The present earth serves as a laboratory for a preparation of the fulfilling of the "eternal purpose" in which the Man Christ Jesus will be the Center and where God will be all in all.
The world government upon earth began in the hands of Noah, a fallen man, then given to Israel who forfeited this honor because of disobedience and idolatry (1 Sam. 10:11Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1)), next to the Gentiles under Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (Dan. 2:3737Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (Daniel 2:37)), and lastly it was taken over by the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:7,87After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:7‑8)) which at the end, before the reign of Christ, shall be held responsible for all earthly government and judged accordingly (Dan. 7:26-2826But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27And 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. 28Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. (Daniel 7:26‑28)).
The Kingdom of Heaven
The distinction between the kingdom of heaven and the Church is that the kingdom of heaven is a sphere of responsibility in which all profession of the present day is found and assumed to be real, but there is counterfeit material in it which will be left behind when Jesus returns. All who believe, since Pentecost, will have their part in the Father's house in heaven.
The true Church is composed of only those who are real and do not belong to earth. They are resting upon the finished work of Christ, trusting in His precious blood, and are holy and never can be lost because Christ is their life. This gives real rest of heart and true devotedness to God our Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ.
During the tenure of the Roman Empire, John the Baptist foretold of the kingdom of heaven, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:22And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2)).
In the following Scriptures, the Holy Spirit gives principles which belong to the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven" (Matt. 5:11,1211Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:11‑12)).
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7:13,1413Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13‑14)).
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23).
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, greatest of prophets born of women, will have his portion in the heavens forever.
To take the kingdom by force calls for the energy of the Holy Spirit within. There must be wholehearted resistance to Satan who uses many pleasant things of this life which are sin, especially religious, to hinder the soul from following a rejected Christ.
After Christ went on high, the kingdom of heaven commenced and will end when the Lord comes for His Church, during which time any might press into it to follow a rejected King in His absence.
The rapture of the Church will close the kingdom of heaven in mystery on earth; it will then be spoken of as "the kingdom of their Father" in heaven (Matt. 13:4343Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:43)).
The Kingdom of the Son of Man
"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, 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 Sam. 23:3,43The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4And 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 23:3‑4)).
In the kingdom of the Son of man, the millennium, every power or authority on earth and in heaven will be subject unto Christ. This is His dispensational headship.
The manifestation is the coming of Christ and the Church to reign over the earth during the millennium.
The entire creation fell with Adam, its head, and now waits for deliverance from its thraldom and servitude, deliverance by the new Head, Christ, with the Church. This will be at the manifestation of the sons of God.
The curse removed, peace and rest will be the order of the millennial day, when creation is delivered "into the liberty of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:2121Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21) N.T.).
The one-thousand-year period of peace and tranquility, such as this world has never known before, will be the last test of man before the final judgment on the wicked (Rev. 20:7-107And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:7‑10)).
Those who have owned the King during this period will be blessed forever on a new earth (Rev. 21:2,32And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:2‑3)). The remainder shall be destroyed and later judged at the great white throne.
In retrospect, we have seen the government on earth, first as an earthly monarchy under Israel; second, after Israel's failure, given to Nebuchadnezzar, a Gentile, at Babylon; and, finally, the Roman Empire ruled. We noted that during the time of the Roman Empire, after Christ had gone on high, the kingdom of heaven in mystery began and will continue until the Lord comes, then will be followed by the kingdom of the Son of man.
"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 bath 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 Cor. 15:24-2824Then 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. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27For 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. 28And 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)).
We have pictured the kingdom of God in two temporary earthly stages as the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the Son of man until the time that it will emerge among the redeemed, possessing its full, final, moral character of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as the kingdom of God, even the Father, in heaven (1 Cor. 15:2424Then 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. (1 Corinthians 15:24)), also as the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1111For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11)). In this kingdom we shall reign with Christ forever and ever. There will be no nations after the millennial day (Heb. 12:2828Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (Hebrews 12:28); Rev. 11:1515And 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); Rev. 22:55And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)).