The Peaceable Kingdom by James Miller c. 1850. Wikimedia Commons

 

 

By

  

JIM GERRISH

 

 

CONTENTS 

 

GOD IS KING

GOD SOMEHOW DESIRED THE COMPANY OF HUMANS

THE FALL OF HUMANITY

THE MESS WE ARE NOW IN

REDISCOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD

JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD

FROM JESUS’ TEACHING WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT THE KINGDOM?

THE KINGDOM TODAY

THE KINGDOM IN THE MILLENNIUM

THE KINGDOM IN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH

 

 

BIBLE TRANSLATIONS USED

 

ESV  English Standard Version

NAS  New American Standard Version

NET  New English Translation

NIV  New International Version

NKJ  New King James Version

NRS  New Revised Standard Version

RSV  Revised Standard Version

 

 

 

Light of Israel Publications
Colorado Springs, CO
wordofgodtoday.com

Copyright 2023

 

 

THE KINGDOM OF GOD 

 

It is strange indeed that we Christians seldom talk about the thing Jesus talked about most. That, of course, is the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven, as it is also called. John the Baptist announced this kingdom in Matthew 3:1-2. Jesus later came into Galilee proclaiming it (Mk. 1:15). Much of Jesus’ teaching dealt with the kingdom of God, and most all his parables pictured it (Mk. 4:30-33). The message of the kingdom was still the message of Jesus after his resurrection (Acts 1:3). It was also the message of the early apostles (Acts 8:12; 19:8).

In Matthew 24:14, Jesus made plain that the gospel of the kingdom will again be preached to the whole world in the days just preceding the end of the age.  Apparently, we have lost this aspect of the gospel in our modern and postmodern churches. We might well wonder if it is the absence of this gospel that is causing such difficulty, failure and discouragement in much of today’s Christian world.

The kingdom of God is a very big and complicated subject. It encompasses the whole realm where God rules, both spiritual and natural. With the Lord’s help, let us try to understand it better and apply its truths to our own walk with the Lord.

GOD IS KING

As we approach this vast and important subject, let us say first of all that God is King. He has always been King and he always will be King. He is King of everything in heaven and earth and he has given all authority to his Son Jesus. Psalm 95:3 says: “For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods” (ESV). Long ago, Father Abraham realized that God was not only King, but that he was King Eternal (Gen. 21:33). He will be King forever and ever.

We have some theologies today that diminish the kingship of the Almighty. Dominion Theology holds that Christians must take rule over all areas of society. Once this is accomplished then Jesus can return. This is clearly a postmillennial viewpoint.  Kingdom Now Theology teaches that Satan somehow stole away God’s kingship of the earth through Adam in the garden and that it is now the task of bold and courageous Christians to help poor God regain his kingship. Unfortunately, this is a total misunderstanding of both God and his kingdom. In Psalm 103:19 we read: “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (ESV). God’s kingdom rules over everything and is universe wide. So, let us begin by praising the true and only God with the words of Paul, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim. 1:17 NAS). 

GOD SOMEHOW DESIRED THE COMPANY OF HUMANS

In the Book of Genesis, we are told how God created all things in heaven and on earth. We are told how he introduced light, created dry land, vegetation, heavenly bodies, living creatures in the water and on land. Somehow God was not completely satisfied with all that he had made. At last, he created mankind in his own image. He had a very unique assignment for humans: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground’” (Gen. 1:26 NIV). Someone has remarked that God was lonely and needed humans for company. However, God is all-sufficient and needs nothing. It was humans who needed God.

In verse 28, God expounds upon his calling of humanity: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Gen. 1:28 NIV). In the few verses following he gives us more information about this divine assignment.

In various other places of scripture, the Lord helps us to understand more about the task that he has given. In Psalm 8:4-8, the Psalmist exclaims: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?  You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas” (NIV).

Even in the New Testament, we see the Lord emphasize this calling. The writer of Hebrews says that God, “…‘put everything under their feet.’ In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them” (Heb. 2:8 NIV). With this, we realize the extremely broad assignment given to humanity. In essence, the Lord willed that human beings would essentially become viceregents over his works on earth. This at first might sound like a bad idea, but God said that it was “very good” (Gen. 1:31).

One great failure of the church in this age is that we have lost track of God’s original plan for humanity. Amsterdam professor Richard Middleton says that we have lost the plot of the redemption story. The plot goes like this: creation, Fall, redemption and consummation.¹ It is to this end that God is working. In other words, God is busy restoring humanity to its original calling. If we are co-workers with him (1 Cor. 3:9) then this must be our work as well.

THE FALL OF HUMANITY

In the passage from Hebrews that we quoted, the writer goes on to make what seems to be a great understatement: “For when he put all things under his control, he left nothing outside of his control. At present we do not yet see all things under his control,” (Heb. 2:8 NET). This statement reflects the ancient and awful Fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden.

In Genesis chapter 3 we have the sad account of how the first humans were tempted and how they fell away from the high and holy assignment of ruling over God’s earth. Let us take a close look at that Fall and try to understand what really happened.

We are told that the Lord made a beautiful garden, the Garden of Eden, and placed the first man Adam and his wife Eve in the garden. They were given the charge of taking care of it and working on it. We note that there were two important trees in the garden. There was the Tree of Life, which surely represents Jesus, and there was the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which represents defective and incomplete human knowledge. “And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Gen. 2:16-17 NIV).

It is important that we focus on this tree of knowledge. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents human wisdom and the wisdom of this evil age.  In the garden, Satan was already present, pictured in the form of a serpent. He was the first to rebel against God and along with him he took about a third of the angelic hosts (Rev. 12:3-4). Satan through the serpent beguiled Eve and then Adam. With their decision to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humanity fell.  They ate from the wrong tree!  The sad part is that today people by the millions and probably billions are still eating from this tree and bragging about how good it is.  This is the “I think tree,” the “I have my truth tree,” and the “I’ll do it my way tree.” People think they have a better idea than God about how life should be lived. They could have eaten from Jesus who is the Tree of Life, but instead, they ate from the Tree of Death. Humanity has been in a fallen state ever since that early time.

We need to be perfectly clear that human beings are now fallen creatures.  Sin is almost in our genetic makeup. There is also plenty of proof around today that people are sinners. The Bible says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Rom. 3:23 NAS). It says of humans: “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psa. 14:3 NAS: cf. Psa. 143:2). The Bible adds, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23 NAS).

It is only by believing in Jesus and receiving him as Savior and Lord that we humans can be saved eternally from our lost condition.  How does that happen?  It is very simple.  In the Book of Romans, we read how we can be saved: “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation” (Rom. 10:9-10 NAS). The Bible goes on to present this great salvation to everyone. The scripture promises, “for ‘Whoever will call upon the name of the LORD will be saved’” (Rom. 10:13 NAS). That means you and it means me. It means everyone who calls. This is the simple gospel message (good news) that the church has proclaimed for two thousand years.

The rebellion of mankind brought a curse upon the earth. The Bible says that because Adam and his wife ate of the tree, the ground became cursed for their sake. From that point, humanity would have to live with the curse and endure painful toil and sweat for their food. Thorns and thistles would spring up to trouble them. The woman would bring forth children in great pain and travail. Man and woman would end their sojourn in physical death. Then they would return to the ground from whence they came (Gen. 3:16-19).

The Christian philosopher and theologian Francis Schaeffer says: “Francis Bacon, who could be called the major prophet of the Scientific Revolution, took the Bible seriously, including the historic Fall, the revolt of man in history.  He said in Novum Organum Scientiarum (1620), ‘Man by the Fall fell at the same time from his state of innocence and from his dominion over creation.’” ²

Thus, we see that it was a double tragedy.  Mankind lost its purity and its position of rulership over the earth.  The scripture seems to make clear that Satan then was able to take over that enviable position.  He is now called the “prince of this world.” In the end, Satan will lose his position. John’s gospel states: “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out” (Jn. 12:31 NET).

