The Kingdom of God
Studying the kingdom of God has been one of the most encouraging studies of the past year. Christ is coming to bring His kingdom, and He will reign forever!
This past semester, I wrote a paper summarizing my understanding of the kingdom of God. I hope it gives you a taste of the glory to come!
The Kingdom of God
God is King from eternity past to forever (Psa 29:10). He sits enthroned in the heavens (Psa 2:4) above the earth (Isa 40:22) and will reign forever and ever (Rev 22:5). However, His kingdom plan for the earth is not simply a generalized kingship in which He is sovereign over all. Rather, God’s kingdom plan is revealed in the Scriptures as a particular plan interwoven with redemptive history. God promised to establish His perfect kingdom on earth through the person and work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that He would dwell with His people forever and ever.
The Kingdom Plan in the Old Testament
The kingdom program through the Old Testament can be summarized as ‘kingdom through covenant.’
Man as God’s Viceroy
God made man and woman in His image that they might rule over all the earth as His viceroys (Gen 1:25–28). He gave them kingdom responsibilities: Adam was a steward of the garden (2:15), and Eve was to be his helper (2:18). As his first act of rulership, Adam named the beasts and the birds (2:19–20). But Adam and Eve sinned (3:1–13), forfeiting access to the tree of life (3:22) and to the presence of God (3:8, 23–24). With the fall of humanity, the kingdom plan seemed shattered. But God promised that the woman’s future seed would crush Satan’s head (3:15), signifying that man would somehow defeat Satan and again reign as God intended. Thus begins God’s redemptive kingdom plan.
Abraham, the Father of the Jews
After the time of Noah and the flood, Abraham, the father of the Jews, went forth from Ur to receive an inheritance from God (Gen 12:1). He believed God’s promises, and God reckoned it to Him as righteousness (15:6). God made a unilateral covenant to Abraham promising the following: (1) to make of his descendants a great nation (12:2, 15:1–5), (2) to give him the land of Israel (12:7, 15:7–21, esp. 18), and (3) to bless him and make him great that all the nations might be blessed through him (12:2–3, 22:18, 26:4, 28:14). The promise passed down to Abraham’s descendants (26:3–6, 26:24, 27:27–29, 28:13–22, 35:10–12, 35:11–12), and they became to be known as the people of Israel (32:24–32, 35:10).
Israel went down to Egypt to escape famine (Gen 50:10–21), but after a few generations, they were enslaved (Exod 1:8–14). After 430 years (12:40), God freed Israel from Egypt through the ministry of Moses (12:50–51). He gave the Law (20:1–17) that Israel would be set apart as His people—a kingdom of priests, a holy nation (Exod 19:5–6; Deut 7:6), set high above all other nations for praise, fame, and honor (Deut 26:19). He promised great blessing for obedience to the Law (Lev 26:1–13; Deut 28:1–14) and terrible curses for disobedience (Lev 26:14–39; Deut 28:15–68). Yet, God also swore, even if Israel disobeyed, that He would never reject them utterly (Lev 26:40–45; Jer 33:20–26).
Israel’s unique relationship with God was marked by His presence among them (Exod 13:21–22, 25:8), particularly through the tabernacle (40:34–38). When they entered the Promised Land, they conquered the nations by God’s might and possessed the land as He had promised (Josh 21:43–45).
The Kingdom of Israel
Saul was anointed as king over Israel (1 Sam 10:1) to unite the twelve tribes of the nation (10:17–24), but God rejected him for his sin (15:10–11, 35) and anointed David to be king in his place (1 Sam 16:12–13, 2 Sam 5:1–5). God swore to David that his descendant would reign over Israel forever (2 Sam 7:10–16).
David’s son, Solomon, brought Israel to its zenith of glory. The house of the Lord was built (1 Kings 6) where the Lord’s glory dwelled (8:11–13). The nations came to witness Israel’s splendor (10:1–13) just as Solomon prayed (Psa 72:11). Israel flourished economically (1 Kings 10:14–29) and became powerful. The nations flocked to learn of Solomon’s God-given wisdom (10:23–25). It seemed that the nation was realizing the fullness of the Abrahamic promise.
