THE KINGDOM ESTABLISHED - LESSON 11

The Kingdom of Old Testament promise and prophecy is a subject of great interest to most people. The TV and radio preachers have made it so by their fascinating interpretations of prophecy that “explain” the unrest and uncertainty of the political situations in the Middle East. All of their speculations rest on the assumption that the Kingdom of Christ is an unfulfilled aspect of OT prophecy. In traveling this route we will establish that the Kingdom of Christ is not a yet future and unfulfilled promise, but a present reality.

As an aid in this study you may want to employ the use of a legal pad and pencil. We will draw a conventional Bible timeline. On the left hand side indicate by an uppercase “C” the creation of all things. This is about 4,000 B.C. On the right hand side of the page draw an arrowhead and write 2,000 A.D. Divide the line by hash marks into six equal sections, each of which represents about 1,000 years. Just to the right of the fourth hash mark draw a cross. Mark it “33A.D.” to indicate the time of the death of Jesus on Calvary. Now our chart is ready for use.

PSALM 2

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” 10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

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COMMENTARY

This text indicates that God would establish an eternal kingdom in which the King (v. 2) that reigns forever would be His Son (vv. 6 & 7). The “heathen,” the Gentile nations, and the “the people,” the Jews, would try to kill Him. However, God’s Son would be victorious over His enemies, even in death (cf. Acts 13:33). David cannot be speaking about himself since there is no time during his reign that would correspond to the promise of v. 8 (note: Acts 2:30, 31; Acts 13:33-37).

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ISAIAH 2:1-4

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

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COMMENTARY

Here the prophet identifies the time of the establishment of the Kingdom as the “last days.” Specific events associated with the “last days” include: (1) the going forth of the law (2) from Jerusalem (3) to Jews and (4) Gentiles (cf. Micah 4:1–2).

2/26

JOEL 2:28-32

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

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COMMENTARY

Joel announces the sign of the “last days” (cf. Acts 2:17) as the outpouring of the Spirit upon the Jews and Gentiles. They will prophesy and see visions. In those days whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. [Put these passages on the timeline ca. 750 B.C.]

3/26

DANIEL 2:28-45

28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.

31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

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COMMENTARY

Daniel prophesies that the Kingdom will be established during the “latter days” and will embrace all the nations of the earth. These days are those of the fourth worldwide empire. (The first empire is Babylon (2:38), the second is Persia (5:25-31), the third is Greece (8:19- 22) and the fourth is Rome (7:4-7, 17-18; Revelation 13:1-3).)

4/26

LUKE 3:1–3

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

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COMMENTARY

According to Matthew Jesus was born in the days of Herodian kings. According to Luke those were the days of the Roman Caesars as well, which according to Daniel (2:44–45) was the time Messiah would come and establish His Kingdom.

5/26

LUKE 3:15

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ,

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COMMENTARY

Notice how Luke describes the people. They are “in expectation.” In expectation of what? In expectation of the Messiah and His Kingdom. Why are they in expectation? Because they know what the prophets have said. It is time for the Kingdom to be established.

6/26

MATTHEW 3:1–2

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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COMMENTARY

John preached that the Kingdom of Old Testament promise and prophecy was “at hand,” meaning near or coming soon. Observe here for your student that the Kingdom cannot be near now, if it was near then.

7/26

MATTHEW 4:17

17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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COMMENTARY

Jesus began His personal ministry by preaching that the Kingdom was “at hand.” Did the Son of God not know when the Kingdom was going to be established? Would you describe something 2,000 years yet into the future as being “at hand”?

8/26

MATTHEW 6:10

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

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COMMENTARY

Jesus taught the Disciples to pray for the Kingdom to come. So it was not established during his ministry. Still future, but near.

9/26

MATTHEW 16:18–19

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

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COMMENTARY

Jesus promised to build his Church and give Peter the keys to the Kingdom. What the Lord called “Church” in v. 18, He called “kingdom” in v. 19. Why build one thing and give Peter the keys to something else? It is important that you make this point clear. The Kingdom was still future and Jesus said it was the church.

10/26

MARK 9:1

And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

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COMMENTARY

Just before Jesus was transfigured He told his Disciples that some of them would live until they actually saw the Kingdom established. This verse makes it certain that Jesus expected the Kingdom to be established soon, not 2,000 years into the future (cf. Matthew 16:28).