So, Satan became the prince of the world and of this present evil age.  From the beginning, he made a terrible mess of trying to rule the world.  Thank God, the Lord’s glory can still be seen in the heavens and on the earth, even during Satan’s reign.  So often people blame God for the mess Satan has made and for death itself. The good news is that when Christ was crucified and resurrected, he began to bring about the end of Satan’s kingdom. He also brought the renewal of mankind’s ability to rule once again.  That rule could only come through Jesus and not through human effort.

It is greatly important that we get an understanding of God’s plan concerning the Fall of mankind and its recovery. God’s recovery program has been going on for a long time.  In fact, his recovery plan was made from the very foundation of the world. In Revelation 13:8, we learn that Jesus the Lamb of God was slain for our sins in God’s heart even as the world was created. Now we need to simply believe this great biblical truth.

The whole program of salvation has been a long one.  God first began with a man of faith and his name was Abraham. Abraham believed God (Rom. 4:3). God then moved to create a faith family through Abraham and his children – the Jews.  Then he moved to create a faith nation in Israel, Abraham’s faith descendants. Through that faith nation, the Messiah Jesus was born. Through that faith nation, the saving gospel was preached to all nations. In a very real sense, those who receive the gospel become children of Abraham by faith (Gal. 3:29). They become grafted into the faith nation of Israel and are part of it (Rom. 11:17). Along with Israel they make up the glorious holy temple that God is building (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:6). They become truly saved. We must be careful not to distrust or despise Israel because the nation has been God’s saving vehicle through the many ages since salvation comes from the Jews (Jn. 4:22). The Bible assures us that the consummation of all human history will take place in Israel.

THE MESS WE ARE NOW IN

Today we are in an awful mess as people have cast away the knowledge of God and are making life’s decisions based upon poor, weak and depraved human knowledge. It seems that since the Enlightenment of the 17^th and 18^th centuries, the dependence upon human knowledge has run amuck in our Western society. In the US it seems that we are cursed with craziness as human beings make their own decisions of what they think is right and what is wrong.

We note in the Bible that God made us male and female and that there are only two sexes (Gen. 1:27). However mere humans have decided that there are now more than two sexes. The National Geographic Magazine in The Gender Issue, Jan. 2017, lists a grand total of 21 different gender descriptions available. Some time ago Facebook announced that there were now fifty different genders that one could choose from.³ We might wonder how many separate bathrooms Walmart and other chains will now have to build. “In her influential book Gender Trouble, Judith Butler argues that gender is not a fixed attribute but a fluid, free-floating variable that shifts according to personal preference.” ⁴ Many schools now feel that they can help children change their gender even without parental knowledge.

There seems to be no limit to the craziness and madness of our society as we munch on the bitter and poison fruit of the tree of human knowledge. Occasionally, someone will say something that still makes sense.  Cardiologist Paula Johnson says, “Every cell has a sex – and what that means is that men and women are different down to the cellular and molecular level. It means that we’re different across all our organs, from our brains to our hearts, our lungs, our joints.’  In other words, no matter what your gender philosophy is, when you are ill and the doctors put you on the operating table, they still need to know your original biological sex in order to give you the best possible health care.” ⁵

It appears that we have bought ourselves untold grief and confusion with our strange ideas.

For instance, Lia Thomas was the first openly transgender swimmer to win an NCAA title. This biological male had quite an advantage over all the female swimmers. Women are physically weaker than men (1 Pet. 3:7). Men have a higher percentage of muscle in their bodies than women. Men also have a larger lung capacity than women.⁶  So, it seems that women are at a terrible disadvantage in any physical contest with a transgender male rival.  This could very easily spell the end of women’s sports.

Look what utter confusion we have brought upon ourselves as we have eaten from the tree of knowledge. University of Kentucky female athlete Riley Gaines reports that Trans swimmer Lia Thomas “dropped her pants and exposed her male genitalia in a women’s locker room after a meet.” ⁷ This is not the only area of craziness. This is only the beginning of madness. We cannot even imagine the events that await us, the confusion, shame, despair, embarrassment, and utter chaos that is coming down the pike. Already there are efforts to make pedophilia legal. Bestiality will probably be next.

Our society has glutted itself on the fruit of the tree of knowledge and has decided that homosexuality is a good thing. In the US we have now set aside June as Pride Month, where homosexuals can flaunt their abuses before an amazed and often stunned public. June used to be the choice month for marriage between men and women. The homosexuals have also taken for themselves the biblical covenant sign of the rainbow and have waved that flag in Christian faces. If we but look to the Bible and God’s Tree of Life, we will learn that homosexuality is a serious sin and transgression. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals…” (NAS).

It is all so tragic since God commanded human beings to increase in number (Gen. 1:28), and these new ideas tend to radically work against procreation and the natural increase that God desires. They almost signal the coming end of humanity. In the long run, the tree of human knowledge ends in death just as God said. Such is the lot when people try to be kings on their own.

Oh, if we could only return to God and the Tree of Life for our direction.  The Psalmist says it well: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures for ever!” (Psa. 111:10 RSV).

REDISCOVERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD 

Dr. Gordon Fee, an American-Canadian theologian, tells of a test he once gave to his class. He asked them to summarize the ministry of Jesus in one to three words. Many in the class answered with “love.” Only three out of forty gave the correct answer, “kingdom of God.” ⁸ How could this happen?

The Bible says of Satan that he is a thief (Jn. 10:10). In fact, Satan is a pretty clever thief. From Christian history, we know that he once stole the Bible and kept it from the church for hundreds of years. It was recovered by brave men like William Tyndale, who was burned at the stake by the church for translating the Bible into the common language. The devil even stole saving faith from the church for centuries and it had to be regained by some other brave men in the Reformation. In more recent times he stole the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts from the church. Much of that has been recovered through Pentecostalism and the later Charismatic Movement. Now I think there is very good evidence that he has also stolen the kingdom of God from the church.

JESUS BEGAN HIS MINISTRY PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD 

“Jesus came into the Galilee preaching: ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mk. 1:15 NIV). It wasn’t that Jesus just began his ministry preaching the kingdom. It was the heart of his teaching and parables. Gordon Fee says that if you miss the kingdom of God, you will miss Jesus because the kingdom of God is the summary of Jesus’ whole ministry.⁹ We are told, “Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, (Lk. 8:1 ESV). 

FROM JESUS’ TEACHING WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT THE KINGDOM?

In his teaching, the expression “kingdom of God” appears around 65 times. The related expression “kingdom of heaven” in Matthew appears just over 30 times. The word “kingdom” by itself appears quite a number of times in Jesus’ teaching and in the remainder of the gospels. Jesus even taught about the kingdom after his resurrection.  Acts 1:3 says: “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (ESV). Of course, the disciples continued on with this message.

The kingdom of God would begin with Jesus and in his time

Jesus said to his disciples, “And as you go, preach, saying, “‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matt. 10:7 NKJ). Not only is the kingdom near, but Jesus gives evidence that the kingdom was arriving in that timeframe. Matthew, being Jewish and writing mostly to a Jewish community, substituted kingdom of heaven for kingdom of God. The Jewish people, when possible, try not to use “God” in their writing. Even today they still substitute “G-d” for God. In Mark, Jesus said: “…Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power” (Mk. 9:1 NKJ, cf. Luke 9:27). This was great evidence that the kingdom was arriving in the First Century. Jesus even gave Peter the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:19). The fullness of the kingdom probably arrived soon after the resurrection and after Pentecost.

