatial realm of the kingdom is treated as secondary and derivative to a personal relation to the King and his rule.

B.  The Kingdom and the Church

During the church age (Pentecost to the rapture) there is also an already/not yet approach to the kingdom.  In Acts 1 the disciples raise the question of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel.  Concerning the Lord’s answer Saucy writes:  “Jesus’ response to the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit should not be interpreted as refuting their concept of the kingdom. Jesus implied that their question was legitimate when He referred to “the times or epochs” that are under the Father’s authority, indicated that in the Father’s time their question will be answered. 

It is also significant that Jesus did not explain the kingdom as the coming of the Spirit. Rather He seems to have contrasted the two by relating the coming of the kingdom to “times or epochs,” suggesting a considerable length of time, though it would be “not many days” until the Spirit would come on them” (Acts 1:5-8, cf. 14:22)  (p. 40, Biblio Theca Sacra, Jan/Mar 1988).

In spite of the “not yet” of the kingdom in relation to Israel, the early church preached the good news of the kingdom of God (Acts 8:12; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23; 30:31). The epistles also present an already/not yet approach to the kingdom.  Certain blessings of the kingdom are experienced in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). 

At salvation believers experience deliverance from the domain of darkness and are transferred into the kingdom of God’s Son (Col. 1:13; cf. Jn. 3:3-5; Acts 26:18).  This transfer involved experience of blessings related to the kingdom in the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14; cf. Lk. 1:71,77).  The already/not yet distinction of the kingdom between this age and the age to come. (Mk. 10:30; Lk. 16:8; Jn. 12:25; Gal. 1:4; Rom. 12:2; I Cor. 2:6; II Cor. 4:4; Eph. 1:21; 2:7; Heb. 2:8; 6:5), is a distinction of relationship with Christ now and reign with Christ then.

“Though Christ has overcome the strong man (Lk. 11:21-22) and believers are overcomers in Him, the enemy is yet given provisional power to overcome the saints (I Pet. 5:8; cf. Rev. 11:7). Thus care must be taken to distinguish the arena and expression of kingdom power promised for today.”

“Kingdom power may take one of two forms. There is the power of persuasive love involved in personal salvation, and there is the power of coercive force involved in the domination of hostile powers. The power of persuasive love is operative through the presence of the kingdom today. There may be occasional manifestations of the power of coercive force in miraculous actions, but that dimension of kingdom power awaits the arrival of the King for its general and universal application” (Saucy, pp. 45-46, Ibid.).

C.  The kingdom and Israel

“One need not deny the Kingdom’s presence in some sense in this age to safeguard a special expression of it later for national Israel. The spiritual dimensions of it can be operative now for all people (which allows the Sermon on the Mount to be relevant today) without precluding a future earthly 1000-year social, political, and spiritual expression of the kingdom with special emphasis on Israel” (Dr. John S. Feinberg, p. 68, Continuity and Discontinuity).

Israel occupies a special place in the plan of God.  “The nation of Israel plays a special role in God’s program of history. God created Israel from the seed of Abraham through the twelve sons of Jacob; he established Israel as a unique nation among the other nations of the world (Deut. 7:6-8; Num. 23:9). 

To Abraham and his seed, God promised not only that he would establish a great nation but would provide them with a permanent land (Gen. 12:2; 15:18-21; 17:7-8).  But God’s elective purpose of Israel did not end with the nation; it included the entire world.  He called Israel to be a “kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:5-6) through which his saving revelation would flow to all peoples. To Israel he committed “the very words of God” (Rom. 3:2; cf. 9:4-5) and the coming of the Word incarnate. These were destined to flow through this nation to the blessing of all, as Jesus declared to the Samaritan Woman, Salvation is from the Jews” (Jn. 4:22). 

God’s very dealing with Israel in judgment and restoration is for the purpose of glorifying his name among all nations (Ps. 102:14-16; Ezek. 38:21-29).”“In light of the nation’s rejection of Christ at his first coming and its subsequent judgment and dispersion, some have understood the church as the new Israel that fulfills spiritually the promises of the OT nation. But nowhere does the NT demand such an interpretation. 

Israel continues as a nation among nations distinct from the church, which is called from all peoples. During this time when the nation has been set aside, God has continued his program of salvation, grafting in the Gentiles to share in the blessings covenanted to Abraham and first enjoyed by Israel (Rom. 11:17-24).

The promised kingdom has begun according to the mysteries (Matt. 13). But this in no way precludes the fulfillment of the specific promises to the nation. The covenant blessings to Abraham that lie at the root of God’s total salvation history encompass the nation and all peoples (Gen. 12:1-3).  The church may, therefore, have a share as the “seed of Abraham” in Christ (Gal. 3:29) without being Israel and fulfilling the specific promises to this nation. Both testaments consistently teach that Israel has a future” (Saucy, p. 114-115, Expositors Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, Robert Saucy).

Revelation 20:1-8 specifically refers to a 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth. This reign is in keeping with the OT prophecies of Israel’s future.  As Dr. Feinberg wrote: “Because of passages like Zech. 12:10ff., Matt. 24:29-30, and Rom. 11:25-27, dispensationalists expect a great ingathering of Jews to Christ at the end of the tribulation as they “look on me, the one they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10).Jews saved during the church age are members of it and find their identity with it. But OT Jewish saints and Jewish tribulation saints after the rapture will form the believing remnant of Israelites who see the fulfillment of the OT promises to Israel in a 1000-year earthly kingdom. 

OT prophecies predict a time of spiritual, social, political, and economic blessing for Israel (e.g. Zech. 12-14; Is. 60; Jer. 31:27-40; Zeph. 3:11-20). Those prophecies are still unfulfilled. Thus, one can reasonably expect a distinctive future for Israel”  (Feinberg, pp. 81-82, Continuity and Discontinuity).

Dr. Saucy concludes:  “The messianic reign thus culminates God’s historical kingdom purpose.  Destined to rule the earth for God (Gen. 1:26-28; Ps. 8; Heb. 2:6ff), man failed through sin, but God will triumph over failure through his own son, Christ the God-Man, who will bring His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). When this is accomplished, the Son gives up the kingdom to the Father and this inaugurates the eternal state (I Cor. 15:24ff). (p. 118, E. B. C., Vol. 1)

Application

In their relationship to the King, believers in this age, as heirs and citizens of the kingdom, should maintain behavior in keeping with that reality (I Cor. 6:9-10; 15:50; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:12-13; Ja. 2:5). 

Steve Cornell