THE
TIMING OF THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
After
trying to exhaust the Bible's teachings on the KINGDOM OF GOD (or KINGDOM OF
HEAVEN in Matthew), I have concluded that the Kingdom of God as a reality comes
in 5 stages. 4 of these have already taken place. Even while awaiting the final
stage, we who are in subjection to Jesus are already a part of the Kingdom,
which is very much a reality on this earth, even though many still reject the
Kingship of Jesus. As we learn from Jesus's prayer to the Father in Matt. 6:10,
the Kingdom of Heaven exists where the will of God is done. And His prayer is
for that will to be done and that Kingdom to be present "on earth as it is in
heaven." Jesus's main focus in His ministry was talking about THE KINGDOM, so
the concept must be pretty important. Just saying KINGDOM=CHURCH is an
over-simplification and waters down the power of the proclamation of Jesus's
Reign over all creation. Plus, try plugging in CHURCH every time you see
KINGDOM in the New Testament, and you will see that they are not completely
synonymous. We try to equate them based on Matthew 16, but the two terms are
used differently elsewhere in the New Testament. The church is the body of
believers in the reign of Jesus, so it is the subjects of the Kingdom, but not
the Kingdom itself. The Kingdom is the Reign of Christ and the territory (which
hearts, which families, which communities) in which He reigns (in heaven or
earth).
Here are
what I see as the 5 stages of the coming of the Kingdom. Each phase marks an
announcement to a particular group of the reality of the Kingdom of Heaven's
presence on Earth. And I think all these stages were part of the pre-determined
plan of God. He did not need to change course. Please examine these Scriptures
to see if these things are true, and I welcome dialogue on this issue.
1)
The Ministry of Jesus
a.
Luke 11:20 -- "If I by the
finger of God cast out demons, then you know that the Kingdom of God has come
upon you"
b.
Luke 16:16 -- "Since John,
the gospel of the Kingdom of God has been preached" (John declares it's near in
Matt. 3:2)
c.
Luke 17:20-21 -- Either the
Kingdom is "in your midst" or "inside you" (depending on translation)
d.
Mark 1:15 -- "The Kingdom of
God is at hand"
e.
Matt. 11:11-13 -- "From the
days of John the Baptist until NOW the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN suffers
violence"...Sounds like a present Kingdom
f.
Matt. 21:31 -- Greek tense is
"are getting in" the Kingdom
g.
Matt. 23:13 -- Pharisees are
already shutting off the Kingdom from people and not entering themselves...Sounds
like a present Kingdom
2)
The Ascension (3 events
wrapped into one stage)
a.
The Crucifixion (sin
conquered... New Covenant inaugurated)
b.
The Resurrection (death
conquered...Jesus declared the Son of God with POWER -- Rom. 1:4)
c.
The Ascension
i.
Dan.
7:9-22 -- Picture #1 of the Ascension
1.
The scene is in the throne
room of God, looking DOWN at the Son of Man coming UP.
2.
Jesus is pictured as the
conquering King returning home after victory. He has defeated sin. He has
defeated death. He has defeated Satan. So He receives His throne as conquering
King ("THRONES were set up" -- probably one for the ANCIENT OF DAYS and one for
the SON OF MAN).
3.
He receives a KINGDOM,
DOMINION, GLORY, etc.
4.
7:18 -- The saints receive
the KINGDOM as well to possess it forever (Christians' stewardship of the
reality of Jesus' reign)
5.
7:19-22 -- Conflict between
the Roman Empire and the established KINGDOM OF GOD
ii.
Rev.
12:1-12 -- Picture #2 of the Ascension (in my view)
1.
12:5 -- "Caught up" appears
to be Jesus' ascension back to heaven
2.
12:7-9 -- "War in heaven"
seems to be a battle in the heavenly realm around the mission of Jesus. Jesus
completes His mission, so Satan is defeated (Luke 10:18 -- "I was watching Satan
fall from heaven like lightning").
3.
12:10-12 -- Now the KINGDOM
truly belongs to Jesus.
4.
12:10 -- "Now the SALVATION,
and the POWER, and the KINGDOM OF OUR GOD AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS CHRIST HAVE
COME"
iii.
The
Ascension marks the announcement in heaven and the entire spiritual realm that
Jesus has conquered and is now reigning as King. So the Kingdom has come. Jesus
is on the throne.
3)
Pentecost
a.