Particularly the miracle works of Jesus were evidence that the kingdom had come. In Luke 11:20 Jesus says: “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Lk. 11:20 NKJ). The finger of God was a Jewish figure of speech for God’s power.¹⁰ I have heard Jewish people still use this expression even today.  So, Jesus’ healings were expressions of God’s power and a sign that the kingdom of God had drawn near. The kingdom would come with power in the first century.

The kingdom of God is in our midst

Jesus said on one occasion, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matt. 12:28 NIV).

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, “Here it is,” or “There it is,” because the kingdom of God is in your midst’” (Luke 17:20-21 NIV). The Greek expression “in your midst” can be understood in two ways. It can mean that the kingdom of God is within us or that the kingdom of God is among us.¹¹ It would seem that the latter meaning is the more appropriate. Jesus was certainly not saying that the kingdom was within the hearts of the hostile Pharisees standing there.¹² The “kingdom within” would have a rather New Age sound anyway.

The kingdom would not be made up of armies, soldiers, chariots, horses and the like.  It would not be observed in this manner.  Rather, the kingdom would consist of the unity and loyalty of a people to the Lord Jesus.¹³ While it would not be observable, it would nevertheless make up a mighty and ever-growing force in the world.

The kingdom of God starts small and grows big

Jesus gave several pictures of the kingdom as something very small that grows very big in time.

“Then Jesus asked, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.’ Again he asked, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough’” (Lk. 13:18-21 NIV).

Jesus says that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. The mustard seed is something that is tiny but something that grows and grows to the size that no one can miss it. In the early spring, many of the Galilee fields are covered with wild mustard.  Some are almost solid yellow in color. The mustard plants can grow a little higher than a man’s head ¹⁴ and yes, the birds do come and light in them.  The birds seem to be quite fond of the little mustard seed.

Yeast or leaven can be something evil or it can be something good as we see this verse. Utley says of leaven, “This is not a symbol of evil in this context, but a sign of pervasiveness.” ¹⁵ Just a tiny bit of leaven can affect the whole loaf of bread. The kingdom of God is like that. It begins as something very small but it grows and grows to become something very big.

“He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how’” (Mk. 4:26-27 NIV). Here we have a great and humbling picture of how the kingdom of God grows. It grows like a tiny seed and the growth is almost imperceptible. The inner workings of this miraculous growth are quite unknown to us. In fact, the exact workings of a seed’s growth are quite unknown to the farmers themselves. It is amazing that the farmer has nothing to do with the actual sprouting and growth of the seed. It does not matter whether he is asleep or awake the sprouting and miraculous growth will take place. Simply, God makes the seed and the kingdom grow.

The good news of the kingdom must be proclaimed 

In Luke 4:43 Jesus said, “…I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose” (ESV). The good news of the kingdom must be proclaimed.  In Matthew 24:14 Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (ESV). It is of note that the gospel is preached to the world as a testimony. This does not mean that the whole world will believe and accept the gospel, although many will.

In our day the gospel has reached much of the world. This gospel can get people saved but we might wonder if the whole gospel of the kingdom is always being preached. Jesus says that it will be before the end of the age.

Here in the West, we have begun to ignore this evangelism challenge altogether. Prophecy Today magazine has reported that “…less than a quarter of adults attending church are motivated to evangelize or even to witness.” ¹⁶ Paul Harvey once remarked: “We’ve drifted away from being fishers of men to being keepers of the aquarium.”

The kingdom of God is an urgent message

In Luke 9 Jesus called a man to follow him. The man agreed, but he first wanted to go bury his father. We can be sure that this was not speaking of his father’s death at the time since that would have required the seclusion of the family for several days. It was most likely the final placing of his father’s bones in the stone box or ossuary. Nevertheless, Jesus said to him: “…Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:60 NET). In the same passage (vs. 61-62) a man just wanted to go say goodbye to his family and Jesus rejected him also.

When Jesus was here in the flesh ministering those three or so years, it was necessary to follow him immediately. People had no assurance that they would have another chance to see him. That is why disciples immediately left everything, even their families, to follow him. Today there is still an urgency in following him. We never know if there will be another chance. 

People must be born again to enter the kingdom 

Jesus once received a night visit from a high-up religious leader named Nicodemus. He acknowledged that Jesus was a Rabbi and a teacher sent from God. At this point, Jesus boldly interrupted him with these words: “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (Jn. 3:3 NIV). This must have been shocking information to the leader. This man was a member of the highest religious rank in Israel.  He had probably studied the scripture all his life and had even become a famous teacher of religion.  Jesus said to him that he had to start over. That was almost like saying to a distinguished Ph.D. that he must begin anew in the first grade.

Jesus went on to say: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5 NIV). Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was saying.  This passage has caused a great deal of discussion among commentators.  How can we be born through water?  Some Christian fathers thought this was a reference to baptism, and some denominations feel the same way today. However, if baptism is part of the new birth, then baptism is a work of righteousness, something people can do for their own salvation.  Such an idea is totally opposed in the whole of New Testament teaching.  Baptism is just the first command the Lord gives to everyone who trusts in him.

Australian New Testament scholar, Leon Morris comments: “It is the perennial heresy of the human race to think that by our own efforts we can fit ourselves for the kingdom of God…” ¹⁷ That was precisely what Nicodemus was trying to do.

The birth by water seems to parallel the human birth process and it likely is a reference to the washing of the word of God (Eph. 5:26). Baptism was just a picture of this washing. To enter the kingdom, Nicodemus would have to make some drastic changes. He apparently did so, as we see him caring for the body of Jesus after the crucifixion. The message is that we must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. Sadly, many “Christians” today simply have not experienced this spiritual new birth.

Only humble believers may enter the kingdom

Here, the emphasis is upon the weak, helpless, disenfranchised, and dispossessed.  Little children had no rights in the ancient world.  In those days parents were allowed to abandon or even kill infants if they wished. Jesus loved the little children. Heaven belongs to these, not to those who are powerful, influential and self-sufficient. Jesus said: “… ‘Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these’” (Mk. 10:14 NET). Jesus also said: “I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it” (Mk. 10:15 NET). In several other scriptures, Jesus used little children as examples of those who could enter the kingdom (Matt. 18:1-5; 19:14; Lk. 18:16-17). Little children possess a trust and simplicity that opens heaven’s door.

What a paradox!  Little helpless children can rest in Jesus’ arms while the mighty people will be turned away.  In 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, Paul sums this up beautifully by saying: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things— and the things that are not— to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (NIV).

Jesus referred to true seekers as the poor in spirit, not as spiritually poor or the poor-spirited. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3 NIV). Even the humble and needy tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom before the proud (Matt. 21:31). In Mark 10:17ff., the apostle told the story of a rich young ruler who came to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus greatly loved him but told him he must give his riches away and then come and follow. This rich and powerful man went away sorrowfully.

Repentance and faith are the doorways

Jesus came announcing the kingdom of God and calling for all people to repent. “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matt. 4:17 NAS, cf. Matt. 3:2). To repent is to turn around from our sins and to turn to Christ.

As Jesus began preaching, he cried out that “The time has come.” In the Greek language, there are two words for “time.”  The first word is chronos, which has reference to chronological time and the second is kairos, which means the opportune time or decisive time.  It is the second word that Jesus uses here.¹⁸ It was the “right time” for the Messiah’s appearing that had been spoken of long before in Daniel 9:24-27 and in many other places.  It was the right time to receive Jesus as Savior when he was here on earth, and it is still the right time to receive him today. Paul would say: “…I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2 NIV).

