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The Kingdom of God
Scott Freeman
What it’s like to be human
There is a spiritual reality which existed before the physical world, and which will outlast
the physical world. The apostle Paul said, “…the things that are seen are temporal, but the
things that are unseen are eternal”(2 corinthians 4:18). You are now a part of this eternal
spiritual reality because your Creator made you a spiritual being. However, you are unique
in all of creation because you are a physical being as well. Like God, you are triune in nature,
(but you are body, soul, and spirit - 1 thessalonians 5:23). Unlike God, you had a finite
beginning. You were born knowing nothing, and you’re left with sorting through all of the
voices around you as you attempt to discern what is true.
This puts you at a distinct disadvantage because the most crucial aspect of life, the
spiritual, is invisible to you. To make matters worse, there exist lying, malevolent
spiritual powers out there seeking to lead you away from the path of life (1 peter 5:8-11;
2 corinthians 11:14). And, as if you weren’t handicapped enough in your search for truth,
you are a fallen creature, cut off from your Creator. Since Adam, we are no longer by nature,
children of God. From birth we are not connected to our Creator. This is why Jesus, the “second
Adam”, said, “…unless one is born anew – born of the Spirit – he cannot see the kingdom of
God.” (john 3:3-7). “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the
perishable inherit the imperishable”
(1 corinthians 15:50).
Apart from revelation from God, we have no hope of knowing truth as it pertains to the
spiritual realm. This is bad news for those of you who are making up your own truth. Truth
has already been made up by your Creator, therefore, you have already been deceived. The
good news is: 1) God is good (1 john 1:5). 2) God loves you (john 3:16,17;
romans 5:8). 3) He invites you to connect with Him (galatians 4:4,5; titus 2:11; 1 john 3:1).
He wants to welcome you as His son or daughter, but you must come on His terms. How do I know
these things? Because I have joined the company of countless others who have believed and
received His revelation.
A recapitulation of the revelation
Our Creator became flesh and blood in order to deliver us from out of our hopeless state;
to make a way for us to reconnect with God (colossians 1:21,22). Born through miraculous
circumstances into the nation of Israel, He was named Yeshua, (or in English, Jesus),
which means “Salvation.”
At age 33, Yeshua began to fulfill the purpose for which He was sent. He began to preach
and demonstrate a very specific and positive message. That message was the imminence of
the arrival of the kingdom of God. The words “kingdom of God” are, if anything, a curiosity
to us today. Even for most church people, the words conjure up vague associations with some
future heavenly existence. But in the ancient Hebrew culture in which Yeshua walked, it was
an enormously pregnant phrase. News of the arrival of God’s kingdom was something the Jewish
nation had been awaiting for centuries.
For centuries, the ancient Hebrew prophets from Moses to Malachi had spoken of a coming time
when God would reign on earth in a new way. His would be a kingdom of righteousness, justice,
and peace – not like the kingdoms of the world – and His kingdom would never end. A Messiah
from the lineage of King David would appear and usher in a glorious new age. The blind would
see, the lame would leap, and those oppressed would be set free (isaiah 35:5-7; 61: 1-4). God
would establish a new covenant with the nation. He would write the Torah on their hearts,
everyone would know God, and He would forgive their sins (jeremiah 31:31-34). The idolatrous,
oppressive nations would be thrown down and Israel would be exalted (psalm 47, 110).
There had been no prophet in Israel for 400 years since Malachi, the last of the Old Testament
prophets. But then suddenly, John, also of miraculous birth, appeared in the wilderness
preaching the imminence of the long-awaited kingdom of God. Soon after came Yeshua, announcing
the imminence of the kingdom and demonstrating it’s presence and His Messiah-ship by healing
the blind, the sick, and the lame, and by freeing those who were oppressed by demonic powers
(matthew 9:35,36; luke 4:36,37). Not surprisingly, great crowds followed Him from throughout
the entire region in anticipation of what would happen next
(Matthew 4:23-25; mark 3:7-10;
luke 6:17-19).
