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 An online correspondence course The Jewish nation in the first century was earnestly looking for a Messiah to reestablish the kingdom of Israel and reign in Jerusalem upon David's throne. Even the apostles of Christ apparently still possessed this hope at the time of his ascension. They asked him, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6.) Jesus did come to earth to establish a kingdom, but it was not the kind of monarchy for which the Jews sought. A major reason that Jesus was never fully accepted by his own people was that they did not comprehend his mission. DESIGNATIONS. In many places in the New Testament a divine institution composed of God's people is mentioned. It is designated in several ways. It is called "the church," "the way," "the body," "the kingdom of heaven," "the kingdom of God," "the kingdom of his dear Son," "the kingdom of Christ and of God," and simply "the kingdom." While these terms are not identical they do describe the same body. For example, Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11, and Luke 8:10 are parallel passages. Matthew speaks of the kingdom of heaven, while Mark and Luke call it the kingdom of God. Similarly, Jesus identifies the church as the kingdom. After Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus blessed him. He continued, "And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 16:18, 19.) Notice how Jesus used "church" and "kingdom of heaven" interchangeably, identifying them as the same institution. In Colossians 1:13 Paul speaks of "the kingdom of his dear Son," and then in verse 18 without break in thought describes the same entity as "the body, the church." Likewise in Hebrews 12:23 and 28 we read of "the general assembly and church of the firstborn" and "a kingdom which cannot be moved." We conclude that on earth the church and kingdom are identical. THE KINGDOM IN PROPHECY. In a previous lesson Daniel's prophecy relating to the great image was studied. King Nebuchadnezzar had in a dream seen a little stone cut out without hands smiting a great image (representing four universal empires) and breaking it in pieces. In his interpretation Daniel said of the stone, "And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:35.) Then he identified the stone as the kingdom of God by saying, "And 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.) In this verse we learn that the kingdom was to be set up during the last of the four universal empires, the Roman, and that its duration was to be perpetual. Moreover, the little stone would become a great mountain. A prophecy of Isaiah here takes on special significance. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isaiah 2:2, 3.) Thus, the kingdom would be established in Zion (Jerusalem), and would extend to all nations. The fulfillment is described in Hebrews 12:18, 22, 23, 28. "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burneth with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest...But ye are come unto mount Sion (Zion), and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn...Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." This passage speaks of the kingdom of the prophecies. The mountain is Zion from which Isaiah said the kingdom would emanate. It is an immovable kingdom corresponding to that one mentioned by Daniel which would never be destroyed. We conclude that at the time of the writing of Hebrews this kingdom had been established, and that its beginning must be sought prior to that time. THE KINGDOM ESTABLISHED. John the Baptist heralded the coming kingdom. "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3:2.) The expression "at hand" signifies that which is imminent. Soon afterwords Jesus also declared, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 4:17.) He told his disciples as he sent them forth, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 1O:7.) Later he added, "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matt. 16:28.) Mark records Jesus as saying. "Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand there, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." (Mark 9:1.) Thus, the kingdom was to be established with power during the lifetime of some then living. After his resurrection the disciples asked Jesus, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus replied, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:6-8.) He also admonished them, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high." (Luke 24:49.) The fulfillment of these promises and prophecies took place on the first Pentecost atter Christ's resurrection. Read Acts 2:1-8. At that time the apostles were baptized by the Holy Spirit according to the Lord's promise that the Holy Spirit would come upon them with power. It was during the lifetime of some to whom Jesus had foretold the coming kingdom, even as predicted. And the locality of these occurrences was Jerusalem (or Zion) as prophesied by Isaiah. Three thousand were baptized as a result of the preaching of the apostles and the church is thereafter spoken of as an existing institution. We conclude that the kingdom of God, the church, was established on this Pentecost at the time that the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit. Any theory which teaches that the kingdom was established before Pentecost is necessarily false. Likewise, the premillenial teaching that the kingdom is not yet established denies the Old Testament prophets, the promises of Jesus, and the plain statements of the apostles to the effect that the kingdom is now in existence. THE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM. The spiritual nature of the kingdom of God was never fully comprehended by the Jews. When Pilate asked Jesus if he were king of the Jews, Jesus replied, "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." (John 18:36.) When the Pharisees asked him when the kingdom of God would come, he replied, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20, 21.) In these passages Jesus taught that the kingdom would not come with outward show as would a temporal kingdom. The kingdom cannot be seen with the naked eye, because, being spiritual, it exists in the hearts of men. As people are converted to Christ and he comes to dwell in them, the kingdom spreads. Of course, the people in whom Christ dwells are visible and in that sense the kingdom is also visible, but its domain cannot be measured in geographical terms as is true of other kingdoms. The premillenial theory asserts that Jesus is yet to establish a temporal kingdom. The proponents of this view make the same mistake that the Jews did in the time of Jesus when they expected the Messiah to reign on David's literal throne in Jerusalem. They do not understand that the spiritual nature of the divine kingdom cannot be reconciled with a kingdom which IS of this world. Paul says of Christ, "Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Tim. 1:17.) If the king is eternal, immortal, and invisible, it follows that his kingdom is of the same nature. It is eternal -- without end; immortal -- it will never die; and invisible -- it is spiritual rather than temporal and the citizenship of its subjects is of another realm. "For our citizenship is in heaven." (Phil. 3:20 -- A.S.V.) GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM. Zechariah declared that the kingdom would extend "from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." (Zech. 9:10.) Isaiah foretold that all nations would flow unto it. (Isaiah 2:2.) The parables of Jesus relating to the kingdom demonstrated that from a small beginning it would experience tremendous growth. Therefore, as prophesied, the gospel of the kingdom was preached to everyone who would believe -- Jew and Gentile. (Romans 1:16.) So rapid was its spread in the first century that Paul was able to declare within a few decades that the gospel had been preached in all creation under heaven. (Col. 1:23.) Truly, as prophesied by Daniel, the little stone cut out without hands was now a great mountain that filled the whole earth. THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM. The kingdom of God will not end with the second coming of Christ. It is called "the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:11.) However, when Christ returns he will deliver up the kingdom to God, and he himself shall then be subject to the Father. (1 Cor. 15:24-28.) ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM. As shown in the lesson on "The New Birth," the only entrance to the kingdom of God is by birth of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5.) Since citizenship in the kingdom is necessary to eternal life, the new birth is essential to a home in heaven. And since the birth of water is accomplished in baptism, there is no promise of eternal life and salvation without baptism into Christ. True or false:
Give scripture locations: IN WHAT EXACT VERSE OF SCRIPTURE ARE WE TOLD THAT--
The following statements each tell something about the nature of the kingdom. Match them with the scriptures by writing the scripture locations before the corresponding statements:
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