The things concerning the Kingdom of God
The Things Concerning the Kingdom of God
It is
clearly revealed in the Bible, that Jesus Christ will set up the Kingdom of God
upon the earth (Daniel 2:44), and that it will last forever (Luke 1:32-33). Its
administration will be in the hands of the Lord Jesus himself (Revelation
11:15), and his resurrected followers then granted immortality (Revelation
5:9-10; 20:4). Its government will be absolute and divine, ruling to the glory
of God and the wellbeing of the people (Luke 2:14; Revelation 2:27). A
glorified Jerusalem will be its metropolis (Isaiah 24:23), and from that centre
divine laws and decrees will issue forth for the guidance and obedience of
mankind (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:16). All nations will be brought into
subjection to the King (Psalm 72:11, 2:8-12; Isaiah 60:12), including Israel
then completely restored, disciplined and purified (Zechariah 12:10; Amos 9:11;
Romans 11:25-28). The establishment of God's righteous rule in the earth will
result in one King, one empire and one religion replacing the antagonism of
today. It shall ensure world peace and prosperity: "glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men" (Luke 2:14). Christ
taught his disciples to pray for the setting up of that kingdom in these words:
"Thy
kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Its extent,
position and scope is summarised by the words of Daniel the prophet thus:
"The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the
whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High,
whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey
him." (Daniel 7:27).
1 - The Gospel of the Kingdom preached by Jesus
The
Gospel preached by Jesus Christ when upon the earth had reference to the
Kingdom of God.1
Now after
that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14).
And Jesus
went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel
of the kingdom (Matthew 4:17, 23).
And he
said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for
therefore am I sent. (Luke 4:43).
And it
came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village,
preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve
were with him (Luke 8:1).
Additional
Testimonies (Matthew 9:35; 6:33; 13:19; Luke 9:11; 13:28)
1 In several instances, the form of this proclamation is in the words,
The kingdom of God is at hand," or to be critically correct, "has
approached." We never find that the apostles made use of this form of
proclamation after Christ's ascension. In what sense had the kingdom come nigh,
or approached when Christ appeared? In two senses. He brought near the kingdom
for offer as an inheritance. The kingdom had never before been preached.
"The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of
God is preached "(Luke 16:16). Secondly, Jesus himself was the kingdom in
the germ - see Mark 11:10: "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David,
that cometh in the name of the Lord." The original word basileia,
translated kingdom, has this comprehensive significance in its secondary sense:
royal power, majesty, kingly dignity. Jesus, the manifestation of God's power,
which was afterwards to bloom into a universal political administration, was
among the people, had approached, and brought the offer of the kingdom with
him.
2 - The same Gospel preached by the Apostles
The
gospel preached by the Apostles HAD REFERENCE TO THE SAME THING - that is The
Kingdom of God
But when
they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and
the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Acts
8:12,25).
And he
(Paul) went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months,
disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8).
And now,
behold, I know that ye all, among whom I (Paul) have gone preaching the kingdom
of God, shall see my face no more. (Acts 20:25).
And Paul
dwelt two whole years in his own hired house... preaching the kingdom of God,
and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all
confidence, no man forbidding him. (Acts 28:30,31).
3 - What is the Kingdom?
What is
the Kingdom? The following testimonies will show that it is a Divine Political
Dominion to be established on the earth, on the ruins of all existing
governments, for the purpose of blessing, and bringing the world into
submission to God.1
And in
the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall
never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for
ever. (Daniel 2:44; see also Daniel 7:13, 18, 22, 27).
And I
will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the
kingdoms of the heathen (Heb. nations) - (Haggai 2:22).
And the
seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The
kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ;
and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15).
And the
LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and
his name one.(Zechariah 14:9).
Ask of
me, and I shall give thee the heathen (i.e. nations) for thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with
a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (Psalm
2:8-9).
And the
kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,
shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is
an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel
7:27).
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was
called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war… out
of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and
he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his
thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation
19:11,13,15-16).
For he
must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. (1 Corinthians 15:25).
1 The following passage is
supposed to discountenance this doctrine. Neither shall they say, Lo here! or,
lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.(Luke 17:21). This is
supposed to teach that the kingdom of God is a state of spiritual enlightenment
in the heart. This cannot be the meaning; for the words were addressed to the
Pharisees of whom Jesus says (Matthew 23:28), "within ye are full of
hypocrisy and iniquity." What is the meaning of it? The margin (A.V.)
