Table of Contents
As I study the Gospels in the New Testament I noticed that Jesus’ focus was on the Kingdom of God. I have not heard many teachings on the Kingdom, but plenty on salvation. Salvation (giving your allegiance to the Lordship of Jesus Christ) is how we gain access to the Kingdom. But what is this Kingdom like? That is what I hope to help you understand.
This is the second post in the Kingdom of God series. You can read the first post here.
I found 128 references to the kingdom in the New Testament. Everything Jesus taught had to do with the kingdom. He used many parables to teach what the Kingdom of God was like. These were not parables about a religion.
Therefore one can assume that man has turned the simplicity of becoming part of God’s kingdom into a religion of do’s and don’ts. Jesus Christ did all the work needed to regain our place in the Kingdom of God.
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:17
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
Matthew 9:35
However, in addition, man has added other works to earn the right to be part of God’s kingdom. These are traditions of men, not God, that many take as “gospel” truth.
The Answer is Not Religion
We can’t replace the void inside us with religion. Not one of the 4,200 different religions will meet our needs. Therefore, religion is not the answer to mankind’s longing. Jesus came to restore us to the position we lost in the Garden of Eden. We lost our position as rulers and heirs of the Kingdom of God. Through Christ, we can once again regain our legal rights to the kingdom.
God made man in His image and gave him dominion over the earth and its creatures. Man’s mandate was to rule the earth under the authority given to him by his Creator God. Mankind was not to rule over other men, that job was God’s.
This perspective helps me understand the big picture of Heaven, Hell, and our lost purpose. That longing for what we lost was placed in us by God, to draw us to Him.
The Power of a Democracy
Of all the worldly governments, our democracy here, in the USA has been the best of all governments ever established. In my opinion, we have two reasons that helped make our country the envy of the world.
First, we feared our Creator God and set up our country to reflect His morals and values as outlined in the Bible. Second, is the Constitution and Bill of Rights our founders put into place. Because we set out to honor God, we are hated around the world due to Satan’s influence.
Unfortunately, both God and our Constitution are being ignored and twisted more and more each day.
A Couple Defects
Nevertheless, democracy does come with a few defects. One such defect is its fundamental and major principle of “majority rule.” In essence, the problem with democracy (rule of the people). is the vote of many can be the wrong vote.
It is possible for the people, to legitimize immoral values, desires, beliefs, aspirations, and preferences. When our laws contradict the teachings of God, we are on dangerous ground.
Another weakness of democracy is that it is not absolute. Its concepts and laws can change like the wind. It can be easily influenced by the changing culture. Because citizens can be so easily manipulated, they can be induced to abandon their rights and transfer them to the government. As in the surveillance rights after the tragedy on 9/11.
Who Made You King?
Many in our western culture have a limited understanding of how a kingdom works other than what we may see in the movies or read in novels. Such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round-table or perhaps the 3 Musketeers, (one of my personal favorites.)
In a kingdom what we need to understand is that the king is the central component of his kingdom. Moreover, a king is the ultimate and only source of authority in his kingdom.
Now if we were talking about an earthly kingdom, that could have potential problems as mankind is sinful and greedy. Even King David a man after God’s own heart, messed up on occasion.
In the Kingdom of God, the authority of God the King is exclusive and absolute. His word is law and His will is carried out even to the farthest reaches of His realm. And God’s realm is infinite.
God doesn’t need us to make Him King. We can only acknowledge Him as King.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
Isaiah 6:1-3
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.
1 Chronicles 29:11
In conclusion, this King cares for His citizens. His rule is a righteous rule. The world needs a righteous, benevolent King. Jesus Christ is that King; most don’t, or will not recognize Him as King, (yet).
In my next post, we will look a little deeper into Kings and kingdoms.
For more on this subject, I recommend the following Resources:
