The Kingdom of God in Scripture

From the beginning of time God planned a Kingdom in which mankind would be the subjects. He revealed that purpose to men and women but slowly. The first intimation of that Kingdom was to Abraham when God promised that through the patriarch's descendants every family upon the Earth would be blessed. Until then little seems to have been known of the meaning of the prophecy given to Mother Eve and recorded in Genesis 3.14,15, concerning the future of the human race.

From the birth of Isaac, one small but very significant section of mankind had a goal and purpose. It was at the departure of Abraham's grandson Jacob, when he blessed his sons (Genesis 49.8-10), that they were told something of a future king. Just how wide the rule of one of Judah's descendants would be could not be made known then and indeed the whole revelation of God's kingdom must await the development of the people of Israel.

Four hundred years later, the descendants of Israel had become a nation, led by Moses, aspiring to have their own land and leadership. But Moses like so many of God's servants, was primarily a prophet, and in deep humiliation he made no attempt to usurp the sovereignty of God. He gave just one small glimpse of Israel's desire for a king and what God would do about it in his final great addresses to the nation. It is recorded in Deuteronomy 17.14,15 (RSV) "You may indeed set up a king over you, him whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brethren you shall set as king over you, you may not put a foreigner over you." Those who came after Moses as leaders of that great people, at first followed his example to a greater or lesser extent and none aspired to kingship.

The decades passed and ran into centuries, with the people of Israel gaining power and tradition. God had given them a system of worship and an efficient economy, yet they continually slid into the imitation of their pagan neighbours. Children of Abraham and God's people they might be yet they were also children of Adam and frequently gravitated to his disobedient and rebellious level. Somehow imitation of the worship and commerce of their neighbours gratified their human cravings with disastrous results. Worshipping idols and craving this world's wealth soon lowered their moral standards. Just as they wanted gods that they could see, so they wanted a king to whom they could pay homage. Human beings are blind to the illogical consequences of their actions and observation of the nations and the world in the twenty-first century should be sufficient to convince God's people of the truth of that fact.

But God has always allowed His people individually and collectively to experiment with their own ideas, disastrous though that appeared at the time. Out of the experience, He was able to teach them of His loving purpose. So it was with Israel when they asked Samuel for a king. They were given Saul who demonstrated the truth of what God had told them about an earthly king. But He chose David who was something of the type of king He eventually intended to give them. To David was given the promise and the covenant concerning the coming Messiah ‑ and because the promised One would be a son of David, so would come the sceptre, mentioned by Jacob, to the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But first that Messiah would prove His utter worthiness to be God's permanent king over mankind, by obedient suffering and dying. So the human race would truly become His own people bought with the price of His own blood.

Through the prophets who came after David, God eventually revealed His intention of true royalty. Not until the 8^th Century BC did God begin to unfold the mystery of the Kingdom through men like Isaiah "See a King will reign in righteousness and princes will rule with justice." (Isa.32.1 NRSV), but Isa.43.15 makes it clear that Israel's Creator is still king. From Micah came that oft quoted prophecy "But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." (Mic.5.2 NRSV). Daniel made reference to the everlasting nature of that Kingdom when he delivered the meaning of the dream to Nebuchadnezzar (2.44). There is a further reference to that fact from the mouth of Darius after God had preserved Daniel in the lions' den (6.26).

The teaching about the Messianic Kingdom was sufficiently developed by the first century that John the Baptist could warn the people of Israel that they must repent for the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. This was a reference to the work of Jesus just a few months later. Jesus' teaching described how those involved in setting up that Kingdom would be selected and prepared for their work as "kings and priests". This is referred to by Peter in his first letter (2.9-10) in which he quoted from Moses' record of God's words in Exodus 19.2. Jesus' parables recorded in Matthew 13 and the other synoptic gospels clearly referred to the 'Kingdom of God' and the 'Kingdom of Heaven'. Jesus spoke of those who are close to the Kingdom, of those who will never enter it (Matt.18.3) and those to whom the kingdom belongs (Matt.19.14). He also said that God's ancient people would have the kingdom taken from them and given to more worthy recipients (Matt. 21.43). Old Testament references to God's kingdom can be applied with caution to the followers of Jesus in the same way that the Covenant parables of the vineyard, the sheepfold and the bride and groom can be applied.

So far, the kingdom described in the Gospels is about 'the Church of Jesus Christ'. How does that leave Israel and the rest of mankind, whom Jesus said He would call from the grave (John 5.28,29)? When the disciples met the resurrected Lord (Acts 1.9) they asked Him if He was about to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus told them clearly that times and seasons are not their business. Their job was, and still is, to continue the Kingdom work that He had begun. He did not say that the kingdom of Israel would not come and James in his oration through the Holy Spirit to the Jerusalem church recorded in Acts 15.16,17 spoke of David's tent being restored and the rest of mankind seeking the Lord. Glimpses of the restored Israel given in the final chapter(s) of some of the prophets' writings are yet to become a reality, not just for the descendants of Abraham but, as God promised the old Patriarch, blessing all the families of the Earth.

"I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and rebuild them as they were at the first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin against me. And this city shall be a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I shall do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity that I shall provide for it." (Jer.33.7-9 NRSV)

"I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be as the dew to Israel, he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar, his roots shall spread out, his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden, they shall blossom as the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon." (Hosea 14.4-7 NRSV).

So we could go on with Joel 3.18 "The mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the stream beds of Judah shall flow with water" and Amos 9.14 "I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them."

Zephaniah 3.14,20 "Sing aloud O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel! At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you together; yea I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes says the Lord."

These are clearly references to the natural people of Israel and in discussing them in Romans 11, Paul, apostle to the Gentiles, quoted Isa.59.27 "and so all Israel will be saved, as it is written 'The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob" "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." And in the final word of triumph in verse 32, Paul writes "For God consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all."

The wonderful spiritual qualities of the Son of God, Messiah of Israel and those who have followed Him, are best fitted to win the hearts of mankind and enable them to be cleansed and transformed.

The prophets described not only the people of the kingdom but also the paradise in which they will live. The selfishness and greed and blindness will have been healed and mankind's arch enemy, Satan, will have been restrained and will no longer create temptation. This will give Earth's ecology an opportunity to rehabilitate itself. How much it will need 'miraculous' intervention at least to begin with, is beyond our imagination. Left to itself, even now, Earth's environment readily recovers from human damage. The changes that must come are outside our experience or understanding. The whole pattern of animal life now depends on growth, reproduction and feeding ‑ many are structured to be carnivores. How will the lion and the lamb lie down together? ‑ and how can there be no more death? He who made the universe will be much more than equal to solving these problems and almost certainly, part of His plan for humanity includes its total restoration and that of the home which He first provided for them.

What is really important is the transformation of the human 'heart'. With sin cleansed and motivation being love rather than selfishness and hatred, human society and its administration will find that the selfless desire to live peaceably with neighbours is far more fulfilling. Then will come to pass the words of Hab.2.14 " the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" .