"among," or "in the midst" (R.V.), puts a very different
complexion upon it.
Further
Comment: The Diaglott renders the statement: "God's royal majesty is among
you." The Pharisees were told to "behold" that fact, which could
not relate to a "spiritual" reign in the hearts of men. Christ's true
followers were "waiting" for the kingdom (Luke 23:51), and he,
himself, disclaimed that it would be then set up (Luke 19:11). Certainly it was
not found "within" the Pharisees. What was "in their midst"
was "God's royal majesty" in the person of His Son, earth's future
monarch. Peter declared that they saw his majesty (2 Peter 1:16), and the
people witnessed his power (Luke 11:20). Christ taught the apostles that the
kingdom would be restored at the time appointed of God (Acts 1:6-7) - Editor
Another
reference frequently advanced to prove that the Kingdom of God has been
established in the hearts of believers is the statement of Colossians 1:13 Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of his dear Son: But the word into is the Greek preposition eis
translated "unto" some 208 times in the N.T. and "for" some
92 times. The Diaglott renders the phrase, in strict accordance with the Greek:
"changed us for the kingdom." Every Scripture relating to the kingdom
when properly considered in context is consistent with the principle set forth
in this statement of this section. The kingdom is yet to be set up on the
earth. - Editor
4 - The Kingdom of God once existed, and will be
re-established
This
purpose of God to establish a universal kingdom on earth, with Christ as it's
head, has a connection with God's past dealings with the nation of the Jews.
This connection must be perceived before the bearing of God's purpose can be
clearly understood. To assist in the attainment of this understanding, consider
the following facts:
(a) - The
Kingdom of Israel, as divinely constituted under the hand of Moses, and
existent in the land of Palestine 3,000 years ago, was the Kingdom of God.
And of
all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my
son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (1
Chronicles 28:5; see also 29:23).
Blessed
be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on His throne, to be
king for the LORD thy God: ( 2 Chronicles 9:8).
And now
ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David;
(2 Chronicles 13:8).
(b) - It
was divinely overturned and scattered to the winds on account of iniquity.
Return
for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. The people of thy
holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden
down thy sanctuary. We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were
not called by thy name. (Isaiah 63:17-19).
And thou,
profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an
end, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this
shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I
will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come
whose right it is; and I will give it him.1 (Ezekiel 21:25-27).
For the
children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince,
and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and
without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the
LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness
in the latter days. (Hosea 3:4-5).
They
shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all
nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times
of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24; Matthew 23:36-39).
(c) - It
is to be re-established.
Thou
shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set
time, is come. (Psalm 102:13).
And they
shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and
they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
(Isaiah 61:4;33:20-21).
In that
day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the
breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the
days of old: (Amos 9:11).
Lord,
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? (Acts 1:6).
The Lord
God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over
the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.( Luke
1:32-33).
To this
agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return,
and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will
build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: (Acts 15:15-16).
And the
LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose
Jerusalem again. (Zechariah 2:12).
Cry yet,
saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be
spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose
Jerusalem. (Zechariah 1:16-17).
1 This prediction was uttered in
the reign of Zedekiah, the last Israelitish king in the line of David, BC 593;
ever since that time, the kingdom has been overturned. It was overthrown by
Nebuchadnezzar in the days of Zedekiah, and was afterwards successively
trampled down by Greece and Rome. Since the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus,
the kingdom of David (i.e. the kingdom of God) has had no existence.
Further
comment. Scripture shows that the kings of Judah sat upon the throne of David
in Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 22:2), and this is elsewhere styled "the throne
of the Lord" (1 Chronicles 29:23). This is the throne promised to the Lord
Jesus Christ (Luke 1:32-33; Acts 2:30-31), which it is the purpose of God to
restore (Acts 15:16). When that is accomplished, Jerusalem again will be known
as "the throne of the Lord" (Jeremiah 3:17). It will be the centre of
Christ's administration over all the earth (Isaiah 2:2-4) - Editor.
5 - The Jews become the Subjects of the Kingdom of
Israel restored
The
Kingdom of God to be set up on the earth will be the ancient Kingdom of Israel
restored.
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the
house of Jacob shall possess their possessions... And the captivity of this
host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto
Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess
the cities of the south. And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the
mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's. (Obadiah 17, 20-21).
In that
day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her
that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that
halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall
reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower
of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come,
even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
(Micah 4:6-8).
6 - The Jews will become the Subjects of the
Kingdom
The
establishment of the Kingdom of God by the restoration of the kingdom of
Israel, will involve the gathering of the Jews from their present dispersion
among the nations of the earth.
He shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah
from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:12).
Hear the
word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say,
He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his
flock. (Jeremiah 31:10; Psalm 107:3)
Behold, I
will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I
will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall
be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.
(Zechariah 8:7-8).
And say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel
from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every
side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in
the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all:
and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two
kingdoms any more at all: (Ezekiel 37:21-22).
Behold,
the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the
house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. And it shall
come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break
down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over
them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 31:27-28).
For thus
saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so
will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. (Jeremiah
32:42).
Behold,
the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have
promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and
at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David;
and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days
shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name
wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. (Jeremiah 33:14-16).
I do not
this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye
have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great
name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst
of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD,
when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I will take you from
among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into
your own land. (Ezekiel 36:22-24).
For a
small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting
kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. (Isaiah
54:7-8).
And I
will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong
nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even
for ever. (Micah 4:7).
Thus
saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men
shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of
the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard
that God is with you. (Zechariah 8:23).
And all
nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the
LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:12).
And so
all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Zion a
Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Romans 11:1-2,12,25-26).
7 - Jerusalem the future Queen-City of the World
The city
of Jerusalem will then become the residence of the Lord Jesus, the
head-quarters and metropolis of the Kingdom of God, whose dominion will stretch
to the utmost bounds of the earth.
At that
time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations
shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall
they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. (Jeremiah 3:17).
The LORD
shall reign over them in mount Zion... the kingdom shall come to the daughter
of Jerusalem. (Micah 4:7-8).
So shall
ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then
shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any
more. (Joel 3:17).
Then the
moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall
reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
(Isaiah 24:23).
And they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
(Isaiah 60:14).
And it
shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came
against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the
LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16).
Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech
in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their
captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of
holiness. (Jeremiah 31:23).
Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O
Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the
uncircumcised and the unclean. (Isaiah 52:1).
For,
behold, I create new heavens and a new earth:1 and the former shall not
be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that
which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a
joy. (Isaiah 65:17-18).
Beautiful
for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the
north, the city of the great King. (Psalm 48:2).
The name
of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. (Ezekiel 48:35).
But I say
unto you, Swear not at all... neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the
great King. (Matthew 5:34-35).
1 It is evident, from Peter's
allusion to this promise, that the phrase, "new heavens and a new
earth," is metaphorically employed to designate the polity or order of
things to be established in the Kingdom of God. Peter says, "Nevertheless,
we according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness." The old heavens, and earth of the Jewish
constitution of things were dissolved according to the prediction of Isaiah
(24:20). Peter, alluding to this dissolution, which had not become an
accomplished fact in his day, said, "The heavens and the earth, which are
now by the same word, are kept in store, reserved unto fie against the day of
judgement and perdition of ungodly men" (2Peter 3:7). They were not long
reserved, after those words of Peter were written, for a few years afterwards,
the Romans entered the country and destroyed the Jewish commonwealth to its
very foundation. The literal earth will not be destroyed, "for the earth
endureth for ever" (Ecclesiastes 1:4). the perpetual stability of the
ordinances of heaven and earth physical is divinely guaranteed - (see Psalm
72:17; Jeremiah 31:37). Heavens and earth in the political sense are destined
to pass away - (see Isaiah 13:13;24:19-20;24:4). It is necessary to recognise
these principles; otherwise a literal principle of interpretation will in many
cases mar the results of scriptural study. The writings of the prophets are in
many cases highly metaphorical, and it is necessary carefully to discriminate
between the literal and figurative.
In A
Summary View and Explanation of the Writings of the Prophets, by John Smith, of
Camleton, quoted by Adam Clark in his introduction to Isaiah, there occur the
following remarks:
"By
images borrowed from the world natural, the prophets frequently understand
something analogous in the world politic. Thus, the sun, moon, stars and
heavenly bodies denote kings, queens, rulers and persons in great power: their
increase of splendour denotes increase of prosperity: their darkening, setting,
or falling, denotes a reverse of fortune: or the entire ceasing of that power
of kingdom to which they refer. Great earthquakes and the shaking of heaven and
earth, denote the commotion and overthrow of kingdoms: and the beginning or end
of the world, their rise or ruin.