11/26

LUKE 23:50-52

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

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COMMENTARY

After the death of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathaea is described as a saint “waiting for the Kingdom of God.” So the Disciples understood Jesus’ promise to indicate the soon appearance of the Kingdom. [Arrange these texts on the timeline just left of the crucifixion]

12/26

LUKE 24:44-48

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

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COMMENTARY

During the forty day interim between the resurrection and the ascension Jesus taught the Disciples concerning the Kingdom of Heaven from the prophets. In this text Jesus identifies three markers of the Kingdom: (1) repentance and remission of sins, (2) beginning at Jerusalem, (3) to all nations. This would be in fulfillment of Genesis 9, Genesis 12, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 9, Joel 2 and Daniel 2.

13/26

ACTS 1:4-8

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

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COMMENTARY

The last time the Twelve saw Jesus they asked Him if it was time for the Kingdom to be established. Jesus instructed them to wait in Jerusalem for the “power” he had promised earlier would attend the Kingdom’s arrival (Mark 9:1). It would have been cruel and mean to depart from His Disciples with the expectation of the Kingdom’s soon appearance, if in reality it was 2,000 plus years in the future. [Place this text just right of the cross and 33 A.D.]

14/26

REVELATION 1:9

9 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

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COMMENTARY

(At this point we go to the end of the New Testament in chronology, some sixty years beyond the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Observe that up until now the prophets, Apostles and Disciples have spoken of the Kingdom as a future expectation. From this point backward they will consider it an established reality. By this means we will pinpoint the exact moment at which the kingdom of Heaven was established.) The Apostle John was suffering for the Kingdom on the Isle of Patmos in about 90 A.D. How could this be if it did not exist? Indicate this text on your timeline.

15/26

COLOSSIANS 1:13

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

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COMMENTARY

The Colossians are in the Kingdom. This letter was written about 62 A.D.

16/26

ACTS 28:23

23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

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COMMENTARY

–Paul is preaching the Kingdom in 62 A.D. The Apostles did not believe that the Kingdom was put on hold or postponed.

17/26

1 THESSALONIANS 2:12

12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

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COMMENTARY

The Thessalonians were in the Kingdom during the year 52 A.D.

18/26

ACTS 14:22

22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

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COMMENTARY

Paul and Barnabas are inviting Gentiles to enter the Kingdom in 45 A.D.

19/26

ACTS 8:12

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

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COMMENTARY

After Pentecost Christians are preaching the Kingdom wherever they go. However, that which they are doing is establishing the Church.

20/26

ACTS 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

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COMMENTARY

The Twelve Apostles have the Holy Spirit miraculously come upon them so that they are enabled to speak in other languages. Jesus had said the Spirit would come to them in Jerusalem (Acts 1:8) and from there the Gospel of Salvation would be preached (Luke 24:45-49).

21/26

ACTS 2:16

16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

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COMMENTARY

Peter by the Spirit attributes what happens to the fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32. This is the miracle that would occur in “the last days” when the Kingdom came.

22/26

ACTS 2:25-31

25 For David says concerning him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

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COMMENTARY

Peter by the Holy Spirit quotes Psalm 16:8-10 attributing it to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven to sit on David’s throne (the antecedent of “his” in verse 30 is “prophet”). This is the fulfillment of Psalm 89:34-37. Peter believes he has lived to see the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven. This also fulfills the prophecy of Daniel 7:13–14 in Jesus ascending to the Ancient of Days to receive a Kingdom.

23/26

ACTS 2:33-35

33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

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COMMENTARY

Peter quotes Psalm 110:1 indicating that Jesus is the Saviour/King that rules as a priest also fulfilling Zechariah 6:9-13.

24/26

ACTS 2:37-38

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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COMMENTARY

2:37-38–– Kingdom was, “Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Peter tells them to call by (1) repentance and (2) baptism for the remission of sins fulfilling Isaiah 2, Joel 2 and Luke 24:47.

25/26

ACTS 2:41, 47

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

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COMMENTARY

Now that to which these 3,000 Jewish believers were added was the Church of Christ. It is the Church that was established on Pentecost 33 A.D., and the Church that spread throughout the whole world with the message of salvation. [Add these verses to the right of the cross. Put a “P” on the chart.] Tie these verse back in with Matthew 16:18–19. Jesus promised to build the church and called it Kingdom. Peter preached the Kingdom and established the church.

26/26

Completed!

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