God expects us to accept his gracious offer and to come to him in repentance and simple faith. We do not have much repentance today and what we have is not so good. Repentance means to make a complete change or turnaround in one’s life. My old pastor used to say, “A lot of our repentance needs to be repented of.” 

The kingdom of God requires our greatest devotion 

Jesus taught us to pray, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10 NIV cf. Lk. 11:2). I try to pray this prayer every day, and often I pray it several times a day. This should be the magnificent obsession of every true Christian. Jesus also says in Matthew, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matt. 6:33 NIV). We are to pray first of all for the kingdom to come with his righteousness. The world is in dire need of his righteousness today.

Discipleship, or following Jesus, is for the serious, not for the half-hearted.  Bock says, “Discipleship is not a second job, a moonlighting task, an ice-cream social or a hobby.” ¹⁹ We live in a world of “things,” and they often consume all our thoughts. We need to make some changes in our praying, meditating and thinking.  Osborne says, “Strangely enough, when we get our priorities right, Jesus promised that all these things shall be added to you.” ²⁰

In Luke 9:62 Jesus said, “…No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk. 9:62 ESV). Jesus is likely using what was a proverbial expression and what has become one again today.  When we put our hand to the plow we cannot look back. Those plowing with animals would make a very crooked row by doing that. When I was a farm boy, our tracts of land faced the road on two sides.  We were always careful to make our rows straight for the benefit of those who drove by.  When I would begin working a parcel, I would aim the front exhaust pipe of the tractor at a tree on the other end of the field and never take my eyes off it until I arrived there. That procedure always resulted in a straight furrow through the field.

“After Jesus was crucified Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body” (Mk. 15:43 NIV). It appears here that the secret disciple, Joseph of Arimathea, was now no longer secret.  He boldly went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. We might note that this was a little unusual with a crucifixion. Bodies were generally left upon the crosses to be devoured by birds and wild animals. Joseph may have taken his life into his hands by going to Pilate and asking for the body of someone who had just been condemned by the Romans. He did not let fear stop him and his unusual request was granted.

The kingdom of God will come at a great cost

Jesus says in Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matt. 13:44 ESV). In the time of Jesus, there were no banks such as we know them today.  People could put their money with money changers and that was relatively productive. They could invest it in land or slaves. Otherwise, they either had to hide it somewhere in their house or outside in the ground. France tells us, “Valuables such as coins or jewels were often hidden in a jar in the earth.” ²¹ Sometimes people would hide their treasures in order to elude invading soldiers and armies.  Often, the people did not survive or return to take them up again. So, stories of buried treasure were popular, especially with the poorer folks.

Osborne tells us: “According to rabbinic law, if a worker came across buried treasure in someone else’s field and lifted it out, the treasure would belong to the owner of the field. In this story, the laborer was careful not to lift out the treasure.” ²² Rather, he went and bought the field, making sure that the treasure was his.

Jesus tells another story about a merchant. He says in Matthew 13:45-46. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (NIV). The merchant seeking precious pearls would stop at nothing.  He would literally search the known world for his prize. No cost was too great for him.  What a picture of those who are intent upon seeking the kingdom of heaven, for it is much more valuable than the most precious pearl. Such a heavenly seeker must be willing to give up or sell everything to make such a purchase (cf. Prov. 3:13-15; Psa. 19:10).

To lose the kingdom of God is to lose everything

We should not let anything stop us. Jesus says, “And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,” (Mk. 9:47 ESV). Jesus is using a little drastic Middle Eastern hyperbole here.  The point is that we should do anything and everything to get sin and hindrances out of our lives. If we let sin and sinful habits continue and become a part of our living and our thinking, we surely will be thrown into hell.

In Luke 13:28 Jesus says, “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out” (Lk. 13:28 ESV). It would be especially tragic for Jews who would see Gentiles in the kingdom while they as the chosen people would be cast out (Matt. 8:11; 21:43; Lk. 13:29). It is true that with Israel’s rejection of the gospel, the way was opened to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11).

Finally, he tells the story of maidens at an ancient wedding ceremony. “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom” (Matt. 25:1 ESV). The ten virgins (young women of marriageable age) were attached to the bride’s party and would very loosely correspond to the bridesmaids of today. In those days, before electric lights, it was necessary for each virgin in the ceremony to carry a lamp.  We are certainly not speaking about the small Herodian clay lamps that were no larger than a child’s hand, but we are speaking about torches (Gk. lampadas).²³ These torches consisted of a stick with rags wrapped tightly around one end and then dipped in oil. Such a torch would burn brightly for some time but would eventually need a new soaking in oil in order to keep burning.

The wise virgins brought a good supply of olive oil while the foolish ones brought no extra supply. Since the wait was longer than expected the lamps of the foolish went out. As they went to procure more oil, the Bridegroom came and went into the wedding feast with the wise maidens. The foolish ones returned only to find the door shut. They were then turned away.

The rich will have difficulty entering the kingdom

On several occasions Jesus spoke about the difficulty the rich would have in entering the kingdom of God: “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:23-24 NIV, cf. Mk. 10:23-25; Lk. 18:24-25).

Jesus warns his disciples regarding riches, or at least regarding those who trust in riches or love riches. In the infancy of the nation, God taught them with rewards and punishments, like we would teach our children today. But now Israel was coming of age, and it was important to understand that wealth and riches were no indication of true righteousness.²⁴ In fact, the teaching of the New Testament states plainly that wealth and riches are often a hindrance to the kingdom of God (1 Tim. 6:9-10, 17; Rev. 3:17). Riches shackle a person to earth as it is said in Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

We should remember that God loves us and desires the best for us. However, we may very well have to endure testing and persecution at times. Remember, that the great Apostle Paul was once almost naked and without food (2 Cor. 11:27).

Members of the kingdom of God are greater than Old Testament saints

In Matthew Jesus says: “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt. 11:11, NIV, cf. Lk. 7:28). Of all the prophets and of all the people who had ever lived, none was greater than John. It was as if John stood on a mezzanine between the earthly realm and the heavenly realm. He was greater than all who were below him, including the greatest of the prophets, but he was lesser than all those who would be born of the Spirit. John had never seen the Cross and its redemption.  He had not known the full revelation of God’s great love.²⁵ He knew about repentance, but he knew nothing of the total forgiveness through the blood of Christ. Pfieffer and Harrison say, “John was the friend of the bridegroom, but the disciples became the bride (Jn. 3:29).” ²⁶

The world will not understand

In Mark 4:11 Jesus told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables” (NIV). The secret or mystery (Gk. musterion) of God’s kingdom has been revealed to the disciples so that they could understand and teach others.

When the New Testament speaks of mystery it is not speaking of some deep, esoteric and hidden secret. It has no similarity to the many mystery religions of the Roman Empire or even with certain mystery organizations of the present time. Rather, it has to do with some glorious truth that was long concealed but is now clearly revealed.²⁷ We should clarify that this message is to those who are actually seeking to understand the mystery.

In Mark 4:12 Jesus adds: “so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’” (NIV cf. Luke 8:10). We must ask, “Did Jesus speak in parables (little short powerful stories) in order to bring eternal condemnation on the people?”  This does not compare well with the many verses showing the saving love of God, such as 2 Peter. 3:9, which affirms that God is “…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (NIV).

What can we make of this?  What was really being said?  Edwards points out that this quotation of Isaiah 6:9-10 occurs in the New Testament six times and it occurs in each of these instances in the context of hardness of heart and unbelief.²⁸ The gospel is hidden for those with unbelief and hard hearts.

Miracle works were and are a part of the kingdom of God

In Matthew 4:23 we read: “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (NIV). Jesus says: “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house” (12:29 NIV). France notes: “The ‘binding of Satan’ was a feature in Jewish apocalyptic hope…and became also part of Christian eschatology (Rev. 20:1-3).” ²⁹ Jesus was able to plunder Satan’s kingdom because he had bound him and his activity. The disciples were given the power to heal and cast out demons and thus they continued on with the Master’s work. Later Paul would say: “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV).

Unfortunately, we have lost sight of this important mission in a lot of our churches today. In recent centuries many pastors and leaders have said that miraculous gifts ended in the first century. We only have to look at church history to see that such signs, wonders and miracles were never removed. In AD 160, the church father and apologist Justin Martyr spoke of people receiving gifts of healing, understanding and foreknowledge.³⁰ The church father Irenaeus (around 180 AD), spoke of devils being cast out, of healings and of the dead being raised and remaining among the church people for years.³¹ The Latin father Tertullian (about 197), wrote of exorcising evil spirits and performing cures.³² The influential father Origen (around 248), mentioned expelling evil spirits, performing many cures and foreseeing certain events.³³

John Wimber, who led the Vineyard Movement, in his book Power Evangelism, Signs and Wonders Today, recounts many later miracles and gifts of the Spirit. In the case of Ambrose (339-397), this father recounted gifts of healing and tongues.³⁴  He states how the great Augustine (354-430) related the miraculous healings of blindness and cancer as well as the casting out of demons. Augustine said that there were too many miracles for him to list.³⁵ Wimber goes on to relate many additional miracles happening in the days of Gregory of Tours (c. 538-594) and even in the later times of Gregory the Great (540-604).³⁶ Thus, it is false and fallacious for church leaders today to declare that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased with the first century.

In Ephesians, we read: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12 ESV). Paul challenges us in this same section to put on God’s armor and take up the sword of the Spirit so that we might meet this contest today. We need the filling of God’s Spirit and his powerful spiritual gifts to be victorious in this day.

Kingdom authority

After the resurrection of Jesus, he said to his disciples, “…All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18 NIV). Since all authority is now given to Jesus it means that no authority is left for Satan and his crew. Satan now survives by lying, deceiving and bluffing.  Jesus told his disciples, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give” (Matt. 10:7-8 NIV).

God’s kingdom people should be doing the same things today. This is the kingdom message and people everywhere long to hear it and see it demonstrated. Let me say it plainly. As we approach the end of this evil age, God’s saints and overcomers will be doing mighty signs and wonders through the Spirit. By doing this they will be proclaiming the kingdom message once again as Matthew 24:14 says they will. 

There will be many hardships and much suffering for kingdom seekers

Jesus says in Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (NIV). Persecution comes along with the kingdom.  Meyer says, “Men hate the light which exposes their misdeeds. They will tolerate you only so long as you leave them alone…” ³⁷ The true Christian life by its very nature is a rebuke to the world and is sure to arouse the wrath of the wicked.

In later times, Paul and Barnabas would say: “…We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God…” (Acts 14:22 NIV). However, the Lord makes a great promise to his suffering ones: “‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life” (Lk. 18:29-30 NIV).

My wife and I witnessed many of these blessings when we left our country, job, home, family, and even one child, as we went to minister for several years in Israel.  We were amazed at how the Lord supplied all the things we left and much more.  Our living was completely provided; we were often able to live in luxurious houses; and a large new family was provided in the Israeli church and with worldwide believers. All this makes me think that the families of the apostles were somehow miraculously cared for as they followed Jesus.

The kingdom of God is holy

In Matthew Jesus says: “The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil” (Matt. 13:41 NIV). Later in scripture Paul says, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21 NIV). He continues in Ephesians 5:5, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Eph. 5:5 ESV).  Finally, in Colossians 1:13, he says, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,” (ESV). 

The kingdom of God will be celebrated in heaven

Jesus has a lot to say about the righteous banqueting with him in the kingdom. He said to his disciples, “And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Lk. 22:29-30 NIV).

We see something interesting in the Last Supper. Jesus says, “For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God” (Lk. 22:16 NIV). Jesus made plain that there was a close connection between the Passover and the kingdom of God.  The next time he would celebrate it would be in the kingdom.  We note something very interesting about the biblical festivals. We learn in Leviticus 23:14, 21, 31, and 41, that the festivals are “statutes forever” or “lasting ordinances.”  They will go on forever and ever so we may as well get acquainted with them. We will continue to dine and celebrate with Jesus through all eternity.

THE KINGDOM TODAY

Although we do not hear much about it in church, we are presently living in the Kingdom Age. The kingdom is in our midst as we have learned. The Bible says we are presently kings with Jesus. The Apostle Peter says: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9 NIV). The Apostle Paul tells us that we can now reign in life through Christ (Rom. 5:17, 21). So, if we are in the kingdom and we are called to be kings, we need to start living like kings and exercising kingdom authority.

Being kings does not mean we can strut around with self-importance or self-seeking. It does not mean that we can lord it over other people. It means we have divine authority and power to serve Christ on this earth.  We need to remember that Jesus now has all authority (Matt. 28:18). This means that Satan has no authority as we have said. If we are kings, it is time for us to use that authority and to begin ruling first over our own sinful thoughts, sinful habits and sinful deeds. Unfortunately, we are living in a time when we see these things ruling over a lot of Christians. The Bible says: “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit Is like a city broken down, without walls” (Prov. 25:28 NKJ). We need to wake up and realize that we Christians have been given authority to trample the enemy (Matt. 10:1; Mk. 6:7). We have that official right.

In addition to being kings, Christians are now a royal priesthood (Gk. basileion herateuma 1 Pet. 2:9). In Israel during Bible times, it was impossible for a person to be both king and priest.  One person tried it, and God struck him with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:16-21). Yet, in Exodus 19:6, we see what appears to be a prophecy that Israel eventually would be a “kingdom of priests” (cf. Isa. 61:6). We see this fulfilled in Revelation, where we read that God “…has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! Amen” (Rev. 1:6 NET). Truly, we are to follow after Jesus who became both priest and king after the pattern and order of Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1, 17).

THE KINGDOM IN THE MILLENNIUM

For an understanding of the Millennium, we suggest that you go to our free booklet entitled, “The Millennium,” also found under “Bible Studies” on our website.³⁸ We will not repeat all that information here.

Let us say that the Millennium seems to be the primary and critical place where the saints of God will reign as kings and priests with Jesus. They will, through Christ, recover the calling and work that Adam did not fulfill. Surprisingly, there will be fleshly people also in the Millennium and it appears that they will need a lot of help. So much will happen at the end of this age and the beginning of the Millennium. Let us briefly review these events:

1 At the end of this evil age, the Antichrist and his Great Tribulation will take a terrible toll upon humanity and particularly upon faithful Christians. Many will face martyrdom (Rev. 7:14).

2 Christ will return in a very sudden and public appearance. His return will strike fear and terror in the hearts of all the wicked.

3 When the trumpet sounds for his return, the faithful Christian dead will be resurrected, gathered by the angels (Matt. 24:31), called up to meet the Lord in the air and will joyously accompany him as he comes to earth. Those believers still living will be changed in a moment, glorified and also caught up to meet the Lord (1 Cor. 15:51-52).

4 The angels will permanently remove multiplied millions and probably billions of wicked people from the earth (Matt. 13:41-42). So, we see that angels will gather the wicked for destruction while the righteous will be gathered to meet and welcome the returning Christ.

5 The Lord will make many changes in the earth at his coming. The large army of the Antichrist or the Beast will be quickly defeated. The Beast and False Prophet will be cast into Hell. Satan will then be chained and imprisoned for the following one thousand years.

6 The resurrected righteous and the glorified living righteous will begin to serve on this earth as priests and kings through Jesus. They will recover all that was lost in Adam’s fall.

