The kingdom of God has several aspects and meanings in Scripture. Broadly, it is God's eternal rule over the entire universe, as He is the sovereign King over all. More narrowly, it refers to God's spiritual rule over the hearts and lives of those who submit to His authority through faith in Christ. The kingdom of God is also used to refer to the future, literal rule of Christ on earth during His millennial reign. It involves repentance, the new birth, and God ruling in the hearts of His children in preparation for eternal life in heaven.

1. The Kingdomof God – 24th
September2016
“…norwill peoplesay, ‘Here it is,’or ‘There it is,’because the kingdomof Godis inyour midst.”(Luke
17:21).
The kingdomof God is referencedofteninthe gospels aswe learnfrom Mark 1:15; “The time has
come,” he said.“The kingdomofGodhas come near. Repent and believe the goodnews!” We can also
readfrom Mark10:15; 15:43. There are many otherplacesinthe New Testament suchas Acts 28:31;
Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians15:50) that speakof same.The kingdomof Godis synonymouswiththe
kingdomof heaven.The conceptof the kingdomof God takeson variousshadesof meaningindifferent
passagesof Scripture. We can learnwhenJesussaid: Once,on beingasked by the Pharisees when the
kingdomofGod wouldcome, Jesusreplied, “The comingofthe kingdomofGodis not somethingthat
can be observed, 21
norwill people say,‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’because the kingdomofGodis in
your midst”(Luke17:20-21).
Broadlyspeaking,the kingdomof Godisthe rule of an eternal,sovereignGodover the entire universe.
Several passagesof Scripture showthatGodis the undeniableMonarchof all creation:“The LORD has
establishedhisthrone inheaven,andhiskingdomrulesoverall” We can read thisfrom Psalm103:19,
“The LORD hasestablishedhisthrone in heaven,and hiskingdomrules over all”. And,as King
Nebuchadnezzardeclared,“Hiskingdomisaneternal kingdom” We canlearnthisfrom Daniel 4:3, “How
great are hissigns,how mightyhiswonders! His kingdomisan eternal kingdom; hisdominionendures
from generationto generation”. EveryauthoritythatexistshasbeenestablishedbyGod:“Let everyone
be subject to the governingauthorities,for there isno authorityexcept that which Godhas
established.The authoritiesthat exist havebeen establishedbyGod” (Romans13:1). So,in one sense,
the kingdomof God incorporateseverythingthatis.
More narrowly,the kingdomof Godis a spiritual rule overthe heartsandlivesof those whowillingly
submittoGod’s authority.Those whodefyGod’sauthorityandrefuse tosubmittoHimare not part of
the kingdomof God. Incontrast, those whoacknowledgethe lordshipof Christandgladlysurrenderto
God’srule in theirheartsare part of the kingdomof God. Inthissense,the kingdomof Godisspiritual as
we can learnwhen JesussaidHiskingdomwasnotof thisworld: Jesus said, “Mykingdomis not of this
world.If it were, my servants wouldfightto prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders.But nowmy
kingdomisfrom another place” (John18:36).
On manyoccasionsJesus preachedthatrepentance isnecessarytobe apart of the kingdomof God as
we can learnfrom Matthew 4:17, From that time on Jesusbegan to preach, “Repent,for the kingdom
of heaven hascome near.” That the kingdomof God can be equatedwiththe sphere of salvationis
evident.We canlearnfrom John3:5–7, Jesus answered, “Verytruly I tell you, noone can enter the
kingdomofGod unlessthey are born of water and the Spirit. 6
Flesh givesbirth to flesh,but the Spirit
gives birthto spirit. 7
Youshouldnotbe surprisedat my saying,‘Youmust be born again.’ We can also
learnwhere Jesussaysthe kingdomof Godmustbe enteredintobybeingbornagain. We have to have
faithinChristas one’ssaviour,Repentforone’ssinandseeksalvationandbecome anew entityin
Christ.AsChristianswe needtoclearlyunderstand thatwrongdoerswillnotinheritthe kingdomof God.
We can learnthisfrom 1 Corinthians6:9, “Or doyou not know that wrongdoerswill not inheritthe
kingdomofGod?Do not be deceived: Neither the sexuallyimmoral nor idolatersnoradulterers nor
men who have sex withmen”.

2. There isanothersense inwhichthe kingdomof Godis usedinScripture:the literal rule of Christonthe
earthduringthe millennium(the 100year reignof Christ).Daniel saidthat“the God of heavenwill set
up a kingdomthatwill neverbe destroyed”“Inthetime of those kings,the Godof heaven will set up a
kingdomthat will never be destroyed,nor will it be leftto anotherpeople. It will crush all those
kingdomsandbringthem to anend, but it will itselfendure forever” (Daniel 2:44). Againwe can learn
fromDaniel 7:13–14, ““Inmy visionat nightI looked,andthere before me was one like a sonof
man,[a]
comingwith the cloudsof heaven. He approachedthe Ancientof Days and was ledinto his
presence. 14
He wasgiven authority,gloryand sovereignpower; all nationsandpeoplesof every
languageworshipedhim.His dominionisaneverlasting dominionthatwill notpass away,and his
kingdomisone that will never be destroyed”.
In the bible we can learnfrom manyof the otherprophetspredictedthe same thing fromObadiah
1:21; Habakkuk 2:14; Micah 4:2; Zechariah 14:9). Some theologiansrefertothe future,open
manifestationof the kingdomof Godas the “kingdom of glory”and the present,hiddenmanifestation
of the kingdomof Godas the “kingdomof grace.”But both manifestationsare connected;Christhasset
up Hisspiritual reigninthe churchon earth,and He will one daysetupHis physical reigninJerusalem.
The kingdomof God has several aspects.The Lordisthe Sovereignof the universe,andsointhat sense
His kingdomisuniversalaswe readin 1 Timothy 6:15, “…whichGodwill bring aboutin hisown time—
God,the blessed andonly Ruler, the Kingof kingsand Lord of lords…”. Atthe same time,the kingdom
of God involvesrepentance andthe new birth,asGod rulesinthe heartsof Hischildreninthisworldin
preparationforthe next. The workbegunonearth will finditsconsummationinheaven.Whenwe begin
our spiritual journeywithGodthroughourfaithand belief inJesusChrist,we change andbecome anew
entityinChrist.This‘goodwork’thatHe beganin uswill be carried on to completionuntil the dayof His
coming. “…beingconfidentofthis,that he who begana good work inyou will carry it on to completion
until the day of ChristJesus”(Philippians1:6).