Over 700 years before Jesus was born, Isaiah the prophet wrote about the latter days. He said that the LORD’s house would be established, all nations would flow to it, and the law would go forth from Zion (Isa 2:1-4).
Six hundred years before Jesus’ birth, Daniel interpreted a dream of Nebuchadnezzar’s that gave a timeline for when God would establish a kingdom that would never be destroyed. He predicted that it would happen during the time of the third kingdom after Babylon (Dan 2:44).
Rome was the third kingdom after Babylon. It arose after the Medo-Persian and Greek nations. Jesus was born, lived, and died under Roman rule. When He began preaching, He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
“At hand” means near. Jesus taught that the kingdom the prophets foretold would begin soon. It would happen during the lifetime of those who heard Jesus. “And He said to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power’” (Mark 9:1).
Some teach that Jesus had planned to establish a kingdom on the earth during that time, but He failed and was crucified. However, before He said the kingdom would come in the lifetime of those who heard Him, Jesus was already preparing His disciples for His death and resurrection! “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31).
After Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, He told His apostles to wait at Jerusalem where they would receive power and be witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:4-8). When the Day of Pentecost came, these men received the promise Jesus gave, and they preached (proclaimed what they had witnessed) in Jerusalem (Zion). Those who received their preaching were baptized, and the Lord added to the church (kingdom, Matt 16:16-19) those who were being saved (Acts 2:37-47).
From that point on, the kingdom is talked about as being present and consisting of those who follow Christ, the King (Col 1:13; 1 Tim 6:13-16) until Jesus delivers His kingdom to the Father at the end of the world when death is defeated (1 Cor 15:20-28).
Are you in the kingdom? You can’t be if you have been listening to those who tell you it has not come yet. Have you been teaching others to wait for the kingdom that is already here? Why?
The kingdom has come. Don’t miss it.
If you have questions or comments about things you think differently about the kingdom than what I’ve said, by all means, ask. Say it. Let’s test all things and hold fast to what is good (1 Thess 5:21). Search the Scriptures (Acts 17:11).
Let me know what you think.
But be sure you don’t miss the kingdom,
Van
