The Kingdom

Matthew 12:28; Matthew 21:43; Matthew 13:30‑48; Matthew 18:32; Matthew 20:11; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 25:2; Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:12; Romans 14:7  •  5 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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Many Christians confess that they are not clear as to the various aspects of the Kingdom when they are reading their Bibles.
The three principle phases are 1. "The Kingdom of Heaven:" 2. "The Kingdom of Christ;" 3. "The Kingdom of God."
As to the past kingdom of Israel, in the days of Samuel, Israel rejected Jehovah that He "should not reign over them" 1 Sam. 8:77And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:7), and as a result Saul was anointed king. Upon his failure Jehovah provided Himself a king (David) after His own heart 1 Sam. 13:14; 16:1, 1314But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:14)
1And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. (1 Samuel 16:1)
13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13), to whom He promised that of his seed He would establish One to sit on the throne of his kingdom forever 2 Sam. 7:12, 1312And 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. 13He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:12‑13). Then in the days of Solomon the kingdom was divided and the two lines of kings are recorded in Kings and Chronicles until all was dissolved by the captivities. Nevertheless the prophets prophesied repeatedly of the future Son of David that would come to reign over Israel and all the earth in His kingdom Dan. 2:44; 7:1444And 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)
14And 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), and all the prophets.
Announcements and offers of the Kingdom were made by John the Baptist Matt. 3:1, 21In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:1‑2), and the King Himself Matt. 4:1717From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17), and then the twelve apostles Matt. 10:77And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 10:7), as "at hand." But instead of receiving the King they rejected Him. While the Son of God was here the Kingdom of God was here Matt. 12:2828But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (Matthew 12:28) (but not "the Kingdom of Heaven") then taken from them by their refusing Him Matt. 21:4343Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matthew 21:43), and slaying Him verse 39. "We will not have this man to reign over us" Luke 19:1414But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14). He was cut off by their crucifying their King, and Israel set aside Dan. 9:2626And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:26); Rom. 11:1515For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15).
He Has Gone "Into a Far Country to Receive for Himself a Kingdom, and Return" Luke 19:1212He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (Luke 19:12). While the Kingdom in Power Is Postponed During the King's Absence Here, and His Presence in Heaven, a New Thing Is Set up on the Earth, Which Sphere Is Called "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"
This expression is found in Matthew's gospel only and has special significance in the ten parables of the Kingdom as to the new and present opportunity towards Gentiles. It is the sphere of profession of Christ on earth where all who are received by baptism into it includes both real and unreal. It is what is called Christendom.
After the "wheat" is gathered into His garner (Matt. 3:12; 13:3012Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12)
30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30); John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3); 1 Cor. 15:5252In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52); 1 Thess. 4:16, 1716For 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: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17); 2 Thess. 2:11Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2 Thessalonians 2:1)) the seventieth week (heptad of years) of Dan. 9:2727And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27) "the hour of temptation shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth" Rev. 3:1010Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10); Phil. 3:1919Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Philippians 3:19). God will send mere professing Christians ("tares") strong delusion to believe Satan's lie so that they will worship the Beast and his image, demons (Rev. 9:2020And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: (Revelation 9:20)) antichrist and Satan (Rev. 13) and finally be cut off and "damned" (2 Thess. 2:1111And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2 Thessalonians 2:11)) eternally Rev. 14:9-119And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:9‑11).
Christ's Kingdom in Power
The transfiguration depicted the glory of the Kingdom of Christ. Matt. 17; Mark 9; Luke 9; 2 Peter 1.
This is the thousand years of the day of the Lord. He will have gathered out of His kingdom all things that offend (Matt. 13:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)) and He will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19:1616And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16), in righteousness, peace and blessing to all creation. It will commence when He comes in power and great glory, but wrath upon His enemies including the Roman beast and his armies, the antichrist, the Assyrian with his armies and Gog and Magog with their vast armies. Satan will be bound securely in the pit. The Psalms anticipate this glorious day when the godly of Israel will be delivered from all their enemies and be full of continual praise to Jehovah their covenant-keeping God. The glory of God will be fully displayed as Christ reigns with His bride, the church, over the vast millennial scene Eph. 1:1010That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10); Rev. 5:1313And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:13); Psa. 72; 145-150 Isa. 11, 35, 60; Zech. 14:9-219And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. 10All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. 11And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. 12And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. 13And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor. 14And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. 15And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. 16And 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. 17And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 19This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. 20In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the altar. 21Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 14:9‑21).
"Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the Father... that God may be all" 1 Corinthians 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. (1 Corinthians 15:24)
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 15:28) and "the day of God" 2 Peter 3:1212Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:12), and the eternal rest of God be blissfully enjoyed with all His redeemed Heb. 4:99There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9); Rev. 21:1-71And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And 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. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:1‑7).
The Kingdom of God
This is the general term emphasizing the character of moral suitability to God. "The Kingdom of God is... righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" Rom. 14:1717For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17). Heart reality alone answers, but where this is lacking the sham will be exposed. Compare passages in Matthew as to "the Kingdom of heaven" with like passages in Mark and Luke where "Kingdom of God" is the expression used.
This term "the kingdom of God" is used many times in Mark, Luke, Acts and occasionally in Paul's epistles where we have God's view, and only occasionally used with dispensational limitations.