INTRODUCTION
A. That God planned to establish a kingdom on this earth is admitted by all who believe the Bible.
B. However, the time of the establishment and the nature of the kingdom are both subjects of controversy.
1. Has the kingdom already come, or is it still to be established as premillennialists affirm?
2. Is the kingdom spiritual in nature and identical with the church, or will it be a material, physical, worldly kingdom established and maintained by carnal weapons as premillennialists teach?
C. These questions can only be answered satisfactorily by the Word of God (Isaiah 8:20; II Timothy 3:16,17).
DISCUSSION
I. THE KINGDOM WAS PROMISED TO GREAT MEN OF OLD.
A. God promised Abraham his “seed” would bless all the earth (Genesis 12:3; 17:1-14).
1. Abraham was the father of the chosen nation through which Christ came (Matthew 1:1-17).
2. The land of Palestine was given to Abraham’s descendants as their homeland (Genesis 12:1,2; 13:14-17).
3. Christ is the Seed of Abraham who blessed all nations by dying for their sins (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16, 26-29).
B. God promised through Jacob that a ruler (Christ) would come from Judah (Genesis 49:10).
C. Moses promised that God would raise up a Prophet like himself (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22,23).
D. God also promised David He would raise up his seed to sit on his throne (II Samuel 7:12-16; Luke 1:32,33; Acts 2:29-36).
II. THE KINGDOM WAS PROPHESIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
A. Joel foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:1-21).
1. God would pour out His Spirit (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16).
2. It would happen in “the last days” or “afterward” (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16,17).
3. Whoever “called upon the name of the Lord would be saved” (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21,36-41).
4. It would take place in Jerusalem (Joel 2:32; Acts 1:4; 2:14).
B. Isaiah foretold the building of the Lord’s house (Isaiah 2:1-4).
1. It would happen in “the last days” (Isaiah 2:2; Acts 2:16,17).
2. The Lord’s house would be built (Isaiah 2:2; Acts 2:47; I Timothy 3:15).
3. All nations would come into it (Isaiah 2:2; Matthew 28:19; Luke24:47; Acts 2:5).
4. The word of the Lord would go forth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3; Acts 1:4; 2:14; 8:4,5).
C. Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the coming of the kingdom (Daniel 2:31-45).
1. Nebuchadnezzar saw a great image (statue) in his dream.
a. Its head was of gold.
b. Its chest and arms were of silver.
c. Its belly and thighs were of brass.
d. Its legs were of iron and feet of iron and clay.
e. A stone was cut out of a mountain without hands and broke the great image in pieces; then the stone grew into a mighty mountain and filled the earth.
2. God, through Daniel, gave the meaning of the dream.
a. Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon) was the head of gold (612-538 B.C.).
b. Medo-Persia was the chest and arms of silver (538-331 B.C.).
c. Greece (Macedonian Empire) was the belly and thighs of brass (331-63 B.C.).
d. Rome was the legs and feet of iron and clay (63 B.C. to A.D. 476).
3. In the days of the fourth kingdom (the Roman Empire), God would set up His kingdom and it would never be destroyed (Daniel 2:40- 44).
4. A parallel prophecy is found in Daniel 7:1-14.
III. THE KINGDOM WAS IN PREPARATION DURING THE PERSONAL MINISTRIES OF JOHN AND JESUS.
A. John came as a forerunner to prepare the way for Jesus (Malachi 4:5,6; Matthew 11:13,14; Luke 1:17).
1. John preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:1, 2).
2. “At hand” means “within reach,” or “very near.”
B. Jesus also prepared for the coming of His kingdom.
1. He too preached that the kingdom was at hand (Matthew 4:17).
2. He taught His disciples to pray for the coming of the kingdom (Matthew 6:9,10).
3. He sent His apostles out to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7).
4. He promised to build His church and to give Peter the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:16-19).
a. Jesus promised, “I will build My church” (v. 18).
b. He also said to Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom” (v. 19).
c. Please note that “church” and “kingdom” are being used interchangeably — when the church is built, the kingdom will come and vice versa.
d. When we see Peter use the keys to open the door of the church, we will know the kingdom has come.
5. Jesus told His disciples that some of them would live to see the kingdom come with power (Mark 9:1).
a. The kingdom would come with power.
b. It would come within the lifetime of some of the apostles.
c. If the kingdom has not yet come, we must have some apostles among us and they are at least 2,000 years old!!!
6. Jesus told Nicodemus how to enter the kingdom (John 3:3-5).
7. He told Pilate that His kingdom “is not of this world” (John 18:36).
8. He told His apostles He would drink the fruit of the vine with them in the Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:26-29).
a. The Lord’s supper is in the church (I Corinthians 11:23-30; Acts 20:7).
b. But the Lord partakes of it with His disciples in His kingdom.
c. Therefore, the church and the kingdom are the same!
9. After His death, burial, and resurrection, the Lord told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem for power from on high (Luke 24:49).
a. The kingdom would come with power (Mark 9:1).
b. The power would come with the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-16).
c. Therefore, we can expect to see the kingdom established shortly after the apostles are baptized in the Holy Spirit!
IV. THE KINGDOM CAME IN PERFECTION ON PENTECOST.
A. The time was right — it was in “the last days” (Joel 2:28; Isaiah 2:2; Acts 2:1-17).
1. It was also during the days of the Romans rulers (Daniel 2:40,44; Luke 2:1; 3:1).
2. Since Rome ruled the world from 63 B.C. to A.D. 476, the kingdom had to come within that time period.
3. Pentecost Day was in A.D. 33.
4. This was also within the lifetime of Jesus’ apostles (Mark 9:1).
B. The place was right — it was in Jerusalem.
1. The apostles waited in Jerusalem for power and received it when the Holy Spirit came (Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-4).
2. In Jerusalem there was deliverance (salvation) to those who called on the name of the Lord (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:21,36-41).
3. The word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3; Acts 1:8; 8:4,5).
C. Peter used the keys of the kingdom (Matthew 16:18,19).
1. Keys are used to unlock, to open.
2. Peter was privileged to preach to the Jews on Pentecost and the Gentiles at the house of Cornelius and tell them how to enter the kingdom (Acts 2:14,38-47; 10:17-11:18).
3. Since the kingdom and the church are the same, when Peter used the keys of the kingdom, people were added to the church (Acts 2:47).
CONCLUSION
A. The kingdom of Christ, which is the church of Christ, came on the first Pentecost following our Lord’s ascension (Acts 1:9-11; Daniel 7:13,14).
B. We enter the kingdom by being born of water and the Spirit (John 3:5).
1. The Jews on Pentecost entered the kingdom when they heard the gospel, repented of their sins, and were baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:37,38,41,47).
2. Therefore, to be born of water and the spirit is to hear and believe the Spirit’s message, the gospel, and be baptized in water for the remission of sins!
C. All references to the kingdom (church) after Pentecost speak of its being in existence (Acts 8:12; 28:30,31; I Corinthians 15:24-26; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 1:9).
D. All forms of premillennialism are proven false by the fact that the kingdom has come and the saved are already in it!!
Rod Rutherford
