| The Kingdom of GodLast part (5) of this bible study |
| The gospel of the Kingdom of God |
We are not mentioned in the parables, they were spoken to the Jews.
Does that mean this gospel was only for the Jews?
Jesus told the disciples the gospel of the kingdom will be preached till Jesus comes back.
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Matthew 24:14
It is a testimony to all nations.
Acts tells us the apostles were preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God too.
We will read a few verses:
Acts 8:12
Acts 14:22
Acts 19:8
Acts 20:24-25
25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
Acts 28:23
Acts 28: 30-31
31 Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we read the first and the last verse, we can see Philip and Paul preached the good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.
When we read these verses well, we can see they are preaching two gospels:
One is the good news of the Kingdom of God and
the other is the good news of the name of Jesus Christ.
Is there a difference?
I’ll try to explain this through an example
We all live in one or other country. (the earth).
Suppose we live in the west of the country.
One day someone comes to us and tells us something very special about a city in the east of the country. (Lets see this city in this example as the Kingdom of God).
It is amazing what we hear. We want to be there, we want to share all those wonderful things we heard about. But unfortunately, we have to tell the messanger of good news, there is no possibility to go to that city, because an 'enemy' did something terribly wrong. He destroyed the possibilities to go to that other city.
Then, the messenger of the the good news, the gospel, tells us we can go to place in the east. It appears that someone constructed a road to that city. Yet it is possible to go to the east and share all those nice and wonderful things. The only thing is this road is yet invisible, but it is there. When we believe this road exist and take a first step we can go to that city in the east.
That’s of course a wonderful message, that’s really good news.
It’s the good news, or the gospel of ‘the way’.
It will be clear, the gospel of the Kingdom of God is another gospel then the gospel of the Name of Jesus, Who is The Way. But it will also be clear, just listening to the gospel of the Kingdom of God isn’t enough. We can’t do a thing with that gospel when there is no Way to enter that Kingdom.
God had and still has a plan for this world and for the people on this world. That plan has everything to do with the Kingdom He want to establish.
God gives people the possibility to become sons of Him. He will give them the possibility to become heirs. Heirs of the Kingdom.
But people sinned and their punishment is death.
God is a righteous God, and He loves us, that’s why He gave Himself on the cross. He died instead of us. He reopened the way to the Kingdom. He Himself became The Way.
Praise to God. Praise to Jesus, the Way.
| The whole story in short |
Thinking about God, we have to ask our self: Why was it necessary for the great King of the universe to become a human being?
Before men was created something happened with far-reaching consequences.
God created angels. One was called Lucifer. Sons of God they were called. (Job 2:1 and 38:7-->).
This Lucifer (Light barrier) was very high placed. He was the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. He was on the holy mount of God. God appointed him to be the ruler over this earth.
He was blameless in his ways till....
Till wickedness was found in him.
He said: I will make myself like the Most High. (Ezekiel 28:11-19 and Isaiah 14:12-15).
This Lucifer became Gods adversary, diabolos, the devil.
His kingship was taken away from him.
The earth became formless and empty. (Gen.1:2 -->).
1 On another day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them to present himself before him.
(Job 2:1, NIV).
7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
(Job 38:7, NIV).
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
(Genesis 1:2, NIV).
God made a new beginning. The Word recreated the earth. Adam and Eve were created.
The great King appointed Adam as ruler over this earth. (Gen.1:28).
Adam was the king over the earth, but he had to obey God.
God wanted Adam to rule, but also to obey, that’s why He commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and bad.
God gave Adam the possibility to disobey. By making the right choices Adams character will be formed. A king who can make the right decisions.
Then Gods adversary came. Not with honest arguments, but with sly lies.
Adam had not enough character.
At that point it seemed Gods plan was blocked, because the penalty on sin was death. Eternal death. Separated from God for ever. No son ship, no heritage.
Adam was appointed by God to be the ruler over this earth, however he obeyed Gods adversary and disobeyed God,
God didn’t thought that’s a pity, now I have to start all over again. He had already had another plan. We can read in the bible He had this plan already before men were created.
God told the snake (satan) he will be cursed:
(2 Peter 2:19, NIV).
Genesis 3:15
God couldn’t cope what Adam and Eve did, nor his former angel. Both must be convicted and the power over the earth must return to God.
Because God is a God of justice and above that he loves men, He had to come, as King and Judge of the universe, with a Royal and righteous solution to solve this problem.
The death penalty for men was fulfilled at the cross where He died for us.
At the same time Jesus, Who is the offspring of Eve, dethroned the devil. And when Jesus comes back He will crush the offspring of satan, the son of perdition. (see KJ and Greek).
But before this is going to happen, a lot of other things happened.
God called Abram to go from Haran to another land: Canaan.
Genesis
12:1-3, 7
12:1-3, 7
2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
...7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
So, Abram became Abraham and the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob.
Jacob became the father of twelve sons and one daughter.
At a certain night Jacob wrestles with God.
(Galatians 3:16, NIV).
Genesis
32:22-30
32:22-30
23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27 The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.
28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name." But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."
There he got his new name: Israel.
The twelve sons of Jacob became the twelve tribes of Israel.
Later they moved to Egypt. First everything was fine, but later they were oppressed.
Moses took them out of Egypt through the dessert.
This really happened, but what happened to them has also a spiritual meaning to us.
1 Corinthians
10:1-11
10:1-11
2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."
8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did-- and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did and were killed by snakes.
10 And do not grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
These things occurred as examples to us.
The Old Testament isn’t just history. We can learn a lot from it. On top of that there are so many prophesies, short term and long term. And lots of them are not yet fulfilled. And because they are not fulfilled yet they are very interesting for us too, that is when we are interested in Gods plan for this world and for men.
