At some point, my eyes were opened. I began to see it everywhere. I wondered: How did I miss this? But, surprisingly, I had missed it over and over again.
To what am I referring? I’m talking about the kingdom of God in the pages of Scripture. Somehow I read Scripture, and books about Scripture, but I missed it. I heard Scripture preached, but I missed the connection to the kingdom.
The theme of the kingdom of God is a dominant theme, perhaps the most dominant, and it is found everywhere throughout the Bible. After I understood the main theme of Scripture, I began to see how its pages, stories, books, covenants, and characters were all woven together. And, as a result, I understood Scripture better.
This "kingdom awakening" also infused a level of encouragement, joy, and hope into my life, which was nothing short of transformational. The kingdom is not just a theoretical idea. The kingdom of God is a present, living reality with massive future implications also.
It’s my prayer that after reading this article you’ll see what I saw, and consequently, your Bible reading and life will also be transformed by the power of the Spirit. The following article will be broken into two sections: (1) the kingdom of God in Scripture and (2) the kingdom of God in your life.
The Kingdom of God in Scripture
Due to the length of this article, this will not be an exhaustive study on the kingdom of God. However, it will be thorough, and I'll attempt to pick out some of the prominent verses on this subject. This section will be broken into two main sections: (1) the kingdom of God in the Old Testament and (2) the kingdom of God in the New Testament.
The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament
The kingdom is a prominent theme in the Old Testament. The following will show: (1) the kingdom created; (2) the kingdom in chaos; (3) the divine king rejected; and (4) the earthly kings fall short.
First, we can see the kingdom created. The first verse of Scripture shows the king creating his kingdom. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). The opening chapter of Scripture demonstrates a powerful, sovereign king creatively speaking things into existence. Towards the end of the chapter, after God creates people, we read this:
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." 29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.
-Genesis 1:26-29 ESV Some theologians argue that this is kingdom language and, though the word covenant is not explicitly mentioned, it resembles covenantal language. Therefore, as it is argued, this is a king establishing a covenant with his people (which happens to be something that kings actually did during the time period when Moses wrote Genesis).
Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum summarize:
Careful exegesis of Genesis 1-3 has shown that at creation, God made humankind as his image and according to his likeness. In the cultural and linguistic setting of the fifteenth century B.C. and according to the literary techniques embedded in the text and the framework provided by the metanarrative, this speaks of man's relationship to God as son and his relationship to creation as servant king. In the ancient Near East, both the context of the family and the relationship of the king and people is covenantal, requiring loyal love, obedience, and trust.[1]Or, in other words, people were created to be vice-regents of the king. God, the king, establishes his kingdom through covenants with people.
However, second, we then see the kingdom descend into chaos. Only three chapters into Holy Scripture, we can see chaos happening in the kingdom. The serpent, whom we later find out is Satan (see Rev. 12:9), is seeking to subvert God in his kingdom. He creates suspicion about God's character and suddenly, instead of people taking dominion over the living things, we see a living thing deceiving people. Adam and Eve sin and commit treason against the king. The effects of sin on creation are massive. Now sin, sickness, and suffering have entered the world.
God curses the snake, Eve, and Adam, but there is a glimmer of hope. God says, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15). This has been understood as the protoevangelium, or in other words, the first time the gospel was preached. (This word is a Greek word composed of two Greek words meaning "first" and "gospel" or "good news.")
God’s people continue to grow and multiply upon the earth. Some periods appear successful while others appear almost hopeless (particularly when they are in captivity). Various leaders speak for God. To put it simply, prophets speak to people on behalf of God while priests speak to God on behalf of people.
As time goes by, the people get restless without a king. The assumption is that God was their king. They didn't need an earthly king like the other nations. They had a perfect, divine king.
But, third, eventually the divine king is rejected. Clearly, it began to bother the Israelites that they didn't have an earthly ruler like the other nations. In 1 Samuel 8 we read,
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
-1 Samuel 8:4-9 ESV (emphasis mine)What a sad moment this was; God was rejected as their king. They wanted an earthly king instead. God issues this warning about having an earthly king:
10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
-1 Samuel 8:10-18 ESV (emphasis mine)God is a perfect king, and he serves, loves, and provides. However, the warning is clear, an earthly king will selfishly take things from them for himself.
Fourth, the theme of kingdom continues as we see the earthly kings fall short. Some kings were better than others, but all failed. All fell far short of perfection.
