God’s Word reveals that
the Kingdom of God is a divine rulership with Jesus as the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords. God’s Kingdom was first prophesied
in the Book of Daniel 2:44 - In the
time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will
never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will
crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself
endure forever.
The first mention of the
Kingdom of God in the Gospels is found in Matthew 4:12 - Now when he heard that John had been
arrested, he withdrew into Galilee... Later we read
in verse 17: From that time Jesus
began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.” Jesus began his ministry in Galilee where He commenced
preaching about God’s Kingdom. The central theme of
Christ’s ministry was God’s Kingdom and what it represents, answering
questions of who, what, where and when. God’s Kingdom is Jesus
and is a literal governance/dominion, ruling on earth and in the
future. God’s Kingdom restores on earth what God had originally
intended when He created Adam and Eve in the Garden of
Eden.
In several scriptures
Jesus compared God’s Kingdom with objects/things, to which people at
the time could relate, such as, ‘a fine pearl’, ‘a hidden treasure’, ‘a
sower sowing good seed in his field’, ‘a mustard seed’, ‘a dragnet’,
and ‘the growing seed’. In each parable Jesus uses
similes by describing what God’s Kingdom is like: “The kingdom of God is as if a man should
scatter seed upon the ground, 27 and should sleep and rise night and
day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 The
earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full
grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the
sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark
4:26-29) When Jesus preached to the multitudes He likened
God’s Kingdom to hidden treasure, a fine pearl and a net: “The kingdom
of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and
covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys
that field. 45
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine
pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all
that he had and bought it. 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a
net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.”
In each of these
parables: 'one pearl of great value' and 'hidden treasure' impress the
preciousness of God’s Kingdom and how vital it is for all Christians to
seek it as for pure gold. As we read in the parable of the 'pearl'
and 'hidden treasure' a person who has found these gems is eager to sell
all of his material possessions in order to purchase one pearl and
treasure, i.e. God’s Kingdom. Jesus pointed out that
spiritual treasures are far more valuable than any earthly
treasure: Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where
thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not
break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
The parables comprising
‘the sowing seed’ and ‘the net’ are indicative of the Kingdom producing
a great harvest and, in the latter, the method of casting a wide net
and gathering/drawing as many followers as possible to God’s
Kingdom. God offers people from all over the world an open
invitation to seek the Kingdom of God with all that they have and all
that they wish. In order to inherit God’s Kingdom followers need
to accept Jesus into their hearts and to place Christ first in their life, and His righteousness. They need to value God’s
Kingdom more than pure gold and material wealth, for
spiritual treasures will never perish! God’s Kingdom
rulership offers joy instead of pain, love instead of hatred, peace
instead of war, tranquility instead of torment, perfect health instead
of disease, eternal youth instead of aging, and life instead of
death. God’s Kingdom is a literal Kingdom which represents
holy governance and theocratic dominion over all the earth wherein
righteousness dwells. Jesus is the Kingdom of God, He is King of
Kings and Lord of Lords, ruling with a scepter in love and
justice. He will rule the earth for a thousand years after which
He will hand the Kingdom to his Father, Almighty God: Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them,
and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had
been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the
word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image,
and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and
they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation
20:4) When Christ was on earth He often declared: the
Kingdom of God has drawn near. Jesus is the Kingdom (not merely
an ambassador) and all that it is. Only the true God, through
Jesus offers life everlasting filled with joy as promised in John
10:10: The thief comes only to
steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it
abundantly. When and where will
Jesus rule in God’s Kingdom? The clue is found in Revelation
11:15: Then the seventh angel
sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of
this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and
He shall reign forever and ever. God’s Kingdom will rule
the earth in the future, at Jesus’ second coming, as foretold in the
Book of Daniel (mentioned at the outset) and in Genesis 3:15 and in
Revelation. We eagerly seek and await for God’s Kingdom to rule
on earth as it is in heaven. As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: Let your
kingdom come, let your (God’s) will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Therefore, God’s
heavenly Kingdom will come down to earth adorned as a bride so that
Jesus (the bridegroom) will govern all of humankind in perfect
righteousness, justice and love: Then
I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first
earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy
city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as
a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the
throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He
will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself
will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any
mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
(Revelation 21:1-4) Amen