7 The kingdom of God will begin to be manifested on earth.

8 A thousand years of peace and blessing will result.

Faithful Christians will find themselves amazed and filled with joy as these events unfold. We can only imagine what it will be like to realize that the Lord Jesus is present on earth and that we can at last see his face and be with him. What a joy it will be to experience our resurrected and glorified bodies. We will no longer be limited by tiredness, sickness, pain, suffering or death. We will not be limited by space and time. We will have no concern for food, clothing or lodging. Our bodies will be like the resurrected body of Jesus (Phil. 3:21; 1 Jn. 3:2). Neither will we be harassed and weakened by Satan’s temptations. We will be able to commune directly with the Lord and do his work happily and without failure.

It seems that Christ will come to earth and publicly take over its ownership, but he will not fully move in for a thousand years (cf. Rev. 21:3). It appears that overcoming, resurrected and glorified Christians will rule for Christ and with him during this time. Psalm 149:6-9 tells us a lot about what we will be doing. We will inflict vengeance on nations and peoples. Kings and nobles will be bound with fetters of iron. We will be administering the earth for Christ like Adam should have done. With Christ’s help, we probably will be pulling down the high places and demolishing the remaining strongholds or arguments against God (2 Cor. 10:5-6). Because we will be spiritual beings like the angels and have resurrected, glorified  bodies like Jesus, it is quite impossible for us to imagine what we will be doing.

The Bible talks about the victorious saints ruling over cities (Lk. 19:17). Do we wonder why Paul exhorts us to practice reigning over evil while we still live in this present age (Rom. 5:17)?  Barrett remarks about this Roman passage: “The sentence as it stands asserts that they who were reigned over by the tyrant shall themselves reign.” ³⁹ After all, the Bible does say that we are laborers together with God (1 Cor. 3:9). We are also joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). Our work on the earth as it is being renewed will not be boring. How can rulership over cities or over nations be boring (Rev. 2:26)? How could the resurrected and glorified life be boring?

It appears that a large part of our work will be that of ruling for Christ throughout the whole earth. In doing this we will see the Fall of humanity reversed as we have said. Through Christ we will be doing the work that Adam left undone. The Lord began by creating humans and then by giving them authority to rule the earth for him (Psa. 8:3-9; Heb. 2:8). In the end he will totally restore the authority that was lost by Adam. God will not only restore humanity, but he will restore all of nature and deliver it from the curse caused by Adam’s failure. Yes, fallen humanity will once again be elevated to the position of rule and authority over the earth (cf. 1 Cor. 6:2-3). The Bible says:

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time (Rom. 8:19-22 NIV).

Middleton comments: “The entire story of Scripture – indeed, the very logic of salvation in the Bible – leads us to expect the redemption of the created order (including the earth) as the context for redeemed human life.” ⁴⁰ Alcorn writes: “The gospel is far greater than most of us imagine. It isn’t just good news for us – it’s good news for animals, plants, stars, and planets. It’s good news for the sky above and the earth below.” ⁴¹ Scripture says of the redeemed, “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isa. 55:12 NIV).

We will also be a royal priesthood on the earth

It is written: “you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth” (Rev. 5:10 NRS). This lets us know that we will have a priestly function on earth.  We likely will be doing priestly work of counseling, instructing and helping the needy.

The devil has had a grand time with this whole concept. We spoke earlier of two heresies that have developed regarding the kingdom message. There is another one that has sprung out of the Romans 8 passage mentioned above. This teaching is very closely related to Dominion Theology. It is called the Manifest Sons of God Movement. It teaches that believers will become literal incarnations of Christ on earth before the Lord’s return. They will become sort of spiritual supermen. Like Dominion Theology, it teaches that the Christian faith can be enforced on our world.

This teaching sprang from the Latter Rain Movement, which taught some good and some bad things. The Manifest Sons movement puts great emphasis on people and their strength but very little emphasis on Jesus and his strength. Years ago, I met one of their well-known ministers. He sported a large eagle on his belt buckle and prided himself as an eagle saint. There are likely some eagle saints around today, but I am certain that they would be the last people on earth to claim such a title for themselves. Clearly, any status we have will belong to Jesus. If we have a crown it must go at his feet (Rev. 4:10-11).

Importance of Jerusalem and the Jewish people

The age to come has a very distinctive “Jewish” feel about it. This becomes apparent when we realize that Jesus is returning specifically to Jerusalem and to the Jews. We can see how far astray some of our church theology has gone, that we would officially persecute and even murder Jewish people. This has happened in the church off and on for almost twenty centuries.

It is difficult for us to understand the kingdom without some understanding of Israel and the Jewish people. Over the centuries the church has lost much of that understanding and it has also lost much of the kingdom.

Jerusalem will soon become very prominent as the capital of the world and there will be a great emphasis on both Israel and the Jewish people. Jerusalem will become the joy of the whole earth (Psa. 48:2). God has instructed us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psa. 122:6). There is a reason for this instruction. Jerusalem is the center of God’s redemptive activity on earth.  It is the spiritual capital of the earth and will soon be the political center as well.

Middleton states: “Perhaps the most important point about the new Jerusalem is that through its descent from heaven, God’s presence decisively shifts from heaven to earth.” ⁴² He continues: “The fact that the city God has prepared in heaven comes down to earth in Revelation 21 makes clear that the goal of heavenly preparation is an earthly future…This pattern of preparation in heaven for unveiling on earth is consistent with the entire tenor of Scripture.” ⁴³

We can assume that the resurrected David will rule over all of Israel (Ezek. 34:24; 37:25) and that resurrected disciples will rule over the individual tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). Jerusalem will become a very busy center.  It is probable that messianic Jewish people (those who believe in Jesus) will gain much prominence in the age to come. They will be known as the surviving remnant (Isa. 37:32). It also seems spiritually necessary for some Jewish people in the flesh to remain through the Millennium so that God’s many promises to natural Israel can be fulfilled.

We thus understand why the devil and evil nations have tried for thousands of years to destroy Jerusalem and the Jews.  The Jewish people will be greatly elevated as Zechariah 8:23 notes: “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, “Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you”’” (NIV).

We will see a worldwide coming together of Jewish and Gentile believers in the Messiah (Eph. 2:11-22; 3:6). This coming together will make up a sort of “critical mass” for God’s work. God’s holy, spiritual temple will at last be established on earth. It will all be taking place from Jerusalem. The devil hates this idea and has tried for centuries to destroy the Jews.

There is something especially interesting about Jerusalem. Early Christians felt that the Garden of Eden was centered in Jerusalem. When one visits the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulcher that person will note that the Tomb of Adam is in a chapel located directly under Calvary, or the place of the cross. We cannot help but be amazed that redemption has made a complete circle. Asher Intrater, a leading Jerusalem messianic pastor, expounds upon this:

The last book of the Bible unveils the mystery that Jerusalem and Eden are the same…Yeshua was crucified on the Tree in the same place where the sin on the tree was committed. Yeshua was raised from the earth where Adam was made from the earth. Yeshua’s sacrifice and the sacrifices of Solomon’s Temple and the sacrifice of Isaac are all in Jerusalem. They return to the place where it all started in order to reverse the curse.⁴⁴

This makes much more sense than locating Eden somewhere around ancient Babylon as the church has traditionally done. Babylon has long represented confusion of religion and the captivity of God’s people. It could never serve as a type of final restoration and redemption.

Life in the Millennium

When we finally enter the Millennium, what a joy it will be to bump into faithful Christian friends whom we knew from the old earth! What a delight it will be to see our redeemed loved ones and to labor for the Lord anew with them!  The Bible makes plain that we will all eat and fellowship together with the Lord. It also makes clear that we will not be dependent upon food for our sustenance (Lk. 22:29-30; 24:42-43; Jn. 21:4-14; Matt. 8:11).

What a delight it will be to help the Lord restore the earth as he makes rivers flow from Jerusalem into the arid lands and as he teaches animals to get along with each other. Isaiah says: “A wolf will reside with a lamb, and a leopard will lie down with a young goat; an ox and a young lion will graze together, as a small child leads them along” (Isa. 11:6 NET). A young child could play around a cobra and not be harmed in the least (v. 8). God will make a covenant with the beasts of the field (Hos. 2:18). Nature will no longer be “red in tooth and claw,” as the saying goes. We can imagine that the Lord also will be changing weather patterns, watering deserts, restoring fertility to wasted lands (Ezek. 47:1-12; cf. Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8; Acts 3:21), repairing all things that are broken and burning with end-day fires the garbage and filth left by millions of sinful souls.

There will be so much to learn and experience as we help God restore the earth. We will not be limited by our defective information, but we will fully understand as we have been fully understood (1 Cor. 13:12). What we are describing is the coming of heaven to earth. It is the genius of the Lord’s plan to unite all things of heaven and earth together in Christ.

There will be a lot of work to do on earth in the Millennium. There will be many people living in the flesh as we see in the Bible. Some folks will still be building houses, planting vineyards and dying at very old ages (Isa. 65:20-23; cf. Zech. 8:4-5).  Finally, at the end of the Millennium, we will see a large fleshly army come against Jerusalem. That army will be annihilated by a very angry God. It will then take Israel seven months (Ez. 39:12) just to bury these hundreds of thousands of soldiers after the Lord destroys them with fire from heaven.

The Nations and the Millennium

We see something happening in the Millennium that has seldom happened before.  Likely we will watch it with amazement. In Zechariah 14:16 we read: “Then all who survive from all the nations that came to attack Jerusalem will go up annually to worship the King, the LORD who rules over all, and to observe the Feast of Tabernacles” (NET). This has already started in a limited way. Since 1980, thousands of evangelical Christians have gone up each year to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) with the Jews. This festival is sponsored yearly by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. However, joining with Israel has been the exception and not the rule among Gentile Christians.  We detect here an entirely new attitude in the nations of the earth.  People will no longer hate and persecute Israel, but they will be joining Israel in worship.  This picture is seen clearly in Isaiah 2:2-3 (NIV):

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of  the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.  Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,  to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his  paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Strangely, sin and rebellion will still be present on earth

The Millennium will be a near-perfect earth, but it is interesting that there still will be some rebellion present.  We see that a perfect society will not produce perfect people.  Only Jesus can do that. We not only see stubborn Egyptians refusing to come and worship (Zech. 14:18-19), but at the end of the Millennium there is mentioned the final battle of Gog and Magog against God and Israel (Rev. 20:8-9). That last rebellion will be quickly terminated by God, with Israel spending seven months just burying the dead as we have mentioned. We are assured by this that there will still be some rebellious flesh on earth. God will destroy this very large army before it has a chance to attack his beloved Jerusalem.

This final attack by Satan will bring about his eternal damnation in Hell. It is interesting what Daniel says about this end-day period: “’But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come’” (Dan. 7:18 NAS).

THE KINGDOM IN THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH 

Many changes in the heavens and earth that have begun in the Millennium will be completed in the new heaven and new earth. This is now the consummation and renewal of all things spoken of by Jesus (Matt. 19:28). We must keep in mind that we are still seeing through the glass darkly (1 Cor. 13:12) about this whole era.  God has not revealed it all to us, but he has revealed some of it. The scripture says: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever…” (Deut. 29:29 NKJ).

Not a Greek heaven 

The average Christian probably would look at the period of consummation as their going to a faraway heaven forever. It might surprise a lot of Christians today to learn that they have a mostly Greek concept of heaven. To Greek philosophers, the celestial, ethereal, or spiritual realms became of primary importance while the flesh and earthly things were spurned and looked down upon. Richard Bauckham and Trevor Hart in discussing our Christian Platonic legacy say: “The Christian hope has constantly been understood as hope for human fulfillment in another world (‘heaven’) rather than as hope for the eternal future of this world in which we live.” ⁴⁵

To the Greeks, it was important to get rid of the body and the earth as well. Then they could ascend to that celestial state where they would lounge in those Elysian Fields, somewhere in the heavenlies. That sounds a little like those who think they will sit on a cloud and strum their harps forever. There was no place for a bodily resurrection or renewed earth in Greek thinking. Unfortunately, most of our early church fathers and leaders were either Greeks, Greek speakers or Greek thinkers. After them, the church was left swimming around in a Greek soup.

The popular theologian N. T. Wright sums it up by saying: “…in much Western piety, at least since the Middle Ages, the influence of Greek philosophy has been very marked, resulting in a future expectation that bears far more resemblance to Plato’s vision of souls entering into disembodied bliss than to the biblical picture of new heavens and
new earth.” ⁴⁶

It seems that a lot of Christians are almost bored with the subject of heaven. God made us from earth and he has given us millions of pictures of the earth but very few pictures of the present heaven.  Middleton remarks, “Indeed, there is not one single reference in the entire biblical canon (Old and New Testaments) to heaven as the eternal destiny of the believer…not once does Scripture itself actually say that the righteous will live forever in heaven.” ⁴⁷ We will look in vain for expressions like “go to heaven” or “going to heaven” in the Bible.

Mansions in heaven?

Some folks might say, “Wait a minute.  Didn’t Jesus promise us mansions in heaven?” It is unfortunate that the King James Version translated it as “mansions” in John 14:2. Modern versions translate this as “rooms” (NIV, RSV & ESV) or “dwelling places” (NAS, NRS & NET). Wright clears this up saying: “The word for ‘dwelling places’ here, monai, is regularly used in ancient Greek not for a final resting place but for a temporary halt on a journey that will take you somewhere else in the long run.” ⁴⁸ Those saints who are now waiting with Jesus in the old heaven soon will be with him in the new heaven and the new earth.

Dispelling the rapture idea

Then there is that popular modern idea that Christ would appear and rescue the saints, taking them to the old heaven shortly before the tribulation.  There they would celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb (they are at least a thousand years off with their timing of this feast). This whole idea was based upon a misunderstanding of another Greek word. The word apantēsis or “to meet” (1 Thess. 4:17) is derived from a particular political practice in the Greco-Roman world.  When a king or dignitary visited a city the leaders and many citizens of the city went out to meet him and to accompany him back to their town.⁴⁹ The obvious implication of this word was that the newly resurrected and glorified saints would go up to greet the coming Lord and accompany him back to the earth. It was always true that Jesus was coming to take over the earth, not just to rescue his defeated saints before the great battle.

It is of note that the Apostle Paul received this kind of reception when he at last visited the capital city of Rome. In Acts 28:15 it is said: “The believers from there, when they heard of us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage” (NRS).  A form of the very Greek word apantēsis is used in this verse.⁵⁰ Paul did accompany them back to their city and stayed there for a long time with them.

Eternality of the New Earth

Regarding Revelation 21:1-4, Theological professor, Anthony Hoekema, says “…the glorified church will not remain in a heaven far off in space but will spend eternity on the new earth. From verse 3 we learn that the dwelling place of God will no longer be away from the earth but on the earth…heaven and earth will no longer be separated, as they are now, but will be merged.” ⁵¹ Alcorn says “If God were to end history and reign forever in a distant heaven, earth would be remembered as a graveyard of sin and failure.  Instead, earth will be redeemed and resurrected.” ⁵²

In much theology today it is the righteous who will be removed and supposedly taken to heaven as we have noted. However, the Bible says: “The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip” (Psa. 37:29-31 NIV). In Proverbs 2:21-22, the author states: “For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.” In Proverbs 10:30, it is stated bluntly: “The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land” (NIV).  We surely remember that in some of the parables of Jesus, it is the wicked who are removed (cf.  Matt. 13:24-30; 47-50).  God will so remove the wicked from the earth that not a trace of them can be found anywhere (Psa. 37:10).