Joshua was Moses aide. Joshua is a Hebrew name. It means: Jahwe is salvation. In Greek it is Jesus.
Joshua was the one who brought the Israelites into the promised land. Joshua is a type of Jesus.
Joshua 1:1-6
2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them to the Israelites.
3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates --all the Hittite country-- to the Great Sea on the west.
5 No-one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
After some time the people of Israel demanded a king, such as all the other nations have.
Samuel wasn’t very pleased and he prayed to God.
1 Samuel 8:6-8
7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
1 Samuel
12:17-23
12:17-23
18 Then Samuel called upon the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel.
19 The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."
20 "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless.
22 For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own.
23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
....22 For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.
The Lord was king over Israel, they were his people. They rejected Him and wanted a king such as all the other nations have.
Their first king was Saul.
David was the second king and a man loved by God. His son Solomon was the next king. God spoke to him:
1 Kings
9:4-5
9:4-5
5 I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised David your father when I said, `You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.'
How tragic it is, king Solomon, to who God appeared twice, sinned in such a way God had to tear of his kingdom.
We studied this subject briefly.
From that time there were two kingdoms. Israel and Juda.
Later Israel went into captivity and never returned to the land God had given to them.
We did see God will bring them together when Jesus returns. They are not lost and they will repent and will be forgiven.
The Jews, at Jesus’ days on earth, were the first group in the parable of the wedding banquet. They rejected His call. They even killed Him. The Kingdom of God is taken away from them. Not from all of them, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
After Jesus died and was resurrected God almost stopped all of his acting with Israel. This is a time of approximately 2000 years. This is the time were we are living. This is the time all people, also called Gentiles can become believers. When that number of the gentiles, who became believers, is full and is going into the Kingdom of God, God will fulfill his prophesies about Israel and Juda.
After the holy city: Jerusalem, has been attacked, all Israelites are coming to the land of Israel. They are the second group who is invited to come to the wedding banquet. They will enter the wedding hall.
All parables which talk about the kingdom of God are talking about that time.
That time, which is also called the millennium, will be a time of 1000 year of peace. Jesus Christ will reign from the throne of his father David. And all of those who are resurrected in the first resurrection and all believers who are changed at that same time will be kings in that Kingdom.
But before it will come to this, we see Jesus came to this earth.
Before He was born, the angel Gabriel told Maria: He will be great and called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end. (Luke 1:32-33).
Jesus went out and told everyone the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
He used parables to explain the things of the Kingdom.
At that time it was theoretical possible for the Jews to accept Jesus as their Messiah.
Salvation from eternal death.
(Romans 11:11, NIV).
John 3:14-18
15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
This gospel of the name of Jesus must be preached all over the world, but if we want to show the whole picture of Gods wonderful plan, we have to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God as well. Then people will understand why Jesus had to come to the earth and die. He did this to make it possible Gods plan could be fulfilled. God wants His sons to be heirs in His Kingdom. The only way to become heirs is through Jesus.
So, salvation came to us, who are the Gentiles, we’re grafted in at the cultivated olive tree, which is Israel. (Rom.11:17-20). God knew it on forehand, that’s why Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:5
Ephesians 3:6
We, who became believers, are sons of God. God gave us His Spirit,
Ephesians
1:13-14
1:13-14
14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of his glory.
Romans
8:14-17
8:14-17
15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs --heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
This Kingdom of God will be established on earth.
To make it possible to establish this Kingdom, the ruler of this earth: satan, had to be conquered.
Satan tried to seduce Jesus to get the power at an easy way.
Luke 4:5-7
6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
7 So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
Remember Adam gave his authority to the devil. Now the devil tried to get what he always wanted: To be more then God is.
Jesus only answered:
Luke 4:8
God had a better plan, but...
1 Corinthians 2:8
When Jesus died is was D-day (decision day), but the enemy was still there. Jesus dethroned the devil, but he is yet not captured.
Hebrew
2:14-15
2:14-15
The devil is dethroned, but still prowls around like a roaring lion.
In the Old Testament and in the New Testament it is clear the powers of darkness and the heavenly armies are making war. If you want to know more about that read Daniel 10.
We, Christians, are also involved. We are sons of God and have his Spirit, so the devil and his demons are against us too. That’s why we have the full armour of God.
Paul says:
Ephesians
6:10-12
6:10-12
11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We can take our stand against the devil through the power of the Holy Spirit and the sword Jesus used too against the devil: the Word of God, the bible.
We believe Jesus comes back soon. And...
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Before the day Jesus comes back, the son of the devil -the man of lawlessness- will reveal himself. He will sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Like father, like son.
Jesus will overthrow him with the breath of his mouth and he will be destroyed by the splendour of Jesus’ coming.
All believers who died in Christ will be resurrected and the believers who are still alive at that time are changed and we all will meet our Lord in the air.
What a wonderful time that will be.
Then Jesus will sit on his throne and will reign, together with all the saints, over this earth for thousand years. The devil will be bound for thousand years. After those thousand years he will be released from his prison and he will go out to deceive the nations. Again the nations will come to the city of Jerusalem to fight. They will surround the camp of God’s people, the city He loves. They will not succeed. The devil will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. (Rev.20:7-10).
After that the great white throne will be seen. Books are opened and everyone who was not resurrected 1000 years earlier will be resurrected at that time. They will be judged by what is written in the books, by their deeds. The ones who lived according Gods will, will enter eternal life.
To understand what deeds, see Matt.25:31-46.
1 Corinthians 15:24-28
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For he "has put everything under his feet". Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
A new heaven and a new earth will be created.
The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, will come down from heaven and God will live with his people for ever.
The eternal Kingdom of God will be reigned from the new city of Jerusalem. The city with gates of pearls and streets of gold.
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