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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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