© 2006 by F.J O’Donoghue
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come (Matt 24:14)
One of the most important, yet misunderstood themes in scripture, is that of the kingdom of God. Some theologians have as many as three seperate kingdoms flying about in their theology, but as we shall clearly see, there is only one kingdom. In another article, I cover this in greater detail, but for the purpose of this study, I shall concentrate on the nature of the kingdom, as well as it’s implications for our lives as Christians.
Matthew 3:2 Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
With these words, John the Baptist preached to the nation of Israel in order to prepare the way for the Messiah. Matthew tells us, in the next chapter, that Jesus went forth proclaiming the identical message: “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4:17).
Again, in Matthew chapter 10:7, when Jesus sends out the twelve, he tells them that the message they are to preach is the same: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The synoptic gospels are full of teaching about the kingdom of God, which was central theme in Christ’s earthly ministry. In the interval between Christ’s resurrection and ascension, Luke tells us that our Savior was with his disciples over a period of forty days “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3).
When a persecution arose in Jerusalem, scattering the disciples, Luke tells us that Philip went down to Samaria and “preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” (Acts 8:12) and when Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, they strengthened and encouraged the saints with the words “we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22)
When Paul came to Ephesus, we are told that “he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God,” (Acts 19:8) and before leaving, he reminds them that his preaching has been about “the kingdom of God.” (Acts 20:25). At the conclusion of his history, Luke records that Paul “expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening“. (Acts 28:23).
The doctrine of the Kingdom of God, is central the gospel message. It was the message proclaimed by Jesus and His disciples as well as John, and continued to be the theme of the apostles throughout their ministry. The kingdom of God is a pivotal message of the Scriptures; it’s essence being threaded into the fabric of both the Old and New Testaments. Paul says, “The kingdom of God is not in word but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20). The kingdom of God is the sphere in which He reigns; the place where His sovereignty and dominion express themselves.
When the Pharisees came to Jesus and asked Him when the kingdom was to come, Jesus replied that “the Kingdom of God is within” (Luke 17:21). The kingdom Christ referred to was present in His ministry, His teaching, His acts of compassion and His miracles. After His temptations in the wilderness, Jesus sat in the synagogue in Nazareth and read on the Sabbath Day from Isaiah the prophet: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18,19). These are the compassionate actions that define the true reign of God. The Pharisees were confused, because they did not expect or understand the spiritual nature of God’s kingdom.
Although the message preached by John the Baptist and Jesus was the same, there is a crucial difference in perspective between them. John preached as the forerunner, whereas Jesus was himself the light of the world. The symbolic language of a physical kingdom helps us to understand the relationship we have with God’s reign.
The kingdom of God is not meat and drink (Rom. 14:17) but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. According to scripture, the kingdom of God is not of this world (John 18:36). Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom was terribly misunderstood by the pharisees precisely because they interpreted his teaching in worldly terms. Christ’s reign is divine in origin and existence. The kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Cor. 4:20).
The son of God sits on an eternal throne with righteousness in his hand. Because he himself has loved righteousness, and made it the object of his affection, he knows joy beyond his companions:
Hebrews 1:8,9 “Your throne, o God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions.”
Inheriting the Kingdom
In scripture, there are six references to the kingdom in relation to inheritance, though the inheritance is only mentioned once in a positive context (Matthew 25:34). In this verse, Jesus describes the great day of judgment, and welcomes his people into their inheritance:
Matthew 25:34 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:
In each of the other verses, the reference is to flesh and blood (which will not inherit the kingdom), and to those who commit a variety of sins (and will not inherit the kingdom):
1 Cor. 6:9,10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Cor. 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Gal. 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Eph. 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
The other group who will not enter the kingdom are religious men (an outer form of spirituality):
Matt. 21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
Matt. 21: 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
God’s kingdom is one of faith and belief, rather than religious formality.
Who are the heirs of the Kingdom of God?
One of the values of the kingdom is humility: “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). The disciples entirely missed the point of the kingdom, as they were trying to understand it carnally. Who then, are the heirs to the Kingdom of God? Jesus states that we must become like little children in order to enter.
Matt 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Further into Matthew 19, after Jesus rebukes his disciples for keeping the children away, he explains that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom. Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus reveals to us that only those who have been born from above (or born again), may see and enter the kingdom.
The central point of Paul’s ministry (recorded in Acts), is that the sons of the kingdom are not naturally born, but rather supernaturally born. His preaching about the kingdom is largely aimed at persuading Jews (and Gentiles) to believe its message.
Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
Acts 28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the law of Moses and the prophets, from morning till evening.
Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
It is believers who are the heirs and enter the kingdom. On the day of judgment, Jesus welcomes the sheep on his right hand (those who have done the will of the father), into his kingdom. The heirs of the kingdom are rich in faith:
James 2:5 Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
Those that populate the kingdom are those who have been chosen by God and whose lives demonstrate that the work of God in them is real. These are regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and rich in faith. Not everyone who says to Jesus “Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of his father in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21). The difference between the thieves and prostitutes who entered the kingdom, and the religious formalists who were shut out is very simple; the former believed, while the latter did not.
Defining the Kingdom
Interestingly, although we are commended to preach the message of the kingdom, it remains a hidden message, which is a great mystery. Jesus frequently referred to the kingdom in parables, openly declaring that he did so because the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” have been given to his disciples, but not to outsiders. (Matt 13:11 / Luke 8:10)
The kingdom of God is not perceived by the eyes of those without knowledge. Those that understand its truths, do so because their eyes have been opened to understand them. Others will hear the same message, and turn away from it without understanding.
God has chosen to reveal the nature of his reign to some, and allow them to participate, while others remain on the outside. Jesus rejoiced that his sovereign father, lord of heaven and earth, had hidden the truth from the wise and prudent while revealing it to babes; sinners crowd in, while the self-righteous remain outside.
The kingdom of God may not visible to the human eye, but it may be discerned with the eye of faith. This blessed vision ought to captivate us for the service of God, and all that we do and say, ought to be governed by this perspective. We must occupy until he comes, pressing on and confronting men with the gospel of the kingdom of God. This is our true hope for the future, not some future literal millennial reign on earth.