But Israel committed idolatry against the Lord (1 Kings 11:1–10; Isa 2:8) and forsook Him (Jer 1:16, 2:13). Thus, the Lord split the nation (1 Kings 12:15–19) and poured out judgment upon the peoples (Jer 5:9, 29). Although the northern and southern kingdoms continued for many generations of kings, they never approached the days of the Solomonic kingdom. Finally, God exiled them from the land (Jer 5:19, 16:13), just as He foretold (Lev 26:14–30; Duet 28:15–68). Again, God’s kingdom plan seemed in danger of failing.
But the prophets promised better days for Israel, specifically through the new covenant (Jer 31:31–38, c.f. Ezek 11:16–20, 36:22–38). In the new covenant, God would write the Law upon their hearts (Jer 31:33) and they would know Him truly (31:34), be His kingdom people (24:7), and enjoy all the promised blessings. He would gather them out of exile and bring them back to the land, and they would fear Him (Jer 32:37–44; Ezek 36:24, 28).
The prophets also promised a child who would rule from the throne of David forever (Isa 9:6–7). The servant of God (Isa 42:1–9, 49:1–13, 50:4–11, 52:13–53:12), who is Israel (49:3), would gather Israel (49:5) and atone for Israel (53:3–10). But the prophets did not simply speak of blessing upon Israel. They also showed how the kingdom of Israel would bring the nations to God (Isa 2:2–4, 19:16–25, 49:5–7) that all the world might worship Him.
These great promises pointed the Old Testament saints to look to a future kingdom and place their hope in the kingdom which would crush all other earthly kingdoms and endure forever (Dan 2:44).
The Kingdom Plan in the New Testament
The kingdom program in the New Testament can be summarized as ‘kingdom through Christ.’
The impact of Christ’s person and work is impossible to overvalue, but He does not change the meaning of previous revelation. The New Testament expands rather than reinterprets the covenant promises in the Old Testament; all that God promised to His people Israel—the physical descendants of Abraham—will come to pass exactly as the Old Testament specified.
Christ’s First Coming
The Lord Jesus Christ, Yahweh’s anointed King (Psa 2:4–9), is the embodiment of the kingdom (Luke 9:27–35). Jesus is also true Israel (Matt 2:15, c.f. Num 24:5–9), the Servant of God who singularly represents the nation—just as Adam represented humanity (Rom 5:14–21). When He was born, He was called Immanuel “God with us” (Matt 1:23), the King of the Jews (Matt 2:1–2, 21:9; John 1:11), the Ruler and Shepherd of Israel (Matt 2:6, c.f. Micah 5:2), and the Son of David (Matt 1:1, 12:23) who would reign upon the Davidic throne over an eternal kingdom (Luke 1:30–35).
When Jesus came to earth, the kingdom of heaven was at hand—that is, near (Mark 1:15). He came proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom (Matt 4:23, 9:35; Mark 1:15, Luke 16:16). He did miracles that typified the kingdom (Matt 4:23, 9:35). He taught the truths of the kingdom (Matt 5:1–7:29; Mark 4:1–34). The king had come.
But Israel rejected Christ their king and crucified Him (Matt 27:25). Yet this, too, was part of God’s kingdom plan, predetermined according to His foreknowledge (Acts 2:23). By death, Christ crushed death and Satan (Heb 2:14, c.f. Gen 3:15), and resurrected from the dead (Acts 3:15; 1 Cor 15:3–8), victorious over sin, Satan, and death (Rom 6:9; Acts 2:24, 3:15).
After appearing to His disciples and teaching about the kingdom for forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3), Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the throne of God the Father, until the time of His kingdom comes (Psa 110:1–2, 5–7; cf. Matt 22:44; Mark 12:35; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:13). He will remain in His session in heaven as the superior, perfect high priest for all believers (Heb 4:14, 7:26–28) until the time of restoration—the kingdom—comes (Acts 3:21).
The Jews’ rejection of Christ led to the immediate extension of kingdom salvation to all the Gentiles (Acts 8:1–17, 26–39; 10:28–48; 11:17–18; Rom 1:16, 11:11–12, 28–32). This began the church age, an era unknown to the Old Testament. In the church age, the gospel of the kingdom is preached to both Jew and Gentile (Ac 18:4, 20:21; Rom 1:16). In the early church, the Jews were first commanded to repent to be saved (Acts 2:14–40, 3:12–26, 4:8–12 5:29–32), as their corporate repentance would usher in the kingdom of God through Israel (2:36, 39; 3:19–21, 26; 4:11; 5:31). But the gospel quickly took hold among the Gentiles (Rom 11:13–16) as a special provision of grace because of Israel’s rejection of the gospel (11:17–32).
