THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Robert Meredith
There are religious questions which are asked from time to time which are controversial. In any religious query, one needs to go to the authority, the Bible. Has the kingdom of God come? Let us allow the Bible to answer.
In Daniel 2:44 one reads, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.” In this prophecy, Daniel is interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a colossal image. Daniel informs him that in the days of the fourth kingdom, Rome (the first three being: Babylonian, Medo-persian, and Grecian), God would establish His kingdom. Jesus lived and died during this particular kingdom (Lk. 2:1; Jn. 19:15).
Jesus often spoke of the coming kingdom. On one occasion He said, “Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power” (Mk. 9:1). Here, Jesus reveals for us that some in the multitude before Him on that occasion, would live to see the kingdom come with power. Either there are some two thousand year old people today, or God’s kingdom has come. The only other choice is that Jesus was mistaken, but we know God does not make mistakes. Also, consider that the kingdom was to come with power. As recorded in Luke 24:49, Jesus told the apostles to “tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Furthermore, in Acts 1:8, Jesus told them, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” Now let us consider these passages: 1) The kingdom was to come with power in the lifetime of some standing there with Jesus; 2) The apostles were to stay in Jerusalem until they were endued with power; 3) The power would come on the apostles when the Holy Spirit did. Therefore, if we can find when the apostles were in Jerusalem and received the power of the Holy Spirit, then we can find the beginning of the kingdom. Acts 2:1-4 reveals this event. It was the Pentecost following the resurrection of our Lord, fulfilling Daniel 7:13-14, which declares that the Messiah would receive His kingdom after His return to heaven. On that great day many accessed God’s grace and were added by Him to His kingdom, the church (Acts 2:47).
Colossians 1:13 and Revelation 1:9 both speak of people being in the kingdom of God. The Lord’s supper was to be observed in the kingdom (Mt. 26:29) and one can read of Christians observing it in Acts 20:7. John 3:3-5 tells us that one must be born again to enter the kingdom. Those born again in the first century were added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47). All these show that the kingdom has come.
Jesus is now reigning over His kingdom (Acts 2:33). When He returns with the clouds, it will be to deliver up the kingdom to God (1 Cor. 15:24). God’s wonderful grace has been extended to man. Jesus died for our sins and thus the spiritual kingdom prophesied of is now on earth with Christ as its head (Col. 1:18). Ephesians 3:10-11 informs us that this was God’s eternal purpose.