Moreover, all of the covenantal representatives fell short, though not all of them were technically kings. We can see this pattern take place throughout most of the Old Testament (with a few breaks). As God reveals each covenant, he is progressively building his kingdom.
Consider this chart adapted from page 135 in Gentry and Wellum's Kingdom Through Covenant.[2]
Covenant | Main Representative | Main Text |
Covenant with Creation | Adam (fell short) | Genesis 1-3 |
Covenant with Noah | Noah (fell short) | Genesis 6-9 |
Covenant with Abraham | Abraham (fell short) | Genesis 12; 15; 17 |
Covenant at Sinai | Moses (fell short) | Exodus 19:3b-8; 20-24 |
Covenant with David | David (fell short) | 2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89 |
Nevertheless, despite the failures of these people, the idea of God as the transcendent king continues. Consider these Scriptures:
[Psa 102:15 ESV] 15 Nations will fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
[Psa 110:1 ESV] The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."
[Pro 21:1 ESV] 1 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.
Thus, to summarize, the kingdom of God is progressively being advanced through covenants in the Old Testament. God is the king, and he has created a kingdom. The kingdom descended into chaos due to sin. A future deliverer has been promised. However, the true, divine king was rejected in favor of installing selfish, earthly kings.
The Kingdom of God in the New Testament
Understanding this Old Testament theology of the kingdom is crucial. It can be easily missed. However, the Old Testament foundation of the kingdom of God helps us understand the New Testament.
For example, this Old Testament background helps us make sense of the preaching of John the Baptist: "In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Matt. 3:1-2). In other words, he's saying, "The kingdom is near; you must repent of your sins."
Likewise, Jesus began his ministry preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17). While the idea of the kingdom seems neglected for hundreds of pages, suddenly it reemerges. Therefore, fifth, the theme of kingdom continues, the king has come to earth.
According to Matthew the news of this newborn king had spread: "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him'" (Matthew 2:1-2; emphasis mine).
And this shouldn't have been a surprise. We recite a key verse from the Old Testament each Christmas which promised the coming of the divine king:
6 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. 7 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 9:6-7 ESV (emphasis mine)The kingdom of God can also be seen throughout the Gospels. Specifically, we see the kingdom of God showing up in the preaching and the parables of Jesus. In fact, many of the parables begin with this phrase: "The kingdom is like . . ." In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches his followers to pray this phrase: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10; emphasis mine).
When Jesus casts out demons, he considers it kingdom work. In fact, he seems to contrast it with his kingdom overcoming the kingdom of darkness by the power of the Spirit. In this passage, he is falsely accused. However, it is in their thoughts only. But Jesus can read their minds. And he addresses their claim that he is using the power of Satan to cast out demons. Jesus answers:
25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house."
-Matthew 12:25-29 ESV (emphasis mine)Stunning! The kingdom of Christ comes by the power of the Spirit as it overcomes the works of darkness.
Jesus himself is very clear about his own kingdom; it is not of this world. Consider this dialogue that Jesus has with Pontius Pilate:
33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." 37 Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." 38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him.
-John 18:33-38 ESV (emphasis mine)Thus, Jesus is the king. He has a kingdom and it is not from this world. And that is precisely what he continues to teach his followers after his death and resurrection.
Note how the book of Acts begins, Luke writes:
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
-Acts 1:1-3 ESV (emphasis mine)And, as Luke reports in his Gospel, this kingdom is not coming into the world in a way that is easy to see. He reports, "The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (Luke 17:20b-21; emphasis mine).
Instead, God's plan is for this kingdom to advance by a perfect King coming to earth, living a perfect life, dying on a cross as a substitute for sins, and resurrecting from the dead. The king came to the kingdom in chaos in order to save it.
Now, as Jesus says, we have a new covenant (Luke 22:20). This covenantal representative didn't fail. His blood was spilled so that those who believe in him can have forgiveness of sins and eternal life (John 3:16; Col. 1:13-14).
