Jesus and the Kingdom of God

 “The time has come…The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)

God’s Kingdom began at Creation.

• The whole idea of kingship is God's idea. When we talk about God as king, we’re talking about the rule of God Almighty over His entire creation, including all people. Daniel 4:34
• God set up a theocratic kingdom at Creation. God was the ultimate ruler. But, He chose to give Adam and Eve responsibility as God's servants in God's kingly rule over the creation.
• Because sin separated people from a direct relationship with God, God’s rule became a representative rule through delegated authorities. Genesis 10:8-12; Genesis 17:6; Genesis 35:11; Genesis 49:10; Daniel 5:21; Romans 13:1

God chose Israel to be a theocratic nation.

• God set up Israel as a theocratic nation with God as her King. The sacrificial system in the Law temporarily removed sin from the people so God could dwell with them. Deuteronomy 33:5
• Israel was not content with the theocracy and demanded a strong human ruler to be their king. But, the king of Israel was still under God’s authority.
• Faithful Israelites considered God to be their ultimate King and themselves to be part of His Kingdom, even within the nation of Israel.

The promised Messiah’s role in God’s Kingdom

• After Saul’s failure to honor God, He chose David to be the next king of Israel, a man who loved God and would represent God well as he ruled Israel. Through David, God made a promise to have one of David’s descendants to be on Israel’s throne forever. Psalm 2; Psalm 110
• Messiah as a descendant of David is one whom God had chosen to rule in His name as the official representative of God's rule over His people. The kingdom of God would once again come to earth. The ultimate fulfillment of this promise is in Jesus.

God sent Messiah Jesus to offer entrance into His Kingdom.

• At His birth, Jesus came announced as a King, qualifying for the throne of David through both Mary and Joseph. Luke 1:32-33
• At the age of 30, Jesus began to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was near and whoever repented from their lack of faith and believed in Him would enter that forever Kingdom.
• For 3 years, Jesus demonstrated that He is God as He delivered men and women from their physical and spiritual ills.
• When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey (Mark 11), the crowds understood that Jesus was presenting Himself as the Messiah, capable of bringing in the Kingdom.

The King had to suffer first to deliver his people.

• In Jerusalem, Jesus was rejected as the King—as God’s representative to rule in God’s place on earth. God's plan was to first deal with sin once and for all so He could have a restored relationship with His creation.
• The Jews of expected the Messiah to redeem Israel by overthrowing the rule of the Romans and establishing an earthly kingdom. But, the Messiah would first deliver His people spiritually; that is, to redeem them from sin. Later, Jesus the Messiah will deliver His people from their physical enemies, when He sets up His Kingdom on the earth.

God’s Kingdom—Jesus in heaven

• The time between Jesus’ ascension to heaven and His return to earth is called the “until” time (Luke 21:24). Every believer in Jesus Christ for the past 2000 years is part of God’s Kingdom, now headquartered in heaven where our King Jesus resides and has all authority over heaven and earth. Ephesians 1:21-23; Philippians 2:9-11

God’s Kingdom—Jesus on Earth

• The Bible teaches that at the end of a 7-year period commonly called “The Great Tribulation,” Jesus Christ will bring His physical Kingdom to Earth for 1000 years with Jerusalem as His capital. Revelation 1:5; 17:14; 19:16; 20:4
• In this earthly Kingdom, Jesus Christ will be the supreme political ruler as well as the spiritual leader and object of worship. The government of Christ will be one of absolute authority and power. It will also be one of righteousness and peace. All Christians will have been given resurrection bodies and will participate with Christ in administering His earthly kingdom. Psalm 2; 72; Isaiah 11; Daniel 7:13 14

The Kingdom of God is the dynamic rule of God manifested in Christ to destroy His enemies (sin, death, and Satan) and to bring to men the blessings of God's reign. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 6 that we should pray for His Kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done on Earth as it is done in heaven. That will happen after the “until time” in which we now live.

Let Jesus satisfy your heart with hope, healing, and love as you get to know Him and trust Him more each day.

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