Spring Warrior Church of Christ

7432 S. Red Padgett Road

Perry, FL 32348
584-5176

WHAT wOULD JESUS dO? No. 14

KINGDOM COME by Bill Blue

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus gave his disciples a model prayer that
included the following request, “Thy kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10). Was this
request fulfilled? What would Jesus say?
THE TIME OF GOD’S KINGDOM WAS FULFILLED IN THE FIRST CENTURY. John the
Baptist prepared the way for Jesus. “In those days John the Baptist came
preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand!’” (Matt. 3:1-2). “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus
came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying,
‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe
in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15).
When Jesus said that “the time is fulfilled,” He was saying that
the time of the prophecies of God’s kingdom had come. In Daniel 2,
Daniel interprets a dream for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He
tells the king about an image the king dreamed about (Dan. 2:31-
35), and explains that the four parts of the image relate to four
kingdoms (Dan. 2:37-40), and that a great stone, which crushes the
image relates to a fifth kingdom (Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45).
Daniel explains that the first kingdom is Babylon (Dan. 2:37-
38), and that the second kingdom will follow after Babylon. Daniel
sees the next kingdom when the Medo-Persian empire defeats
Babylon (Dan. 5:30-31). In chapter 8, the second and third
kingdoms are identified as the Medo-Persian and Greek empires
(Dan. 8:20-21).
The identity of the fourth kingdom is not revealed by prophecy,
but through history we know that Rome was the next world empire.
Daniel said that, “in the days of these kings [the fourth kingdom]
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be
destroyed . . . and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44). Rome was in
power when Christ said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand” (Mark 1:15).
 Daniel also tells King Nebuchadnezzar that God “has made
known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days”
(Dan. 2:28). Isaiah and Micah say “in the latter days the mountain
of the Lord's house shall be established” (Isa. 2:2; Micah 4:1). On
the Pentecost following Christ’s resurrection, Peter quoted Joel 2:28
and said that he (Peter) was now in the “last days” (Acts 2:16-17).
The church began that day (Acts 2:47).
THE COMING OF GOD’S KINGDOM WAS WITNESSED WITH POWER. During His
ministry, Jesus said that “there are some standing here who will not taste
death till they see the kingdom of God present with power” (Mark 9:1). Thus,
some living in Jesus’ day would live to see the beginning of God’s kingdom.
After His resurrection, Jesus instructed His apostles, “Behold, I send the
Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you
are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Luke continues this
narrative in Acts 1:4-8:
4
And being assembled together with them [the apostles],
He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait
for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard
from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be
baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked
Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to
Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or
seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you
shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you ….”
The apostles received this power and the baptism of the Holy Spirit in
Jerusalem on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-17) at the place and time as foretold by
prophets (Dan. 2; Isa. 2; Micah 4). Thus, not only did the kingdom of God
come with power as foretold by Jesus (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8), but the
beginning of the kingdom was also the beginning of the Lord’s church. “And
the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
Like Peter, John also said that the kingdom was present in the First
Century when he wrote, “I, John, both your brother and companion in the
tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ … (Rev. 1:9). Daniel,
John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter and John all agree on the beginning kingdom of
God.
CHRIST IS KING. Prior to His crucifixion, Jesus told Pilate three things: (1)
That He is a king; (2) That He has a kingdom; and (3) That His kingdom is
“not of this world” (John 18:33-37). Notice that in His answers to Pilate’s
questions, Jesus does not say that He “will be king,” but rather, “You say
rightly that I am a king” (John 18:37). Following His resurrection, Jesus said,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18).
Only the King can have this authority.
CHRIST’S KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. When speaking to Pilate, Jesus did
not deny that He has a kingdom, but said, “My kingdom is not of this world”
(John 18:36). Christ’s kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, and Christ has set
forth the requirements for citizenship, “unless one is born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God […] unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, 5). “Unless you are converted
and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of
heaven” (Matt. 18:3).

God’s kingdom has come. Are you a citizen of His kingdom?

This article is reprinted online at http://www.bibleweb.com.