"The
cedars of Lebanon, oaks of Bashan, fir trees, and other stately trees of the
forest denote kings, princes, potentates, and persons of the highest rank:
briars and thorns, like common people, of those of the meanest order. High
mountains and lofty hills, in like manner, denote kingdoms, republics, states,
and cities: towns and fortresses signify defenders and protectors: ships of
Tarshish, merchants or commercial people: and the daughter of any capital or
mother city, the lesser cities, or suburbs around it. Cities never conquered
are further styled virgins."
Isaac
Newton remarks that in attempting to understand the prophecies, we are in the
first place to acquaint ourselves with the figurative language of the prophets.
This language is taken from the analogy between the world natural and an empire
or kingdom as a world politic. Accordingly, the whole world natural, consisting
of heavens and earth, signifies the whole world politic, consisting of thrones
and people, or so much of it as is considered in the prophecy. Great
earthquakes and the shaking of kingdoms, so as to distract or over throw them;
creating a new heaven and earth, and the passing away of an old one, or the
beginning and end of the world, for the rise and the wane of the body politic
signified thereby. In the heaven, the sun and moon are, by interpreters of
dreams, put for the persons of kings and queens; but in sacred prophecy, which
regards not single persons, the sun is put for the whole series and race of
kings in the kingdoms of the world politic shining with regal power and glory;
the moon considered as the king's wife (i.e., ecclesiastical body), the stars
for subordinate princes and great men... Light for glory, darkness for error,
blindness and ignorance; darkening, smiting, or setting of sun, moon, and
stars, for the ceasing of the kingdoms, or for the desolation thereof,
proportioned to the darkness; darkening the sun, turning the moon into blood,
falling of the stars for the same. - The Prophecies of Daniel, chapter 2.
8 - Her King as appointed in the Covenant made with
David
The
Supreme Ruler in this glorious order of things will be Jesus of Nazareth, as is
evident from the testimonies already quoted. But it is important to put this
proposition in a more specific form, by calling attention to THE COVENANT MADE
WITH DAVID, in which God promised him a Son, under whom His Kingdom should be
established for ever.
And when
thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy
seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish
his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the
throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son.
If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the
stripes of the children of men:1 (2 Samuel 7:12-14).
The LORD
hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy
body will I set upon thy throne.( Psalm 132:11).
Now these
be the last words of David...Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath
made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this
is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow... He
that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be
as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without
clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after
rain. (2 Samuel 23:1, 3-5).
1 Adam Clarke renders: "Even
in his suffering for iniquity, I will chasten him." etc.
Additional comment: John Thomas
renders: "In his being caused to bow down, I will chasten..." The
Hebrew avah here is rendered commit iniquity," signifies in the active
voice to do amiss, to bow down, to commit iniquity; but when the Niphil or the
passive voice, as here, it indicates something done to one; thus to cause to
bow down, to suffer iniquity, etc. The verse speaks not of the Lord committing
iniquity but of being the object of it from the hands of others. - Editor.
9 - Jesus Christ to sit on the restored Throne of
David
The son
promised to David is Jesus Christ, who will sit on David's throne, when it is
restored in the era of his re-appearing on the earth.
Therefore
being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of
the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit
on his throne; (Acts 2:30).
And,
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call
his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest:
and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be
no end. (Luke 1:31-33).
Pilate
asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou
sayest it. (Mark 15:2).
And Jesus
said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also
shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew
19:28).
Of the
increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of
David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and
with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will
perform this. (Isaiah 9:7).
In those
days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up
unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
(Jeremiah 33:15).
Behold
the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he
shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD;
and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he
shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between
them both.
(Zechariah 6:12-13).
10 - The Saints will inherit the Kingdom
The
reward in store for those whom Christ shall acknowledge in the day of his
glory, is a participation in the "glory, honour, and power" of the
kingdom in the sense of being his associates and coadjudicators (as kings and
priests) in the work of ruling the world in righteousness.
Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10).
Blessed
are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:11).
Behold, a
king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah
32:1).
To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21).
If we
suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2
Timothy 2:12).
