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KINGDOM
OF GOD ON EARTH
It
comes as a surprise to many who suddenly take an interest in the
Bible, to discover that there was a Kingdom of God on the earth
in former years and that Kingdom was ruled over by mortal rulers.
When
the Children of Israel were led out of Egypt by Moses, the Father
promised them that, if they obeyed His will..."The Lord thy
God will set thee above all nations of the earth.......the Lord
shall establish thee an holy people unto himself." (Deut.
28:1,9). That the Father kept His promise is well borne out by Scripture
and history, and Israel became the Kingdom of God, as the following
passages of Scripture clearly show.....
1
Chronicles 29:23...."Then Solomon sat on the THRONE OF THE
LORD AS KING instead of David his father......."
2
Chronicles 9:8........."Blessed be the Lord thy God which
delighteth in thee (Solomon) TO SET THEE ON HIS THRONE, TO BE KING
FOR THE LORD."
That
Kingdom came to an end in BC588, because of wickedness, when Nebuchadnezzar,
King of Babylon, took it's last King captive, killed his sons in
front of him and plucked out his eyes.
THE
KINGDOM IS TO BE RE-ESTABLISHED:
Because
there has already been a Kingdom of God on the earth, men of faith
in our days are convinced from such prophetic words as those of
Jeremiah 3:17..."At that time they shall call JERUSALEM THE THRONE
OF THE LORD", that the Father will re-establish His Kingdom on the
earth, just as He promised to Daniel...."In the days of these kings
(the latter days) shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,
which shall never be destroyed......it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Dan 2:44).
The Lord Jesus was very particular to confirm the promise to the
Prophet Daniel, for He instructed the Apostle John to prophetically
write.."The kingdoms of THIS WORLD are become the kingdoms of our
Lord and his Christ". (Rev 11:15). That the Jews of Israel, in the
days of the Lord Jesus knew that the Kingdom was to be re-established,
there can be no doubt, for the disciples questioned the Lord Jesus
on that point , by asking...." Lord, wilt thou at this time restore
again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6).
A
KINGDOM ON EARTH OR IN HEAVEN?
No
where in the Bible is there any promise of the re-established kingdom
of God being in heaven. Instead, the Lord Jesus Christ is emphatic
in declaring that the Kingdom will be on the earth. On one occasion
He instructed the Apostle John to write a word picture of the 'redeemed'
in Revelation 5:10..."And (thou) hast made us unto our God kings
and priests and we shall reign on the earth." The "we" are the
same people the Prophet Daniel spoke of in Dan 7:27 in which he
also speaks of the redeemed...."And the kingdom and dominion
and the greatness of the kingdom, UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, shall
be given unto the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey
him." Not only so, Jesus was careful to teach .."Blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matt 5:5). Scripture
leaves us in no doubt that the future kingdom is on earth.
WHICH
CITY SHALL BE ITS CAPITAL?
Mankind's
famous cities have been Babylon, Rome, London, New York and Moscow,
but the Bible does not mention these as being the important cities
of the future. Instead, the only significant city mentioned as the
future source of all ruling power and might, is Jerusalem.. The
Prophet Micah wrote by Divine inspiration..."The kingdom shall
come to the daughter of Zion." (Mic. 4:8) and in the same
chapter Micah writes of the future saying...."In the last
days ........Many nations shall come and say, Come and let us go
up to the mountain of the Lord....for the law shall go forth of
Zion and the word of the Lord from JERUSALEM". (Mic. 4:1-2).
The Prophet Ezekiel confirms the words of Micah for he wrote on
instruction from the Lord..." Son of man, the place of my throne,
and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the
midst of the Children of Israel for ever." When Ezekiel wrote
those words he was speaking of the House of prayer for all nations,
to be built in Jerusalem.
The
Prophet Isaiah, writing 700 years before the days of the Lord Jesus,
foresaw a time when the iniquity of Israel was at an end and he
writes...."The Lord of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and
in Jerusalem........"(Is.24:23). With such overwhelming
evidence as the foregoing, there can be no doubt that the coming
re-established Kingdom of God on the earth, will be centred in Israel,
with the returned Lord Jesus reigning from the world's future and
new capital, Jerusalem. Jeremiah writes of Jerusalem..."All
nations shall be gathered unto it", and King David wrote..."This
is the hill (Mount Zion) God desireth to dwell in". (Psalm
68:16), whilst the Prophet Joel writes...."For in Mount Zion
and Jerusalem shall be deliverance". (Joel 2:32). The Prophet
Zechariah adds ..."Yea, many people and strong nations shall
come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem." (Zech.8:22).
WHEN
WILL THIS ALL HAPPEN?
When
the Disciples asked this question of the Lord Jesus, His answer
was..."It is not for you to know the times or the seasons , which
the Father hath put in his own power." (Acts 1:7). In another place
the Lord Jesus assures us that not even He knows the date and time
of the re-establishment of the Kingdom (Matt 24:36)...BUT, the Prophet
Amos assures his readers that the Lord would DO NOTHING without
revealing "His secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7)
We
are assured therefore that there are certain indications in the
Bible, of the times of the fulfilment of all the Father's promises.
One thing we have to remember is that there can be NO Kingdom of
God on the earth until the Lord Jesus returns to establish it and
it is no co-incidence that King David, the Psalmist wrote...."When
the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory".
(Ps.102:16). We are seeing this happen before our eyes as God's
people, the Jews, return to their land to rebuild and replant the
Land. The first step has started and soon the Lord (Jesus) will
" descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel"
(1 Thess 4:16)
The
'building up of Zion' has necessitated the return of Israel from
the four corners of the world, and in the last 100 years, over four
million Jews have been led to return to their ancient land, in preparation
for the re-establishment of the Kingdom of God on the earth.
All
men and women are invited to be a part of the future Kingdom, which
will 'break in pieces and consume all kingdoms'..................The
promise of the Bible is eternal life in a world renewed. How
foolish we would be to ignore it when it's offered freely.
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