Is the Kingdom Here?
By Timothy Glover
Today, some people are waiting for the kingdom of Christ to be established when he comes again to rule for a thousand years. The Old Testament prophesies about the coming of the kingdom (Dan. 2:44, Isa. 2:2,3). Has it already come and if not, at what point in time will it come?
John, the immerser, and Jesus both preached that the kingdom was “at hand” (Matthew 3:2, 4:23). When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray in Matthew 6, he prayed, “thy kingdom come” in verse ten. At least it had not come then. Jesus also said in Matthew 16:28, “Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, til they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” According to these verses, John said in his day that the kingdom was coming soon. Jesus said to get ready for it because it was coming soon. And, he later said that some hearing him speak would not die until they had seen the kingdom come.
In addition, Paul wrote that the Father, “hath delivered us out of the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love” (Col. 1:13). Christians in Paul’s day were in the kingdom. So, the kingdom came sometime before Paul wrote this and after Jesus and John said it was coming. Other scriptures speak of the kingdom as already being in existence (Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 1:6,9).
Can we establish that the kingdom came in the first century? Let us look at some passages to learn when it came.
First, Daniel prophesied that God would establish a kingdom in the days of the Roman Emperors (Dan. 2:44).
Jesus promised his apostles in Matthew 16:18-19, “...I will build my church,... and I will give you (Peter) the keys of the kingdom...” . Here Jesus uses the words “church” and “kingdom” inter-changeably. Is the church and kingdom the same? In Acts 2, when Peter preached Christ’s death, and resurrection, he concludes in verse 36, “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Those who submitted to Peter’s preaching were said to be added to the church. Thus, in Matthew 16:18, Jesus uses the words interchangeably and Acts 2 declares Jesus as Lord (ruler, king) and that those who obey “in the name of” the king (Acts 2:38) are added to the church.
Matthew 28:18 records Jesus saying just before his ascension, “All authority has been given unto me in heaven and on earth.” Acts 2:30 speaks of Christ being raised up to sit on his throne and in verses 33-34 Peter asserts that Jesus is at God’s right hand as Lord. Peter’s sermon may easily be entitled, “The Lordship of Jesus”. Daniel saw one like the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven (cf. Acts 1:9). He came to the Ancient of Days”. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom... (Dan. 7:13-14). Instead of Jesus establishing his kingdom when he comes from the father back to earth, he established it when he went to the Father at his ascension.
A number of passages speak of the kingdom as in existence. Heb. 12:28 says, “we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken...”. Paul writes in Col. 1:13 that God has “delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom...” Here Christians are said to be in it. How can one be translated into that which does not yet exist? Jesus is now “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tim. 6:15). He must “reign til he has put all enemies under his feet”. Saints are said to be “fellow-citizens in the kingdom" (Ephesians 2:19). Thus, on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) when Peter used the keys of the kingdom, being endued with power from on high, the kingdom was brought into existence with Christ as the reigning King. When those to whom Peter preached received the word with gladness, they were baptized. It is common to hear the call to “receive Jesus as one’s personal savior.” This is impossible without accepting the will of the king. Peter gave the kings edict, “Repent and be baptized... in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..” (V. 38). You can’t claim him as your king without accepting this edict. When one obeys King Jesus, he or she will be added to the church that is the kingdom(v.47)
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