The Kingdom of God

“…for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:21)


The Kingdom of God• Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had a

dream.• Nebuchadnezzar required his counsels

to tell the dream and the interpretation.• No one could do it except for Daniel,

who was guided by God.• Daniel interpreted the dream. He told

the King that the various parts of the statue represented kingdoms which would rule the world.

• In the days of the 4th kingdom though, God would “set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left for another people…it shall stand forever.”

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=gDbQMl3l5LPoUM&tbnid=CJ_RHkyIP2yrZM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://therightscoop.com/why-the-iron-legs-on-the-statue-in-daniel-2-cannot-be-the-roman-empire/&ei=8MxSU-yFMvDlsASmq4CQBw&bvm=bv.65058239,d.aWw&psig=AFQjCNHOjVnHQj36sLmpVuYdHtFF0dRGPw&ust=1398021727168726



The Kingdom of God• There are yet today many who are confused about the

kingdom of God. • Many are still under the assumption that God is going to

someday bring the people of Israel back to glory and have a king sitting on the throne in the earthly city of Jerusalem.

• Some believe that God will do this and have some enter into heaven at the same time.

• Even among Christians, there is still a lack of appreciation for the concept of God’s kingdom.

• Today, we will begin a study into this important topic.


The Kingdom of God

Church of Christ at MedinaApril 2014


The Kingdom of God:Prophecy

• God’s promises regarding His kingdom have a direct correlation to the promises He gave to Abraham in Genesis 12.– A Great Nation – A Great Land– A Great Blessing

• “…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (12:3)

• These three promises were the beginning of God’s plan to save man through Abraham’s seed, Jesus. (Galatians 3:16)



• God delivered on His promises with respect to a nation at Mt. Sinai and the Israelites.

• God delivered on His promises with respect to a land flowing with milk and honey to Joshua and the people (Joshua 21:43-45).

http://mapcollection.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/map-of-the-12-tribes-of-israel.jpg



• Over time, the Israelites rejected God as their Sovereign ruler and asked Samuel to give them a king like the other nations. (1 Samuel 8:1-9)

• God consented, and chose Saul to be their first earthly king. (1 Samuel 9-10)



• Saul sinned and therefore his descendants were rejected from being rulers over Israel.

• Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the LORD.” And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.”(1 Samuel 15:24-29 ESV)



• God instead chose David, the son of Jesse, to be the new king over Israel.

• “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart… And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. (1 Samuel 16:6-13 ESV)



• Because of David’s faith, God continued His plan to bless all nations through Abraham’s seed by promising to build a sure kingdom from David’s descendants.



• “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” (2 Samuel 7:12-16 ESV)



• Solomon though allowed his foreign wives to pull his heart away from God.

• Therefore, God divided the kingdom of Israel in half, but kept a portion for the sake of David.

• These kingdoms could have survived, if they would have followed God’s law. (1 Kings 11:37-39)

• Yet, they rebelled and each were oppressed.

• Despite their disobedience, God would not forget His promises.



My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” (Psalm 89:28-37 ESV)



• From the time of Solomon forward, the children of Israel were oppressed and then eventually taken into captivity.

• Throughout this period of time, God’s spokesman continued to give reminders of God’s promise to bring about a kingdom through the line of David.



But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:1-7 ESV)



”In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left to another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 2:44, NASB)




“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:1-6 ESV)



• “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33 ESV)



• “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” (Matthew 3:1-3 ESV)



Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:12-17 ESV)



Conclusion• The Kingdom of God or the

Kingdom of Heaven is part of God’s overall plan. (Matthew 25:34)

• God made a promise to David that one of His descendants would have His throne established forever.

• Despite the disobedience of the Israelite nation, God never varied from His promise.


Resources

• The Nature of the Kingdom – Notes on a Lesson by Sewell Hall in 1973 @ Florida College

• The Gospel of the Kingdom by Marc Copeland• Multiple other lessons, articles, etc.


Image Resources

• The Bible Visualized• Google Images – Therightscoop.com– Mapcollection.worldpress.com– Gardenofpraise.com

The Kingdom of God

Documents

Transcript of The Kingdom of God