And hast
made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
(Revelation 5:10).
And he
that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power
over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of
a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
(Revelation 2:26,27).
But the
saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for
ever, even for ever 1 and ever... And the kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people
of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and
all dominions shall serve and obey him. (Daniel 7:18, 27).
To
execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind
their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon
them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
(Psalm 149:7-9).
Fear not,
little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom...
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return
from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him
immediately. (Luke 12:32, 36).
I charge
thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick
and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1).
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto
all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8).
And I
appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may
eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve
tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:29-30).
There
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and ye yourselves
thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the
north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.(Luke
13:28-29).
Verily I
say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day
that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. (Mark 14:25).
And he
said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus
said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today 2 shalt thou be with me in
paradise.3 (Luke 23:42-43).
Therefore
say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you (Scribes and
Pharisees) and given to a nation Christ's true followers. See 1 Peter 2:9)
bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matthew 21:43).
1 "For ever, even for ever
and ever," fails to give the meaning conveyed by the original words. Dr.
Thomas says, "The Hebrew and the Chaldee nouns are derived from the verb
olaham, to hide, to conceal; hence an olaham, in relation to time is a period
hidden of concealed." The literal rendering in Daniel is an olaham, even
an olaham of olahams," or hidden period or age of hidden periods,
referring to that period of 1,000 years as revealed in the Apocalypse, and
which corresponds to the Greek tous aionas ton aionon "for the age of
ages" (Revelation 22:5). He further remarks that the Mosaic dispensation
(a period of 1,695 years) was an "olaham of olahams, one long period
containing many lesser ones." - (Eureka: An Exposition of the Apocalypse.
Vol. 1, pp. 125-131).
2 What "today" is this? The clue is found in the fact that the
thief's question, to which Christ's words were an answer, introduced a
particular day to attention. He asked: "Lord remember me when thou comest
into thy kingdom." The word "today" contained in the Lord's
answer is given as semeron in the Greek, elsewhere rendered this day, and so
rendered by Rotherham, Parkhurst and other authorities. Such a rendition would
align this word with the day of the Lord's coming. However, many Greek scholars
believe that the punctuation mark has been wrongly placed in the Authorized
Version of the Bible, and that the answer should read: "Verily I say unto
thee today (i.e. in the day of my humiliation), thou shalt be with me in
paradise." Punctuation, as we have it today, is entirely absent from the
Greek text of the N.T., and therefore rests entirely upon human authority. The
Companion Bible declares that "in the absence of hoti (that), the relation
of the word 'today' must be determined by the context" and thus should be
related to the day of Christ's coming.- Editor.
3 The word "paradise" is of Persian origin, and signifies an
enclosed garden, a park etc. In the Septuagint (The Greek Old Testament) it is
found in Nehemiah 2:8; Jeremiah 29:5; Ecclesiastes 2:5; Song of Solomon 4:13.
It is also used therein for the garden of Eden; and, prophetically, of Israel
as restored in the future (Isaiah 51:3). In this place it is aligned with the
restoration of the Kingdom of the future, a belief to which the thief had made
reference (Luke 23:42). It is obvious, therefore, that the Lord had the
restored nation of Israel in mind when he delivered his answer. The Lord did
not "go to paradise" on the day of his death, but was interred in the
sepulchre, the "hell" or grave of Acts 2:31. - Editor.
11 - The Covenant made with Abraham
The state
of Blessedness developed among the nations of the earth when they are thus
ruled by Jesus and his brethren, has been the subject of promise from the
earliest dealings of God with mankind, and will only be the realization of the
purpose enunciated from the beginning. The reader will perceive this in the
consideration of the covenant made with Abraham, and its bearing upon the
future development of the divine purpose, This covenant guaranteed,
First -
The ultimate blessing of all nations through him and his seed.
The LORD
had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of
thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou
shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis
12:1-3).
And the
scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be
blessed. (Galatians 3:8).
Second -
The everlasting, personal possession of the territory lying between the
Euphrates and the Nile, known in the terms of modern geography as Syria and the
Holy Land, and biblically as Palestine and Canaan.
The LORD
said unto Abraham, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine
eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and
eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give
it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the
earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed
also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the
breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. (Genesis 13:14-17; see also 12:7,
15:8-18; 17:8).
12 - The Promises therefore renewed to Isaac and
Jacob
The
Promises made were renewed to Isaac and Jacob.
