THE KINGDOM OF GOD
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Introduction
In the Bible, the Kingdom of God gets viewed as a primary aspect following God’s will and reign over humankind. Ideally, the thought began in the Old Testament through the prophets, for instance, Isaiah. Thus, a vivid description of the Kingdom, characteristics, and the rulers became foretold. The approach also jets into the New Testament regarding the lsharksavewriters.com/issues-related-to-amazon-in-different-countriesife, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Initially, before the onset of Christ, there arose a thought that God’s Kingdom would get fulfilled through David. Thus, Jesus Christ, the true son of God, ensures the establishment of God’s Kingdom alongside the redemption of humanity through his death. The New Testament ends by outlining the reward and punishment of humankind regarding obedience to God’s Kingdom. Thus, this paper outlines and explains the passages in the Bible, describing the Kingdom of God.
Discussion
Passage 1 (Old Testament text on the Kingdom of God):
Prophet Isaiah gets recorded as the first person who foretold the Kingdom of God in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 2: 2-4, the Bible predicts a physical (earthly) Kingdom in Judah, with the capital as Jerusalem[1]. Micah 4: 1-3 describes the establishment of the Kingdom, from where the people would get taught God’s ways and ordinances. The chapter also outlines the peace that would become attained following the Kingdom’s formation among the people. Jeremiah 3:17 describes the Kingdom, having its capital being Jerusalem, as the throne of God. Therefore, people will set aside their stubbornness and follow God’s promises and decrees[2]. The permanency of the Kingdom of God becomes outlined in Daniel 2:44. Thus, the Kingdom will never get destroyed despite conquering other Kingdoms.
Passage 2 (Old Testament text on the Kingdom of God):
God’s Kingdom also gets described as one that will have a reign full of justice and fairness. Therefore, what gets desired is a person to live as per God’s teaching, an approach that factors obedience. Therefore, failure to obey God and His instructions would result in a lack of enactment of God’s Kingdom, as described in 1st Samuel 12:12. Psalms 47:7-8 also correlates with Samuel by terming God as the King of all the earth. In 1st Chronicles 29:11-12, the greatness of God as a ruler of the Kingdom becomes outlined[3]. The scripture indicates that God reigns over everything on earth and in heaven. Therefore, He becomes the provider of righteousness, wealth, power, and might in His Kingdom.
Zechariah 14: 9 also outlines the total control that God will have over His Kingdom, His name being the Holy one. The Old Testament passages describe the omnipotence of God regarding the Kingdom to get established by God. Thus, God gets viewed as one making decrees that the people become required to follow. God also becomes seen as the provider whose Kingdom will never end and will conquer other empires[4]. The scriptures also indicate Jerusalem as the capital, thereby outlining the dwelling place of God. Thus, God’s reign does not get limited as He rules both in heaven and on earth. A failure to follow God’s commands would also prevent the establishment of the Kingdom.
Passage 3 (Synoptic Gospels text on the Kingdom of God):
The synoptic gospels comprise the first three books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In Matthew 4:17, Jesus Christ outlines the need to repent and believe, because the Kingdom of God drew near[5]. Thus, individuals should turn away from sins and become cleansed before stepping into God’s Kingdom. Mark 1:15 and Luke 10:9 also describe the presence of God’s Kingdom as an event not to happen in the future. In his life, Jesus outlines the importance of seeking God’s Kingdom (Matthew 6:33, Luke 12:31). Thus, one who gets to seek the Kingdom of God and its righteousness will receive everything.
Besides, while teaching the disciples on prayer, Jesus also stresses on allowing God’s Kingdom to come as outlined in Matthew 6:10. Therefore, God should take control of all the earth, a depiction of His reign. In Luke 17:20-21, Jesus teaches that God’s Kingdom could not get observed because it was in the midst of the people[6]. Thus, the parable of the sower in Mark 4:1-9 outlines a reality of God’s Kingdom, as reigning in the present. Jesus also demonstrates God’s Kingdom through His works, as evident by casting out demons in Luke 11: 20. The ministry of Jesus as bringing good news regarding God’s Kingdom also gets summarized in Luke 4:43, and 8:1.
Passage 4 (Gospel of John text on the Kingdom of God):
The Israelites believed that Jesus would come as King and lead them from their oppressors (John 6:15). A description, however, gets made in John 18:36, when Jesus stated that His Kingdom was out of the world. Therefore, Jesus meant a heavenly, not an earthly kingdom. In John 3:3-5, Jesus describes the aspect of becoming born again before entering God’s Kingdom[7]. Therefore, Jesus explains to Nicodemus that one should become born of the water and Holy Spirit to partake in God’s Kingdom. The scripture illustrates the aspect of sanctification and renewal of oneself before entering God’s Kingdom.
Passage 5 (Acts text on the Kingdom of God):
The book of Act reveals the contents of the Kingdom of God after the death and resurrection of Jesus. For instance, in Acts 1:3, Jesus outlines God’s Kingdom as the focus of the world’s mission. Thus, in verses 6, the disciples believe that Jesus came to restore the Kingdom of Israel after His resurrection[8]. Acts 14:22 describes the hardships and perseverance that the disciples had to underdo concerning the Kingdom of God and its good news (8:12). Therefore, disciples, for example, Paul, got detained and put under house arrest following the proclamation of the story about God’s Kingdom (Acts 19:8, 20: 25-27, 28:17-31). The death and resurrection of Jesus meant an establishment of God’s Kingdom, but disciples suffered for its attainment.