Now, with the new covenant added, consider this chart adapted from page 135 in Gentry and Wellum's Kingdom Through Covenant.[3]
Covenant | Main Representative | Main Text |
Covenant with Creation | Adam (fell short) | Genesis 1-3 |
Covenant with Noah | Noah (fell short) | Genesis 6-9 |
Covenant with Abraham | Abraham (fell short) | Genesis 12; 15; 17 |
Covenant at Sinai | Moses (fell short) | Exodus 19:3b-8; 20-24 |
Covenant with David | David (fell short) | 2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89 |
New Covenant | Jesus (perfect) | Jeremiah 31-34; Ezekiel 33:29-39:29; Luke 22:20 |
Next, sixth, the theme of kingdom continues with the church; that is, the church continues to preach and advance the kingdom of God. Notice how the book of Acts ends. While in Rome, Paul is under house arrest. According to Luke,
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
-Acts 28:30-31 ESV (emphasis mine)Later, Paul writes these powerful portions of Scripture on the kingdom of God.
[Col 1:13-14 ESV; emphasis mine] 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
[Col 4:11 ESV; emphasis mine] These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
[1Co 15:24-26 ESV; emphasis mine] 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Other New Testament writers refer to the kingdom of God as well. For example, Peter writes: "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10-11; emphasis mine).
Furthermore, the anonymous writer of Hebrews writes, "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28-29; emphasis mine).
Finally, in Revelation, we come upon this wonderful verse: "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever'" (Rev. 11:15; emphasis mine). Indeed, this kingdom will be wonderful. Every tear will be wiped. No sin, or difficulty, will be present. Satan will be thrown out as well (Rev. 21-22). It will be clear, as Revelation 19:16 shows, that Jesus is the King of kings. "On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16).
Thus, in the New Testament we can see the perfect, divine King who came to earth. He does not fail. Surprisingly, however, he is killed. Still, this does not stop Jesus or his kingdom. Instead, we discover that this is all part of the plan. He resurrects from the dead and begins advancing his kingdom by the power of the Spirit through his church. He is presently reigning (see 1 Cor. 15:25) until he returns for a second time to fully complete the building of his eternal kingdom by throwing out sin, sickness, suffering, and Satan forever.
God is building a kingdom through covenant!
The Kingdom of God in Your Life
Here are some concluding thoughts about the kingdom connected to your life:
(1) You must believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to be transferred into Jesus's kingdom.
[Col 1:13-14 ESV] 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
[Jhn 3:16 ESV] 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
[Act 8:12 ESV] 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
(2) You will experience trouble in this life to enter the kingdom of God; continue in the faith!
[Act 14:22 ESV] 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
(3) You will also experience kingdom joy, peace, and righteousness.
[Rom 14:17 ESV] 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
(4) You will experience the power of the kingdom rather than merely talking and learning about the kingdom.
[1Co 4:20 ESV] 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.
(5) You must pursue holiness in order to be in the kingdom.
[1Co 6:9-10 ESV] 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
[Gal 5:19-21 ESV] 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
[Eph 5:5 ESV] 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
[1Th 2:12 ESV] 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
(6) As you love people and share the good news of Jesus you are becoming a fellow worker for the kingdom.
[Col 4:11 ESV] 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
(7) Preachers are charged before the King and his kingdom to preach the word in season and out of season rather than cater to itching ears.
[2Ti 4:1-4 ESV] 1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
(8) God will safely bring every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ into his kingdom despite all of the struggles, battles, trials, and tribulations.
[2Ti 4:18 ESV] 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
(9) You can rejoice and be grateful that you have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken despite the challenges you may encounter in life, ministry, and the church. Nothing can stop the kingdom from advancing and nothing can rip the kingdom away from you!
[Heb 12:28 ESV] 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
(10) You can have hope despite the pains, fears, sorrows, and tears of this life.
[Rev 11:15 ESV] 15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."
[Rev 21:3-4 ESV] 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Conclusion
The kingdom is a plan that God has been working on since creation. He is building his kingdom progressively through covenants. Christ came and lived a perfect life, died on a cross for our sins, and resurrected from the grave. Now, those who believe are forgiven of their sins and transferred into his kingdom. Thus, we enter his kingdom through his cross.
The kingdom continues to advance by the power of the Spirit. One day Christ will return and complete his kingdom, putting every enemy under his feet (including death). We will live forever in the perfect kingdom of Christ.
Maybe you've read the Bible and been to church, but, like me, this message is surprisingly new for you. I pray that God awakens you to the message of his kingdom in his word and in his world.
How will you advance the kingdom of Christ?
Bibliography:
[1] Peter J. Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum, Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 217.
[2] Ibid., 135.
[3] Ibid.