And the
LORD appeared unto him (Isaac) and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the
land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee,
and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these
countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father
(Genesis 26:2-4).
And God
Almighty bless thee (Jacob) and give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and
to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a
stranger, which God gave unto Abraham. (Genesis 28:3-4).
I am the
LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou
liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed, and in thee and in thy seed
shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 28:13-14).
13 - The Promises not yet fulfilled
These
Promises were not fulfilled in the experience of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, nor
have they been fulfilled at any time since.
And he
(God) gave him (Abraham) none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his
foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession (Acts
7:5).
By faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after
receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,
dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same
promise: (Hebrews 11:8-9).
These all
died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off,
and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (Hebrews 11:13-35, 39-40).
Now to
Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of
many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ...And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians
3:16,29).
Now I
(Paul) say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth
of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: (Romans 15:8).
Blessed
be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And
hath raised up an horn of salvation for us (that is, Jesus - see context) in
the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,
which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our
fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our
father Abraham (Luke 1:68-73).
14 - These Promise fulfilled in the Setting up of
the Kingdom
These
Promises will be fulfilled in the establishment of the Kingdom of David under
Christ (that is, in the setting up of the Kingdom of God on earth) as the
centre of universal empire.
First -
As to the blessing of all nations:
The earth
shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
(Isaiah 11:9).
And he
shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall
beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
(Isaiah 2:4).
He shall
judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and
shall break in pieces the oppressor...His name shall endure for ever: his name
shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all
nations shall call him blessed.(Psalm 72:4,17).
The
nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory. (Jeremiah
4:2).
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign
of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
(Isaiah 11:9-10).
Behold, a
king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a
man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest;
as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary
land. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that
hear shall hearken. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the
tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. (Isaiah 32:1-6;
Jeremiah 3:17).
The
battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his
dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the
earth. (Zechariah 9:10).
The LORD
is exalted...and wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and
strength of salvation (Isaiah 33:5-6).
O let the
nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously,
and govern the nations upon earth. (Psalm 67:4).
Second -
As to the inheritance of the Land of Promise:
Then will
I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my
covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. (Leviticus
26:42).
Then will
the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people... Fear not, O land; be
glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. (Joel 2:18,21).
A land
which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon
it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. (Deuteronomy
11:12).
And the
desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that
passed by. And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the
garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced,
and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know
that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I
the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. (Ezekiel 36:34-36).
For the
LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make
her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and
gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. (Isaiah
51:3).
Thou
shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed
Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD
delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. (Isaiah 62:4).
Whereas
thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will
make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. (Isaiah 60:15).
Ye shall
see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God
(Luke 13:28).
And I say
unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11).
Thou wilt
perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn
unto our fathers from the days of old. (Micah 7:20).
But as
truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
(Numbers 14:21).
15 - The Second Coming of Christ indispensable
Jesus
Christ will return from heaven, and visibly appear and take up his residence on
earth a second time, for the purpose of bringing about the accomplishment of
all these things. The second coming of Christ is therefore the true hope of the
believer.
This same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as
ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:9-11).
Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom; (2 Timothy 4:1).
For the
Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he
shall reward every man according to his works. (Matthew 16:27).
When the
LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory... To declare the name
of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; (Psalm 102:16,21).
And he
shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven
must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath
spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts
3:20-21).
Unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
(Hebrews 9:28).
For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (1
Thessalonians 4:16).
Wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace
that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter
1:13).
For our
conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord
Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20).
So that
ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1
Corinthians 1:7).
That when
he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his
coming. (1 John 2:28).
16 - The Kingdom of God the only object of Hope
The
Kingdom of God 1 is the inheritance to which men are called by the
gospel, and the thing presented as the object of hope. A proposition which
destroys the popular gospel of "kingdoms beyond the skies."
That ye
would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. (1
Thessalonians 2:12).
Fear not,
little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
(Luke 12:32).
Hearken,
my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (James
2:5).
Then
shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Matthew
25:34).
For so an
entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11).
They
shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the
south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. (Luke 13:29).
Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5).
Now this
I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:50).
Know ye
not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (1 Corinthians
6:9).