The power of a preconception
The Messiah, however, did not meet the expectations of the people. In part because they
expected the Messiah to be a military conqueror with a geo-political kingdom, most failed
to hear His words. They were puzzled by His exhortations to love one’s enemies and to be
peacemakers. Their preconceived ideas about what the kingdom would be like were so strong,
and so blinding, that when the King Himself contradicted their notions, they ultimately
rejected the King.
Yeshua told parable after parable beginning with the words, “The kingdom of God is like…”, but
most did not have “ears to hear” (matthew 13:13-16). As the time of His death drew near, Yeshua
actually began to tell His disciples plainly, “I am going to Jerusalem, I will be killed, and
I will rise on the third day” (matthew 16:21; luke 18:31-34). Yet His death took them completely
by surprise, and they did not believe the first eyewitnesses when told of His resurrection
(luke 24:6-11). Many ancient prophecies foretold a humble, suffering messiah, but a suffering
messiah did not fit with their preconceived ideas about the kingdom.
The big picture
Yeshua was working at a much more profound level than anyone at the time could imagine.
The spiritual condition of humanity had to be addressed before physical conditions could
be properly dealt with. The very best that even a perfect king could offer would only be
a temporary blessing were the heart of humanity to continue in it’s dark, fallen, and
condemned state.
Thus, Yeshua had come to “set the captives free” – but not only the Jews, and not “merely”
from Roman oppression. The Messiah had come to free all of humanity from the greater,
spiritual bondage of sin and death (1 corinthians 15:53-55; 2 timothy 1:10). The Messiah
had indeed come to wage war, but not against flesh and blood. His real adversaries were the
dark spiritual forces which kept people in unseen chains (ephesians 6:12; colossians 2:13-15).
Yeshua, the Prince of Peace, did indeed bring peace; making peace between God and man by the
blood of His cross (colossians 1:19,20). Even today, this peace can be a present reality for
anyone who will receive it. As with many prophecies, there will also be a later, secondary
fulfillment – in this case, peace between the nations – but not in this present age.
The presence of the kingdom of God
Yeshua did indeed establish His kingdom 2000 years ago. “The kingdom of God” is not a metaphor.
It was not “postponed because the Jews rejected the Messiah,” as some teach. It is a future
hope in the sense that all things have not yet been completely fulfilled, but it is also a
present reality. It is an unshakable present reality with an eternal future.
Following are several statements by Yeshua which teach the arrival of the kingdom during
His earthly ministry:
Luke 4:16-21 – Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. At the very beginning
of His ministry, Yeshua entered a synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah a passage containing
a prophetic list of kingdom events. Then He made the above statement. If the King was present,
and if kingdom events were being fulfilled “in their hearing,” then the kingdom was present.
Mark 9:1; Matthew 16:28; Luke 9:27 – Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will
not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power. Spoken to the
expectant but “unseeing” multitudes with the disciples.
Luke 10:23,24 – Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets
and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not
hear it. Yeshua appointed seventy people to proclaim the kingdom ahead of Him in the towns which
He intended to visit. Upon their return, He made the above statement to His disciples. What were
they seeing that prophets and kings had desired to see? The presence of the Messiah and His
long-awaited kingdom.
Luke 16:16 – The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of
God is preached, and everyone enters it violently. A stunning statement: the law and the prophets
have fulfilled their purpose, and have been superseded by a greater message – the preaching of the
good news of the kingdom.
Furthermore, if people are entering the kingdom, it must be present.
Luke 17:20-21 – Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them,
“The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’
or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” Regardless of how you may
understand the phrase, “in the midst of you,” it is clear that Yeshua is teaching the presence of
the kingdom.
Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20 – But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the
kingdom of God has come upon you. The most unambiguous of all of Yeshua’s statements declaring
the presence of the kingdom.
In addition to these statements and others like them, the entire thrust of the
message of Yeshua implies the arrival of the kingdom. What else could His message have meant as
He traveled from town to town “preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease
and every infirmity among the people?” That the kingdom would be coming in a few thousand years?