Whether Jew or Greek, all who believe in Christ believe the good news of the kingdom (Acts 8:12, 19:8, 20:25), are transferred into His kingdom (Col 1:13), and are made citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20). They are commanded to pray for God’s kingdom to come, (Matt 6:10), encouraged to seek His kingdom first (Matt 6:33), urged to enter the kingdom through tribulation (Acts 14:22), and promised that they will inherit the kingdom (Heb 12:28, Jas 2:5, Rev 1:9).
Clearly, the kingdom of God is bigger than the nation of Israel. But, God swore to never abandon Israel (Hos 11:8–11; Isa 49:14–26, esp. 15; Rom 11:1, 29). Although believers in the church are citizens of the kingdom, the church is not Israel, nor is it the kingdom of God. God’s plan for the kingdom to come through Israel had not changed; the kingdom is yet future.
The church age will end when Christ calls His saints to heaven (1 Thess 4:13–18). In the tribulation before Christ’s return (Dan 9:27, Matt 24:9–22), the whole world will suffer under the judgment of God (Rev 5:1–19:10, cf. Dan 12:1).
Christ’s Second Coming
When Christ comes again as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:6), He will finish the tribulation by descending upon Mt. Zion and killing all those who rebel against Him (Rev 19:11–21; Matt 16:27; Zech 14:1–21, esp 3–4). After having Satan bound (Rev 20:1–3), He will establish His kingdom on earth for a literal one-thousand years (Rev 20:4–6)—the millennial kingdom. This kingdom is an earthly kingdom wherein Christ will reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem (Jer 23:5–6, 33:14–15; Ezek 37:24–28) and Israel will experience all the promised kingdom blessings (Lev 26:1–13, Deut 28:1–14). The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covers the sea (Hab 2:14).
To begin the millennium, God will resurrect all the saints who died before Christ’s second coming that they may reign with Christ (Rev 20:4–7, c.f. 1:6, 5:9–10; 1 Thess 4:17). This includes both old covenant saints (Ezek 37:24–28; Dan 7:22, 27) and new covenant saints (1 Cor 15:23, 50–57). However, not all of inhabitants of the kingdom will be resurrection saints, for the saints who survive the tribulation will enter the millennium still with mortal bodies (possibly Rev 7:9–17, esp. 14); these mortal saints will multiply, subdue the earth, and rule (c.f. Gen 1:28).
In this age of human history, God’s kingdom plan will come to the fore. The curse of sin will be mitigated, but not fully eliminated, for death still exists (Isa 65:20). Still, in this kingdom, earthly conditions will be ideal for the whole world, with long life, material prosperity, righteous peace (Isa 65:17–25), and unity around the God of Jacob (Isa 2:2–4). The temple will be rebuilt and the twelve nations of Israel will be reordered (Ezek 40–48) that Israel might teach all the nations about the only true and living God (Zech 8:20–23, Isa 19:16–25).
The Eternal Kingdom
After a thousand years of prison, Satan will be released to rebel once more (Rev 20:7–9). God will judge him and his armies with fire from heaven; Satan, the first usurper of God’s kingdom (Isa 14:12–14), will be thrown into the lake of fire to be tormented forever (Rev 20:9–10). Then, God will judge all unbelievers before His great white throne and cast them into the second death, the lake of fire (Rev 20:11–15).
Then, God’s eternal kingdom will begin. Having thus cleansed the earth of all sin, even the curse (Rev 22:3), God will renew all things (Rev 21:5) to make a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1). Heaven will come down in the form of a holy city, the new Jerusalem (21:2). The throne of God and the Lamb will be in Jerusalem (22:3), and nations and kings will bring their glory into the city (21:24–26). Christ will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, for every enemy, even death, has been subjected to His reign (1 Cor 15:24–28, Rev 21:4). Finally, God Himself will dwell among men (Rev 21:3), as He intended from the beginning (Gen 3:8); and He, with His saints, will reign in His eternal kingdom forever and ever (Rev 22:5).
God’s kingdom is the believer’s hope. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20).[1]
[1] See Michael J. Vlach, He Will Reign Forever, 2nd ed. (Silverton, OR: Lampion House, 2020) for an in-depth study of the kingdom of God in the entire Bible.
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