CHAPTER 13  Covenant Foundation of a Kingdom or Nation

When John came preaching in the wilderness he said: Matt. 3:2 “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  When Jesus began to preach he said: Matt. 4:17 “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  When Jesus sent forth the twelve to preach on their first evangelical trip he told them: Matt. 10:7 “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

Obviously, the Lord was teaching that there was a kingdom that was at hand and not preaching that the kingdom would come thousands of years later.  The Lord pinpointed the beginning of this kingdom of heaven in Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”  This kingdom began with the preaching of John the Baptist. 

For a long time, I misunderstood the significance of the word, “Repent,” as used by John and the Lord in the above scriptures.  The word means to turn from and to turn to.  When a person repents of unrighteous living, he turns from the unrighteous living and turns to righteous living.  The word, repent in the above scriptures is teaching that the people should turn from the old law covenant which established the nation of Israel and turn to the new covenant, which establishes the kingdom of heaven. 

Just about every nation or kingdom on the face of the earth today has as its foundation a covenant or constitution by which the government is established and serves as the foundational guide to the legislative, judicial, and executive functions of that government.  Most of these covenants or constitutions were either established by a group of people agreeing together on the covenant or constitution or they were established by dictate or force.  Regardless, for a nation or kingdom to properly function there must be a foundation for the government and that foundation is a covenant or constitution (which is just another name for a covenant). 

God has made two covenants for the establishment of nations or kingdoms.  Moreover, these are the only two covenants and there will be no more as we read in Gal. 4:22

“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.” 

          From the above we can draw the following conclusions:

                   1.  The first covenant was established at Mount Sinai in Arabia.

                   2.  The second covenant embraces both Jews and Gentiles.

                   3.  There will not be a third covenant as the scriptures says, “These are the two covenants.”   

The details for the establishment of the first covenant are found beginning in Exodus chapter 19.  The ratification of that covenant is found in Ex. 19:3

“And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.” 

          From the above we can draw the following conclusions:

                   1.  The LORD alone gave the laws and ordinances and governance to the children of Israel and they were to obey what the Lord gave them.

                   2.  By obeying the voice of the Lord and his covenant they would be unto him a kingdom of priests and an holy nation.

                   3.  The people ratified the covenant by agreeing to do all that the LORD had spoken unto them. 

The details of the covenant, including the Ten Commandments, are given in the next several chapters of the book of Exodus. 

The nation of Israel was established based on this covenant from God.  God was originally their King, until Israel asked for a king like unto the nations about them.  At that time, God gave them Saul to be king, and after Saul, God gave them David and his descendents to be king over the nation of Israel.   

By the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Jeremiah spoke of a new covenant different from the first covenant: Jere. 31:31

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” 

By this, God promised a new kingdom established upon a new covenant with better promises.   

In Hebrews chapters 8 and 10 we see the fulfillment of this prophecy of a new kingdom based on a new covenant:

    1.  Heb. 8:8 “For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”

    2.  Heb. 10:15 “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”   

We note that the new covenant establishing a new Kingdom of God was based on better promises as we list below: 

    1.  The first covenant was written on two tables of stone.  The new covenant was written and put directly in the heart and mind of the born-again child of God.

    2.  The first covenant required the teaching of the law to know the Lord.  The second covenant does not require that any man teach a born-again child of God to know the Lord, for they all know him as a result of the new or spiritual birth.

    3.  The first covenant had curses associated with the transgression of the law and a certain fearful execution of justice.  The second covenant was based on Christ’s sacrificial atonement which resulted in all the elect being forgiven of their sins by God and subsequently God no longer holding those sins against them ( Rom. 8:33, 34: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”) 

These people to whom this covenant is made are to God a people and to them He is their God.  That they are a kingdom and a nation is clearly set forth to us in 1 Pet. 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”  Thus, with the first coming of Christ, he established a kingdom and nation.  However, as we will see in subsequent essays the nature of this kingdom is quite different in many ways from any other kingdom on earth. 

CHAPTER 14  Time of the Establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven  

The vast majority of the people who call themselves Christian today believe that the Kingdom of heaven or Kingdom of God is some future kingdom that Christ will come and establish some day.  There are many different ideas that people have as to how and when this kingdom will be established.   

The problem with the above idea is that the Kingdom of Heaven has already been established and is present on the earth today.  It is a spiritual kingdom and most people do not see it because they are looking for a future kingdom. 

The question we should ask ourselves is when was the kingdom of heaven established? 

The kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God as it is also called was established when Jesus walked on the earth in a human body.  The present the following proofs: 

1.  Jesus, John the Baptist, and the twelve all taught that the kingdom of heaven was at hand during their day:

         a.  Matt. 3:1 "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

b.  Matt. 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

c.  Matt. 10:7 "And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

To call on the Jews of that day to repent because the kingdom of heaven was at hand is proof that the kingdom of heaven was present in that day.  The Jews were called on to repent of their legalism or law service and to press into the kingdom of heaven.                       

2.  There were people during the days of John the Baptist who were pressing into the kingdom of heaven and this proves that the kingdom was present in his day:

a.  Luke 16:16 "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

b.  Matt. 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."

         3.  Jesus told some that the kingdom of heaven is theirs:

a.  Matt. 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

b.  Matt. 5:10 "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

4.  To others Jesus told that the kingdom of heaven had come nigh them: 

a.  Matt. 12:28 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." 

b.  Luke 10:9 "And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come night unto you.  But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come unto you." 

c.  Luke 11:20 "But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." 

5.  Paul called himself and others fellow workers unto the kingdom of God: Col. 4:11 "And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision.  These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.  Thus, Paul, Jesus, and Justus were fellow workers unto the kingdom of God.  They could not have been workers in the kingdom of God unless the kingdom of God existed in their day.

6.  Finally, Jesus said that the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jews of his day and given to the Gentiles: Matt. 21:42 "Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the buiders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 

We need not look for a future kingdom of heaven on earth.  It is here now.