That would have been “the bad news of the kingdom!” They had already been waiting for thousands
of years! No. The kingdom arrived, in partial fulfillment, but fully present, during the time of
Yeshua. Even after His departure, this is the message the apostles continued to preach (acts 8:12; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23-31).
But someone may ask, “Where is the kingdom? Nothing has changed. The world is still full of
evil, suffering, war, disease, injustice – all of the things which the Messiah was supposed
to change.” Indeed, many Jews to this day do not embrace Yeshua as their Messiah, in large
part because the world, and especially Israel, is not at peace. These same issues hindered
many Jews in Yeshua’s time from believing. If the Messiah had come, why was Israel still
under the boot of the Roman Empire? Even John apparently had his doubts after being thrown
into prison (mat 11:2,3). Should the forerunner of the Messiah be in prison if the Messiah
and His kingdom had really arrived? What is the nature of this kingdom, and why do evil and
suffering continue when it is in God’s power to end it?
Two key phrases
In order to understand the nature of the kingdom of God, we must understand the meanings of
two key terms. First, we must understand what is meant by the term “kingdom” as it is used
in scripture. Second we must understand what is meant by the phrase “this age and the age
to come.”
The word “kingdom” is sometimes used in scripture to describe a geographical realm/place of
rule, as in Mark 6:23, “And he (Herod) swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask of me, I will give to
you, up to half my kingdom.’ “ Primarily, however, the word “kingdom” is used to refer to the
act of ruling – the exercise of kingly authority. Luke 19:11-27 tells of a nobleman going to a distant country “to receive a kingdom for himself and then return.” In this parable, it was not the geographical area that the nobleman received. He received the right to exercise kingship and authority. This is the meaning most often expressed in scripture – “reign” rather than “realm.” When Yeshua said,”…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,” He was not instructing His followers to search the world for a geographical domain where God’s kingdom was located. He was challenging them to seek God’s kingship in their lives. The phrases “kingdom of God” and “reign / rule of God” can be used synonymously.
Interestingly, the phrase ”kingdom of God” (or in the gospel of Matthew, “kingdom of Heaven,”
also a synonymous term), is never explicitly defined in scripture. The reason for this is that
the kingdom of God was a Jewish concept, based on the Hebrew scriptures, and fully understood by the Jewish audience which Yeshua was addressing. However, though the ancient Jews understood the meaning of the term, their understanding of the nature of the kingdom was seriously flawed. We will see why when examine the next key phrase.
This second key phrase frequently appears in the parables of Yeshua. It is the phrase
“this age” and “the age to come.” How one understands this concept will determine how
well one understands the nature of God’s kingdom. The first century Jews had, (according
to Yeshua), an incorrect understanding of these terms, and, intellectually at least, this
is perhaps the primary reason most failed to recognize the kingdom when it arrived. But
before we look at Yeshua’s teaching regarding this age and the age to come, let us look at
the mind of first century Judaism regarding these terms.
Several factors influenced Hebrew thought during the 400 long years between the prophet
Malachi and the appearing of John, forerunner of Yeshua and herald of the kingdom. There was
the fact that there was no prophet in Israel during those 400 years. There was the fact that
Israel continued to be in subjection to idolatrous foreign powers throughout this period –
first Persia, then Greece, then Rome. There was the development and influence of non-canonical
apocalyptic literature, which presented a pessimistic view of history in which God was not
actively at work. Consequently, at the time of Yeshua’s appearing, it is likely that the great
majority of Jews viewed all of history as being cleanly divided into two great epochs – “this
present age,” and the future “age to come.” “This age” was viewed as an evil, hopeless age,
completely given over to Satan. Final hope was relegated to a future time.
In contrast, “the age to come” was viewed as that future, glorious time of fulfillment.
