THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
BY SCOTT HEDGE
The fact is well established that the Jews at the time of Christ were anticipating a literal fulfillment of an Old Testament theocratic kingdom.
The Kingdom Concept in the Old Testament
Obviously there are a variety of interpretations and explanations as to the nature of the kingdom program of God. Various views include:[1]
- Synonymous with the eternal state, or heaven, the place one goes when they die. This position holds that there is no earthly relation.
- Spiritual kingdom – non-material – in which God rules over the hearts of men. This is related (according to this view) to the present age and unrelated to the earth.
- Earthly alone with no spiritual realities – a political and social structure to achieved by the efforts of men
- A reconstitution of the nation Israel as a political independent nation
- A manifestation in the earthly realm of the universal sovereignty of God in which he rules in the affairs of men – both a spiritual and material concept
So obviously these “variety” of interpretations one can see that the concept cannot be discovered by the writings of mere men. The kingdom over which God rules has two aspects – eternal & temporal.
- God has always possessed absolute authority and sovereignty and rules as a king – Ps. 10:16; 29:10; 74:12; Jer. 10:10; Lam. 5:19
- The scope of God’s sovereignty is unlimited – 1 Chron. 29:11-12; Ps. 103:19; Dan. 4:17, 25, 32
- This sovereignty is sometimes exercised through individuals – Isa. 10:5-6; Jer. 25:8-12; Ezra 1:1; (even nature Ps. 148:8) – some of the individuals recognize it and some are ignorant of it
- There is the direct intervention in the affairs of men – Ex. 7:3-5
Lewis Sperry Chafer[2] rightly includes in this discussion the challenge of the kingdom by Lucifer (later Satan) – Ez. 28 & Isa. 14. The five “I will’s” of Lucifer:
- I will ascend into heaven – where the redeemed abide (2 Cor. 12:1-4)
- I will exalt my throne above the Stars of God – angelic beings
- I will sit also upon the Mount of the Congregation – the divine government on earth (Isa. 2:1-4)
- I will ascend above the heights of the clouds – relation to the divine presence and glory which belongs to God alone
- I will be like the Most High – speaks of motives and methods. “In spite of a universal impression that Satan wants to be unlike God…(it can be seen) his purpose is to be like God.”[3]
It is the opinion of the writer that the original sin was an act of rebellion; one must ask against what? It is clearly seen that it was and still is an act of rebellion against the sovereignty and authority of God – Lucifer wanted that for himself. “Because of this sin, which brought about the fall of Satan, a kingdom over which Satan rules, was formed in opposition, to the kingdom over which God rules.”[4] See 2 Cor. 4:4, Eph. 2:2, Matt. 4:8-9.
Matt. 25:34 “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Evidently the earth which was the center of Satanic authority becomes the place God chooses to demonstrate his ultimate authority. In light of the splendor of creation, earth and its smallness is destined to be the theater to display the mighty works of God.
God ruled-centered Kingdom
From the beginning there has been one progressive program that has developed and continues to develop – a final consummation to come (1 Cor. 15:24). One can see God is clearly sovereign as demonstrated in the creation account (Gen. 1:1). However proceeding the fall and the consequent flood of a people left to regulate themselves, God established a national program – Israel. This is not merely a religious program but also a political superiority over the descendants of Abraham (Gen. 12, 15, 17). God, in the strictest sense of the phrase, constituted Himself “King of Israel” and consequently the government of that nation became a theocracy.[5]
Many premillennialists (the writer does not concur) designate the eternal kingdom as the kingdom of God and the earthly program the kingdom of heaven. These distinctions simply are not necessary. In fact it is not supported in Scripture.[6] In fact in the gospel accounts the two terms are used interchangeably[7] with the term kingdom of heaven used exclusively by Matthew. The writer believes this is the case as it is understood that Matthew writes to Jewish people; a people who were highly sensitive to the name of God. For that reason Matthew refrained from the use of the term. Pentecost posits a preferable view in handling the issue – “refer to the eternal aspects as the eternal kingdom and the development of that kingdom in time as the theocratic kingdom.”[8] The developing kingdom can be traced through Scripture.
ü In the garden Adam given authority to rule in this (Gen. 1:26). Charles Feinberg agrees saying that “the kingdom of God was actually realized in the garden of Eden. There God ruled and reigned supreme, with all His subjects giving Him the proper obedience that is befitting a King.”[9] When disobedience came, God announced a new creation (Gen. 3:15). So now the redemptive program runs along the same course of the development of the kingdom program. Eve was mistaken in her assumption that Cain would be the fulfillment of that promise. God appointed Seth instead (Gen. 4:25).