1 The Kingdom of God is sometimes called "the kingdom of
heaven" because it will witness heaven's rule extended over the earth, on
the same principle as the kingdom of England extended over its colonies. Thus
in the context with a promise that their's shall be "the kingdom of
heaven," the meek are instructed that "they shall inherit the
earth" (Matthew 5:3, 5). Christ's approved followers will "reign on
the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10) with the Lord "for a thousand
years" (Revelation 20:4), subduing every enemy, until, finally, death
itself shall be eradicated "that God may be all in all" (1
Corinthians 15:25-28). Meanwhile, Christ is at present in heaven; and because
the kingdom of the future is hidden there with him as the divine purpose, to
labour to enter that kingdom is styled "laying up treasure in
heaven." The inheritance promised to the righteous thus is described as
being "reserved in heaven" (1 Peter 1:4), awaiting that time when
"the Lord shall be revealed from heaven" (2 Thessalonians 1:7). He,
himself, taught his disciples that they would be "recompensed at the
resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:14), and called upon them to pray:
"Thy kingdom come that Thy will may be done in earth as it is in
heaven." - Editor.
17 - The Duration of the Kingdom
The
Kingdom of God will last a thousand years, during which Christ and his brethren
shall rule the mortal nations of the earth; sin and death continuing among
mankind, but in a milder degree than now. At the end of that period, an entire
change will take place. Christ will surrender his position of supremacy and
become subject to the Father, who will then manifest Himself as the Father,
Strength, Governor and Friend of all. As a preparation for this sublime
manifestation, sin and death will be abolished, but not before an extensive
revolt of nations at the close of the millennium. This revolt will succeed to
the last point and will be suppressed by a summary outburst of judgement; after
which shall occur a resurrection and judgement of those who shall have died
during the thousand years, and judging of those who are alive at the end of
that period;1 resulting in the immortalization of the approved, and the
consignment of the rejected to destruction. None will then remain but a
generation of righteous, redeemed, immortal persons, who shall inhabit the
earth for ever. Christ's work will be finished, and the Father will reveal
Himself without mediation.
And I saw
an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a
great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent,
which is the Devil, and Satan 2 and bound him a thousand years, And cast
him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he
should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled:
and after that he must be loosed a little season. And I saw thrones, and they
sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them
that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which
had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ
a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he
that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no
power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him
a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be
loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in
the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to
battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the
breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the
beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them...
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were
opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead
were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death. 3 And whosoever was not found written in the
book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:1-9, 12-15)
There was
given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and
languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which
shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel
7:14).
There
shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled
his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an
hundred years old shall be accursed. (Isaiah 65:20).
Then
cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the
Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For
he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that
shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But
when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted,
which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto
him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things
under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
1 Excluding the approved at
Christ's coming who will already have been granted eternal life (Romans 2:7; 2
Timothy 4:1,8) and who will have reigned with Christ in the kingdom. There
shall be a resurrection of believers, both just and unjust at Christ's coming
(2 Timothy 4:1; Acts 24:150), prior to the establishment of his thousand years'
reign on earth. They, together with living believers will be brought before the
Judgement Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). The righteous will be granted
immortality, and shall become the associates of Christ in the rule he will set
up on earth (Revelation 5:9-10; 20:4); the unjust will be given over to the
"second death" (Revelation 2:11) - Editor.
2 It must be noticed that the Apocalypse,
from which this is a quotation, is a setting forth of prophetic truth in the
form of symbol. The most casual reading will show this. Candlesticks are put
for communities of believers, stars for angels, hidden manna for eternal life,
four beasts full of eyes for the totality of the redeemed, a slain lamb with
seven horns for a polity of nations, a woman for an imperial city, an ocean for
peoples, and tongues, etc. The dragon of the passage quoted above is symbolical
of the political and ecclesiastical powers of Europe gathered under one head to
oppose Christ at his coming. The descending angel is a symbol of the power that
will be revealed from heaven in Jesus and the saints, and the chaining of the
dragon, the universal triumph of Christ, and the riddance of the world of human
pests for a thousand years (cp. Revelation 12:3 with Revelation 17:9-10, 18).
3 The lake of fire is not literal,
but a symbol representing the second visitation of death, by which the wicked,
after judgement, are to be for ever destroyed from the earth, There is no
countenance in this for the popular idea of hell, which undoubtedly, is a pure
fiction, originating in the speculation of heathen philosophers.
Robert Roberts