As we have also said, the genius of God’s plan is to unite things in heaven and things on earth together under the headship of Christ (Eph. 1:10). Strangely, we Christians have all things going up while the Bible has all things coming down.

The New Jerusalem

Like the new earth, there will be a new Jerusalem. The new Jerusalem is described in Revelation 21. It will come down after the Millennium and its description is naturally and spiritually astounding. Alcorn says: “A metropolis of this size in the middle of the United States would stretch from Canada to Mexico and from the Appalachian Mountains to the California border…The ground level of the city will be nearly two million square miles. This is forty times bigger than England and fifteen thousand times bigger than London.” ⁵³ It is amazing, but the city is as high as it is wide and long (Rev. 21:16).

The city will be filled with incredibly precious things.  The tree of life will be restored and the river of life will flow from the city as we have indicated. Nothing impure will ever enter there but the saints of God will come to Zion with singing and eternal praise on their lips.

 The righteous will be ruling for Christ on earth as Adam should have done. Middleton states, “New life in Christ is clearly associated with eschatological rule.” ⁵⁴ The many godless rulers of earth were probably displaced already in the Millennium. That alone likely brought joy to millions. As we have mentioned, in Revelation 2:26, we see that overcoming Christians will be given authority over nations. The Bible makes it plain that nations will always be present, even on the new earth (Rev. 21:26).

After the earth is finally cleansed and Satan himself is permanently removed, we will see some astonishing changes in Jerusalem, Israel and the whole world. The world as well as Jerusalem will be filled with unbelievable beauty and glory. When the creation is at last brought into God’s order, we will see the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven and God finally making his dwelling place on earth. We will see heaven and earth becoming one: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: ‘Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them” (Rev. 21:3 NET). The new heaven will then be joined to the new earth forever. The millions of pictures we have seen on earth, the flowers, the trees, the rivers, etc. will all take on astounding beauty. There will be no more sickness, death, tears, sorrow or sighing (Isa. 35:10; 51:11; 65:19; Rev. 21:4). All these former things will be gone forever.

We will see the Tree of Life once more available to God’s saints. People will no longer eat from the forbidden tree of human knowledge.  Remember, this is the “I think” tree, the “I’ll do it my way,” tree or the “I have my truth” tree.  They will eat from the Tree of Life and drink from the water of life (Jesus).

Israel and Jerusalem will have a beauty that defies imagination. Isaiah says: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God” (Isa. 35:1-2 ESV). “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water…” (Joel 3:18 ESV). The land will become like the Garden of Eden (Ez. 36:35-36).

Jerusalem will at last be holy

Jerusalem will also become a very holy place. Isaiah says:

And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean  shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools,  they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isa. 35:8-10 ESV).

At this time, the common cooking pots will be like the sacred bowls at the altar (Zech. 14:20). In this era there will be no distinction between the sacred and secular.  Everything will be sacred to the Lord. This reminds us of Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (NIV).

In this sparkling new world, Jesus will take his holy and eternal bride, the true church. The long-awaited and glorious marriage of the Lamb will finally occur (Rev. 19:7; 21:2-3). God will come to live forever with his people in Israel and Jerusalem. Heaven and earth will become one as we have said. We can be sure that there will never be boredom as the heavenly kingdom runs on through eternity. We cannot even imagine the wonderful and blessed things that will be ours in this eternal world. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NET), “But just as it is written, ‘Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.’”

 

ENDNOTES

1  J. Richard Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2014), pp. 37-38.

2  Quoted in Francis A. Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live?  The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture (Wheaton IL: Crossway Books, 1976), p. 134.

3  Nancy R. Pearcey, Love Thy Body, Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2018), p. 203.

4  Quoted in Nancy Pearcey, Saving Leonardo, A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, & Meaning (Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2010), p. 64.

5  Quoted in Pearcy, Love Thy Body, p. 196.

6  Celebrate the Difference, http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/player/celebrate-the-difference-446170.html

7  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11731777/Trans-swimmer-Lia-Thomas-dropped-pants-exposed-male-genitalia-womens-locker-room.html

8  Gordon Fee, https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-&p=KINGDOM+OF+GOD&type=E210US1490G0#id=0&vid=0e260a74ef8dec5400342abc0f8efced&action=click

9  Ibid.

10  Charles F. Pfeiffer & Everett F. Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), p. 1048. 

11  D. Guthrie, & J. A. Motyer,  Eds., The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970),  p. 918. 

12  Ibid.

13  William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2, vs. 17:27-40.
https://bibleportal.com/commentary/william-barclay

14  Craig S. Keener, The IVP Background Commentary, New Testament (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1993), p. 227.

15  Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Commentary on Luke, v. 13:21. http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL03A/VOL03A_introduction.m

16  Prophecy Today, Jan/Feb 1998, p. 11.

17  Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995), p. 194.

18  David Guzik, Commentary on Mark, vs. 1:14-15. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/mark-1/

19  Darrell L. Bock, Luke, The IVP NT Commentary (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press 1994), p. 186.

20  Grant Osborne, Gen. Ed., Life Application Bible Commentary, Matthew (Carol Stream: Tyndale House, 1996), p. 126.

21  R. T. France, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 1, Matthew (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1985), p. 232.

22  Osborne, Gen. Ed., Life Application Bible Commentary, Matthew, pp. 273-274.

23  Guthrie &  Motyer,  Eds., The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 846.

24  Warren W. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, NT (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 201.

25  William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2, vs. 11:7-11. https://bibleportal.com/commentary/william-barclay

26  Pfeiffer & Harrison, eds., The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 948.

27  James Burton Coffman,  Commentary on Mark, Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament, Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999, http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=mr&chapter=001.

28  James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Co., 2002), p. 134.

29  France, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 1, Matthew, p. 213.

30  Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, eds, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1956), p. 214.

31  Ibid. p. 409.

32  Ibid., Vol. 3, p. 91.

33  Ibid., Vol. 4, p. 415.

34  John Wimber, with Kevin Springer, Power Evangelism, Signs and Wonders Today, (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985), p. 155.

35  Ibid. pp. 155-156.

36  Ibid., pp. 157-158.

37  F. B. Meyer, Through The Bible Commentary, Matthew 5:10-16. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/fbm/matthew-5.html

38  Word of God Today website. https://www.wordofgodtoday.com

39  C. K. Barrett, The Epistle to the Romans, Harper’s New Testament Commentaries (New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1957), vs. 5:15-17, p. 112.

40  Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, p. 156.

41  Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2004), p.125.

42  Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, p. 169.

43  Ibid., p. 220.

44  Asher Intrater, Alignment (Fredrick, MD: Revive Israel Media, 2017), p. 216.

45  Quoted in Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, p. 34.

46  N. T. Wright, Surprised By Hope, Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (New York: Harper, Collins, 2008), p. 80.

47  Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, p. 72.

48  Wright, Surprised By Hope, Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church,  p. 150.

49  Jacob W. Elias, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Believers Church Bible Commentary (Scottsdale, PA & Waterloo, ONT: The Herald Press, 1995), p. 179.

50  Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, p. 223.

51   Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible And The Future (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), p. 285.

52  Randy Alcorn, Heaven, p. 143.

53  Ibid., p. 250.

54  Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth, Reclaiming Biblical Eschatology, p. 150.