Establishing Foundations: The Kingdom of God

We need to be more kingdom focused than church focused. What is the kingdom? Here is a small overview of the 47-page outline we teach in the school. There are four periods in the OT where God's rule as King can be clearly seen.

In the "Mosaic" period (Lev.-Deu-Num.-Ex.) Israel learned that God reigned as King through his defeat of the enemies of Egypt in Exodus 1-15.

During the "Davidic" monarchy, God chose to exercise his rule among his people through a representative, David, a man of his own choosing.

In the "Augustan Age", during the reign of Solomon, the son of David, the kingdom or rule of God is most clearly seen as Israel reached the height of her glory.

The silent years (400 BC to the New Testament) brought disillusionment as the sin in Israel became so bad that the prophets began to predict a coming day of judgment which they called, "the day of the Lord." The term meant restoration and judgment.

There was talk of another king - the son of David - the Messiah ("anointed one") who would come and crush the power of foreign oppressors and lead Israel to her destiny. This is what the first century Jews were looking for, and how they understood Jesus when he spoke concerning the kingdom.

John the Baptist opens the New Testament kingdom by preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Mat. 3.2) The interpretation means, "so close you can touch it." Jesus ministry upon the earth also had the kingdom as the central theme. He built on John's message and continued even further. He said: "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God... because that is why I was sent."(Luk. 4.43) "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness." (Mat. 9.35)

The message of the kingdom was passed on to the disciples when Jesus sent out the 12 with these instructions: "As you go, preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons." ( Mat. 10.7); see also Luk. 9.1. The 70 were sent out to do the same: "When you enter a town, heal the sick who are there and tell them, The kingdom of God is near you." (Luk 9.9). The kingdom was also the last thing Jesus taught. "He appeared to them over a period of 40 days and taught them about the kingdom of God." (Acts 1.3) The book of Acts ends with Paul in jail in Rome where, "Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 28.31). One of the key fulfillment's that is to happen is the "Kingdom message and not a denominational message will be preached to the known world. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached as a witness among all the nations and then the end will come" (Mat. 24.14).