ü Dispensation of human government (Gen. 9:1-7) indicates how God was administering (9:2 also see Rom. 13:1-4). That which was given to Noah as an administering of the theocratic kingdom ended at Babel (Gen. 10:8-10, 11:1-9).
ü Not long after God called Abraham in what is known as the dispensation of promise/patriarchal. The purpose of God with Abraham centers in promises concerning a land, seed, and a blessing – all of which are eternal. The promise or covenant is unconditional as well. Genesis records Abraham, then enlarged to Isaac, then enlarged to Jacob and then Judah (Gen. 49:10, Num. 24:17-19, Deut. 18:18). We see that all these promises will culminate in Christ, but in the mean time God used Moses and Joshua; then Judges (Jud. 2:16, 18, 8:22-23; Acts 13:20).
ü Then kings come on the scene. “The monarchal form of government was God’s ideal for the theocratic kingdom.”[10] Promised to Abraham (Gen. 17:5-7); Jacob (35:11); as seen above with Judah, the authority of the kingdom would eventually reside in a King. Saul was the first of the kings (one whom the people wanted) but he was rejected by God (1 Sam. 13:11-14). The man God chose was David (1 Sam. 16:1-13). It was with David, God established an eternal throne – an unconditional covenant (2 Sam. 7:16). Not fulfilled in David but in one to be realized from Davidic line.
ü The prophets after the establishment of the Davidic covenant (throne and kingdom) identified the glorious kingdom manifest through the same (Jer. 33; Amos 9). Interesting Ezekiel traces the departure, of what was the symbol of the presence of God in the temple, of the Shekinah Glory of God – (Ezek. 8:4, 9:3, 10:4, 10:18, 11:22, 23) – that marked the close of the theocratic kingdom for Israel.[11]
ü At this point “the times of the Gentiles” begin with Israel going into captivity in 586 B.C. Almost every prophet[12] refers to the FUTURE theocratic kingdom. It begins as a trickle and now is a steady torrential waterfall on the horizon. The kingdom to come is theocratic (Matt. 1:22-23; heavenly in character (Isa. 11); in Jerusalem and world-wide (Zech 14); established by Christ second coming (Zech. 2:10-13; Mal. 3:1-4).
It can be seen clearly that the kingdom offered by Christ and preached by John the Baptist was much anticipated.
Jesus in his first advent to Israel “proffered” (offered before established) the David Kingdom promised in 2 Sam. 7:12-17. This was not a sham offer, just like salvation is not a sham offer since so many reject the offer.
[1] Pentecost, Dwight. Things to Come (Nashville: Zondervan, 1958), 427.
[2] Chafer, Lewis S. Systematic Theology IV, 223.
[3] Pentecost, 431.
[4] McClain, Alva J. The Greatness of the Kingdom (Winona Lake: BMH, 1958), 107.
[5] Peters, G.N. The Theocratic Kingdom, 223.
[6] Pentecost and McClain agree.
[7] Some examples are: Matt. 4:17 & Mk 1:14-15; Matt. 3:2, 5:3, 10, 6:10; Mk. 9:1, 47, 14:25; Luke 19:11, 21:31 (these all refer to future millennial kingdom using the two terms interchangeably); Matt. 13:11, Mk. 4:11; Luke 8:10 (these refer to the present aspect of the kingdom) – the terms are not the issue – it is their use in CONTEXT. In the context of each reference it can be determined whether the reference is to the present form of the kingdom or the future Messianic kingdom.
[8] Pentecost, 434.
[9] Feinberg, Charles. Premillenialism and Amillennialism, 164.
[10] Pentecost, 439.
[11] Feinberg, Charles. Commentary on Ezekiel.
[12] To mention a few – Isa. 2:1-4, 4:2-6, 9:6-7, 11:1-13, 24:1-23, 32:1-5, 14-20, 33:17-24, 35:1-10, 40:1-11, 42:1-4, 52:7-10, 60:1-61:6, 65:17-25, 66:15-23; Jer. 23:1-8, 31:1-37, 33:14-26; Ezek. 20:33-42, 34:20-31, 36:22-36, 37:1-28, 43:1-7; Dan. 2:31-45, 7:1-28, 9:1-3, 20-27, 12:1-4; Hos. 3:4-5; Joel 2:28-3:2; Amos 9:9-15; Oba. 1:15-21; Mic. 4:1-5:5; Zeph. 3:8-20; Hag. 2:1-9; Zech. 2:1-13, 6:11-13, 8:1-8, 20-23, 9:9-10, 12:1-10; Mal. 3:1-5, 4:1-6; Ps. 2, 22, 24, 45, 46, 48, 67, 72, 89, 96, 98, 110.