Matt. 16:19 -- Peter will have
the "keys of the kingdom"
b.
Mark 9:1 -- "Some of those
standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come
with power" (granted, this could be Pentecost or Jerusalem's Destruction)
c.
Acts 1:3-8 -- In answer to
the question about when the Kingdom will be restored to Israel (1:6), Jesus
responds with, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (1:7).
d.
Acts 2:29-36 -- A major part
of Peter's Pentecost Sermon is Jesus inheriting the throne of David.
i.
2:36
-- "God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Anointed One)"
ii.
Peter
is announcing (declaring) on earth the results of the crucifixion,
resurrection, and ascension: JESUS IS KING AND THE KINGDOM IS HERE. The
coronation has already taken place in heaven, and the announcement has already
been made there. Now the same announcement is made on earth just days later.
4)
Destruction of Jerusalem
(A.D. 70)
a.
Luke 21:20, 29-32
b.
About 40 years after Jesus'
ministry and the establishment of the church. So the Kingdom has already been
here and active.
c.
But the Jews are still
holding onto the idea of a kingdom of Israel being restored. Jerusalem's
destruction shatters that dream. It's an announcement to the world that
physical Israel will never again possess THE THRONE.
5)
Jesus' Final Coming (This is not the same as
"millennialism")
a.
The Kingdom has been active
and present all along but only in the end will EVERY KNEE BOW and EVERY TONGUE
CONFESS Jesus as Lord
b.
Matt. 7:21-23 -- "On THAT
DAY" (Day of Judgment)...speaking of entrance into the final stage of the kingdom
c.
Matt. 8:11 -- could be the
final stage of the kingdom
d.
Matt. 25:31-34 -- Day of
Judgment -- the sheep will "inherit the kingdom"
e.
Matt. 13:36-43 -- Wheat and
tares grow together in what appears to be THE KINGDOM. But the tares will not
participate in the final stage of the kingdom "at the resurrection of the dead"
f.
1 Cor. 15:20-28 -- All rival
kingdoms will be abolished, including any reign that death still has. Then He
willingly hands the Kingdom back to the Father when all have been subjected to
the reign of Christ.
g.
Rev. 11:15-19 -- Those who
are part of the Kingdom on earth becoming one with the heavenly Kingdom
h.
2 Pet. 1:5-11 -- "Entrance
into the eternal kingdom...WILL BE supplied to you" (if the virtues are yours and
increasing...which comes after becoming a Christian)
i.
2 Tim. 4:1 -- "To judge the
living and the dead, and by His appearing and HIS KINGDOM" (judgment context)
j.
2 Tim. 4:18 -- "The Lord...WILL
BRING me safely to HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM"
k.
Acts 14:22 -- "Strengthening
the souls of the disciples (Christians who are already part of the
Kingdom)...saying 'Through many tribulations we must ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD'."
He appears to be talking of a future entrance.
l.
Jesus' Final Coming marks
the final stage of the KINGDOM associated with judgment of those who have
already rejected the Kingdom on earth. Now Jesus's Reign is announced to all
creation (Phil. 2:9-11).
Conclusion:
1)
Jesus's
Ministry: The message of the Kingdom arriving on
earth is declared and witnessed through miracles, demons being defeated, and
Jesus's teachings
2)
The
Ascension: Jesus returns home as conqueror of sin
and death and has a throne prepared for Him to reign at the right hand of the
Father. The Kingdom is given to Him. Satan knows he's defeated, and the reality
of the Kingdom is proclaimed to the entire heavenly realm.
3)
Pentecost:
Peter's message proclaims the reality of Jesus's reign on God's Throne. What
has already been proclaimed in heaven is now known on earth. With the keys of
the Kingdom, Peter's message opens up the Kingdom to every tribe and tongue.
4)
The
Destruction of Jerusalem: The Jews who held
onto a hope of an earthly throne with a Jewish Messiah reigning from Jerusalem
have their hope crushed with another message that God's Kingdom has already
come and they're missing it.
5)
Jesus's
Final Coming: The final stage of the
Kingdom, which will last eternally, begins. The announcement is made to all
creation so that every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord.
What has been the Kingdom of heaven in heaven and the Kingdom of heaven on
earth will become one for all eternity with all in subjection to Christ. Jesus
then hands the Kingdom back to the Father so that "God may be all in all."
To His Glory,
Caleb