Passage 6 (Paul’s Epistles text on the Kingdom of God):
Paul outlines the characteristic of people who would not enter the Kingdom of God, like the unjust (1st Corinthians 6:9, Chapter 10-11). The writer also categorizes the people as having ungodly conduct depicted in Galatians5:21 and Ephesians 5:5. Co-workers of the Kingdom also comprised of individuals who worked alongside Paul (Colossians 4:11). The aspects outline the Kingdom and societal values that became widely practiced in the early church[9]. Therefore, according to Paul, God’s Kingdom became depicted by righteousness and freedom from sin (1st Thessalonians 2:12). Evildoers lacked the qualities of partaking God’s Kingdom, thus the need for repentance regarding crime. God’s Kingdom is also not meant for eating or drinking (individual pleasures), but peace in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17)
Suffering also became an essential part of attaining the Kingdom of God, as evident in the early church. Paul associated worthiness in the Kingdom with pain (2nd Thessalonians 1:5). Thus, through grief, God would qualify the followers in the early church to enter His Kingdom. Paul also linked the Kingdom of Jesus with the heavenly realms (2nd Timothy 4:1, 4:18)[10]. Thus, he did not believe in the present Kingdom, but that the Lord would take him into the heavenly realms, marking the beginning of the reign. According to Paul, the Kingdom of God was in the future, not present. The Kingdom of God would also begin and conclude with a judgment regarding the early church (2nd Timothy 4:1).
Passage 7 (General Epistle’s passage on the Kingdom of God):
Generally, the epistles describe a future, not a present Kingdom. A reason for the postponement of God’s Kingdom became associated with God, not sending the twelve disciples. Therefore, the reign followed the enactment of God’s grace (2nd Peter 3:15). Thus, the assumed Kingdom would become everlasting and attributed to Jesus Christ (2nd Peter 1:11). The aspect of spiritual richness, through faith, also gets associated with the Kingdom (James 2:5)[11]. Therefore, the Kingdom would not focus on the earthly possession as viewed by the early church, but spiritual belonging. 1st Peter 5:1-5 also depicts the activities of the Godly about God’s Kingdom.
Passage 8 (Revelation passage on the Kingdom of God):
Revelation describes the call to repentance for the restoration of the Kingdom of God. For instance, Revelation 11:1-18, God uses the failure to repent to destroy humankind. True repentance and worship towards God turn away the wrath; thus, God remains to rule in His Kingdom with the son Jesus Christ. The sculpture indicates that God is the supreme creator and rejects opposition from His creation. Thus, the Kingdom of God gets characterized by repentance and holiness. Failure to uphold God’s rule results in wrath and destruction towards humankind.
At the return of God’s Kingdom, God will dwell among his people (Revelation 21:1-8). Thus, the new era would get characterized by no death, crying, or sorrow as the former things would have gone[12]. The result would become cooperation, love, and peace amongst the new dwellers. A new heaven and earth would also become formed to cater for the survivors of the rupture into the Kingdom of God. The second coming of Jesus also gets depicted in Revelation 20:4-6. Thus, the individuals who would get ushered into God’s Kingdom were to become righteous. Revelation outlines the benefits of living a Godly life, as opposed to evil conduct. Thus, the discussion focuses on the consequences of end times as either eternal life or punishment by God. The book gives a summary of God’s plan for humanity regarding following or going against set commands.
Conclusion
The Kingdom of God attains distinct meanings from the Old Testament prophecies to attainment in the New Testament. In a way, the characteristic of God’s Kingdom becomes manifested in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Besides, there arises the hope of attaining a future everlasting Kingdom regarding the second coming of Christ. Therefore, despite the manifestations in the life of Jesus, the utmost Kingdom gets eternal and lies in heavenly realms. The Christian model of living dictates whether one would attain the Kingdom or face destruction on the judgment day. Primarily, God advocates for His statutes to become followed. Thus, the approach limits the chance or humankind’s fall-out from the eternal reign.
Bibliography
Alexander, Loveday C. “The Church in the Synoptic Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles.” Oxford Handbooks Online, 2018. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199645831.013.20.
Bull, Paul B. “The Kingdom of God.” The Economics of the Kingdom of God, 2018, 13-35. doi:10.4324/9780203705339-1.
Denio, F. B. “The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament.” The Old Testament Student 15, no. 2 (2016), 55-58.
Harstine, Stan. “The Children of God and the Son of God in the Johannine Gospel and Epistles.” Anatomies of the Gospels and Beyond, 2018. doi:10.1163/9789004373501_024.
Suen, Shu-Hsi A. “The Beginning Of The End: The Presence Of God In The Book Of Revelation.” 2017. doi:10.2986/tren.048-0019.
[1] Denio, “The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament,” 56
[2] Ibid., 55.
[3] Denio, “The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament,” 57.
[4] Ibid., 58.
[5] Alexander, “The Church in the Synoptic Gospels,” 46.
[6] Alexander, “The Church in the Synoptic Gospels,” 49.
[7] Ibid., 46
[8] Alexander, “The Church in the Synoptic Gospels,” 48.
[9] Harstine, “The Children of God and the Son of God,” 32.
[10] Ibid., 39.
[11] Bull, “The kingdom of God,” 30.
[12] Suen, “The Beginning of The End,” 70.