The expectation was that the Messiah would appear and immediately usher in the kingdom with
a series of cataclysmic events. Every source of evil would be swept away. He would open the
eyes of the blind and heal the lame and diseased (isaiah 35:5,6). He would forgive sins and
pour out His Spirit on all people, not only on kings, priests, prophets, and judges as in the
former days (joel 2:28,29). He would sit on the throne of David and bring justice to the poor
and oppressed (psalm 76:7-9; isaiah 2:1-4). He would crush the unrighteous, idolatrous empires
of the world and judge the nations. The lion would lie down with the lamb (daniel 2:44; isaiah
11: 1-9) :
Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, upon 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)
This was the hope of the “age to come.”
This mindset of the people clearly manifests itself in the gospels: After seeing Yeshua
miraculously feed a crowd of over 5000, the people “sought to forcibly make Him king”
(john 6:14,15). At His “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem, (where the Messiah would presumably
be enthroned), it says they “expected the kingdom to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11).
The night of Yeshua’s arrest, the disciples armed themselves with swords (matthew 26:51-54;
john 18:10-11). It is even possible that Judas Iscariot, Yeshua’s betrayer, imagined that he
could force Yeshua’s hand by turning Him in. This would explain his great remorse after the
deed. When Yeshua refused to put up a fight, Judas went out and hanged himself (matthew 27:1-5).
Perhaps Yeshua was referring to this mindset when He said, “From the days of John the Baptist
until now the kingdom of God has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force”
(matthew 11:12). Even after the death and resurrection of Yeshua, when told to wait in
Jerusalem for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the last recorded question of the disciples
was, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (acts 1:6). Passages such
as these illustrate the impatient belief of the people that “this age” was about to come to a
violent end and that the Messiah was about to usher in a utopian new age.
How did Yeshua view “this age” and “the age to come?” Interestingly, many of His kingdom
parables address this point specifically. They seem designed to correct the faulty
preconceptions of those who would have “ears to hear.” Most of these parables begin with
the phrase “The kingdom of God (heaven) is like…”, and then go on to utterly contradict the
most cherished notions of the people. The parables are about the unexpected nature of the
kingdom. Let us look at three examples.
The parable of the mustard seed:
The kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field;
it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes
a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. (Matthew 13: 31,32)
Several of the parables begin with the imagery of a seed, and this is a major point in itself.
The nature of the kingdom is such that many will not realize it is present, though it may be
right in front of them. Nonetheless, it is present and powerfully working in a dynamic way.
Parabollically speaking, the people were expecting to see the mightiest of trees – a militant
Messiah and a worldly kingdom. But no, like a seed, the kingdom may initially go unnoticed.
In time, however, just as the mustard seed grows to become the largest of garden plants,
so the kingdom of God would over time become the most powerful force on earth, wielding an
undeniable presence. Like the birds that flock to the mustard tree to nest, so one day, the
nations of the world would flock to the kingdom of God - a hint that the kingdom would not
be for Jews only.
The parables of the treasure and pearl merchant:
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up;
then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value,
went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matthew 13: 44-46)
The parable of the treasure in the field and the parable following it, the parable of the
merchant of pearls, illustrate the same point. Primarily they describe the surpassing value
of the kingdom. If one has the kingdom, one has everything; all else pales in comparison.
This could be seen as a restatement of an earlier exhortation by Yeshua, “But seek first
His kingdom and His righteousness , and all these things shall be yours as well” (matthew 6:33).
There is a secondary point, almost a warning, in each of these parables as well. In each
case, most walked right on past something of enormous value. Most either failed to see at
all (the treasure), or failed to recognize the great value of what they were seeing
(the pearl), though the treasure and the pearl were waiting there, available for anyone
who had eyes to see. So it is with the kingdom. So it remains to this day.
The parable of the weeds of the field:
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while
men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the
plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder
came and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?” He
said to them, “An enemy has done this.” The servants said to him, “Then do you want us to go and
gather them?” But he said, “No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ‘Gather the
weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
(Matthew 13: 24-30)
Yeshua explained this parable to His disciples, so there can be no mistaking its meaning. Again,
the kingdom comes like a seed rather than a sword. Again, there is a significant passage of time;
the kingdom does not appear fully formed immediately. In this parable Yeshua identifies Himself as
the sower. The good seed means the “sons of the kingdom.” The weeds are the “sons of the evil
one.” The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels (matthew 13:36-43).
This parable clearly states that the sons of the kingdom and the sons of Satan will coexist,
side-by-side, in this present age. Judgement comes not at the inception of the kingdom but at
the end of the age. These were jarring truths to the crowds who expected judgement first, with
the arrival of the kingdom. “… so it will be at the close of the age. The Son of man will send
his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and
throw them into the furnace of fire…” (matthew 13:40-42).
So we see laid out in the teachings of Yeshua that the kingdom arrived in the midst of this
present age. Thus the arrival of the kingdom and the arrival of the age to come are not one
and the same thing, according to Yeshua. Many kingdom prophecies were fulfilled at the time
of Yeshua. Many more prophecies await fulfillment, among them judgement of the nations, which
will occur at the end of this age. This will bring an end to the evil and suffering in the world.
Completion
The human problem is beyond the scope of what human power can fix. Human religions depend upon
human righteousness. Human revolutions depend upon human justice. But fallen humanity is the
problem, not the solution. We are all the same, and we are what is wrong with the world.
Humanity’s root problem is a spiritual one: We have inherited a corrupt, sinful nature which
separates us from a holy God. It is this problem that the Messiah’s death on the cross resolved.
Acting on behalf of guilty humanity, Yeshua, by His death, satisfied the justice of our holy
Creator, and at the same time perfectly expressed His love and mercy toward us. His solution is
to offer His salvation to fallen man as a free gift. There is nothing for us to do but repent in
humility, believe, and receive the gift. This is our entry into the kingdom (ephesians 2:4-9).
Yeshua clearly stated that He had not come to condemn the world but to seek and save the
lost (luke 19:10; john 3:17). He had not come to judge the world. However, He made it equally
clear that there is a time of final judgement coming at the end of this age. It can’t be any
other way. A loving God will not allow suffering and injustice to go on forever, and yet, He
cannot unite Himself with a sinful and arrogant humanity. Those who humbly accept His gift of
grace, which He provided at great cost to Himself, will enter into His eternal communion. “…
He who hears my word and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgement,
but has passed from death to life” (john 5:24). Those who reject His provision essentially choose to be judged on their own merits, and are, according to Yeshua, condemned already (john 3:18). God will not violate the free will of man. He does not “possess” like a demon. You will receive what you choose.
For 2000 years now, the message of the kingdom has been going out. Though at times the Church
has failed horrifically, and at times it’s messengers have been blind guides, the revelation
has remained intact. Yeshua said, “…This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout
the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.” (matthew 24:14).
Seekers need not, in fact, cannot wait for the next age in order to enter the kingdom.
When the Messiah returns, the time of grace will be over and He will bring the Father’s
plan to completion. But for now, the time of grace and mercy continues. God has held back
no spiritual blessing from those who receive Yeshua and the gift of His grace
(ephesians 1:3,17-19). Though in the present age we may suffer physically or materially,
the age is coming when even those sufferings will be ended.
This is the message of the Kingdom of God. The Messiah and His kingdom have come, though
we do not yet see it in its final form. We are living in a remarkable time. It is a time
of struggle, as the kingdom has invaded the midst of this rebellious age, but is also a
time of great privilege. In our day, we have the opportunity to participate in what prophets,
kings, and priests of old could only dream of: communion with God through His Messiah,
and the outpouring of His new covenant of love, forgiveness, and grace. We have the
opportunity to understand and live mysteries which have been “hidden for ages,” and we will
see the unfolding of the final mystery – the uniting of all things in the Messiah. Unity and
harmony have been the goal of religion and revolution for centuries. But religion has failed.
Revolution has done even worse. Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, has already succeeded where all
others have failed. Soon, He will complete the work. The kingdom prophecies awaiting
fulfillment will be fulfilled as perfectly as the myriad of prophecies that were fulfilled
at His first coming. He who has ears, let him hear.
For He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His
purpose which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in
Him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:9,10)
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of
Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long
ages but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations,
according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the
only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)
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