Did the rejection of Jesus Christ as the Messiah by some Jews force the almighty Omnipotent God to postpone His Kingdom? Is the resurrected and glorified Christ sitting on His throne of glory and reigning over His kingdom NOW - or - does the Scriptures teach this Christ will come back to this physical earth and sit on a physical throne in a physical temple in the physical city of Jerusalem and reign for 1000 literal years?

The Kingdom of God and Christ  According to the Scriptures

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, and saying "The Time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” Full Text: Mark 1:9-15

The Kingdom of God is no small subject. Much of the New Testament is de- voted to teaching about THE KINGDOM. Volumes have been written about the Kingdom. Primitive Baptist who have been blessed with an understanding of THE KINGDOM write many articles teaching the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE AND WHY of THE KINGDOM. The subject is inexhaustible, and I do not have the ability or knowledge to do more than touch the hem of the garment. But in the few short articles I hope to write, I will give you a perspective of THE KINGDOM, ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, as a converted Premillennialist sees it. For fifteen years (1960 to 1976), I preached the "Future Thousand Year Kingdom Theory." And then, by grace, God opened my eyes to the truth of His Word. I know I will not REVEAL anything new, for there are NO NEW REVELATIONS being revealed to man outside the inspired Word of God.

THE "GOSPEL OR GOOD NEWS" ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS THE FIRST MESSAGE THE JEWS HEARD AFTER WHAT IS BELIEVED A FOUR HUNDRED YEAR PERIOD OF SILENCE FROM GOD'S PROPHETS. That is the approximate time between the last writings of the Prophet Malachi in the Old Testament and the Message of John the Baptist, who was "the forerunner or Herald of the King," as he came on the scene preaching "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 3:1-2). John the Baptist was ordained by God while yet in the womb to "go before him (Christ) in the spirit and power of Elias --- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Lk. 1:13-17). His message was clear "I am not the Christ -- I am the voice of one crying in the wilder- ness, Make straight the way of the Lord -- I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am unworthy to unloose. -- And seeing Jesus coming unto him, he said "BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD WHICH TAKETH AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD" (John 1:19-29).

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM WAS THE FIRST MESSAGE JESUS PREACHED AFTER HE BEGAN HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY.

Jesus began his earthly ministry after: First being baptized by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11); and Second being tempted by the Devil "in all points like as we are, yet with- out sin" (Matt 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was about thirty years old at the time he was baptized and the Spirit of God descended upon him and his heavenly Father said "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Luke 3: 21-23). John the Baptist bare record, saying "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said un- to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which shall baptize with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God" (read John 1:19-34)

There are some who teach that Jesus was mistaken when he said (see text) THE TIME IS FULFILLED, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND (at hand means nigh or near). There are two (2) Postponed Kingdom Theories propagated by man. One theory is about a FUTURE THOUSAND YEAR REIGN OF CHRIST ON EARTH. This one is taught mostly by "Armenian Dispensationalist" who are also known as "Premillennialist." Now I am not throwing stones, for I used to be one of these strange creatures. Their "ideas" about the Kingdom are so "strange" they honestly can be called "SQUIRRELLY."

However those folks are not the only people out there with strange ideas about the Kingdom. There is another "POSTPONED KINGDOM THEORY" propagated by some closer to home who call themselves Primitive Baptist. They claim that The Kingdom of God was not established until 70 AD. Both of these so called THEORIES are "UNSCRIPTURAL" to say the least. Theories are man-made ideas. Any "idea" that will not hold up under the scrutiny of the Inspired Word of God soon becomes strange doctrine. I heard one notable Elder say, "The best way to test an idea is to set it up and shoot some Scripture at it. If it doesn't stand, you had best leave it alone and let it die." This is what I hope to do by teaching THE KINGDOM ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. To paraphrase the late Elder S. A. Paine concerning false doctrines, "I plan to put these (false theories) in a bottle, drive the cork so tight they will smother to death, if indeed there is any life at all in them."

FIRST let's establish some facts according to Scripture (i.e. King James Version). Please check me out, and let me know if I have erred. The terms "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God" are New Testament terms and they do not appear in the Old Testament. Jesus said "The Law and The Prophets (i.e. Old Testament Scriptures) were until John (the Baptist); since that time the kingdom of God is preached ---" (Luke 16:16). The word "KINGDOM" appears in the New Testament 158 times in 150 verses, including the times it appears in the terms "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God." The Term "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" appears 33 times in 32 verses - all in the Gospel of Matthew. The term "KINGDOM OF GOD" appears 70 times in 69 verses; 5 times in 5 verses in the Gospel of Matthew; 15 times in 15 verses in the Gospel of Mark; 33 times in 32 verses in the Gospel of Luke (the same as does the Kingdom of Heaven appear in Matthew); 2 times in 2 verses in John; and 15 times in Acts through Revelation.

The word KINGDOM appears in the Old Testament 184 times in 166 verses and is used to speak of "many kingdoms" of various nations. However the New Testament KINGDOM OF THE MESSIAH is foretold in prophecy many, many times in "The Law and The Prophets and The Psalms." In the course of this subject we will look at several of these Old Testament prophesies, especially those in Isaiah 9:6-7 and Daniel chapters 7 and 9. We will see that these were all "FULFILLED" in Christ according to God's sovereign will. Many of the Armenians have confused the FULFILLMENT OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN WILL concerning these O.T. prophesies with the "rejection of Christ the King by the natural unregenerate Jew." Doing this, they have tried to "reconcile" their confusion with "timely" prophecies about a "natural kingdom in a natural world." I know, I used to do this, and it was not until God opened my eyes to SOVEREIGN GRACE did I see His SOVEREIGN KINGDOM IN CHRIST. God has always been SOVEREIGN and always will be SOVEREIGN in heaven and on earth - none can stay his hand. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS GOVERNED BY JESUS THE CHRIST, THE SOVEREIGN KING.

In the New Testament the word "Kingdom" and the terms "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Kingdom of God" are often synonymous and interchangeable. Some have the "strange idea" that they are not, but the Scriptures proves this true. In our text it says "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came in- to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God." In Matthew 4:12 we read "Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee --." Matt. 4:17 says "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These are the exact same events. Matt 4:23 adds, "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom." A 3rd grade student would understand that both Matthew and Mark are speaking of the same thing, but using different terms.

The terms are interchanged in Matthew 19:23-24: Jesus says, "Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." It is obvious that Jesus is talking about the same kingdom, but as strange as it may be, some preachers go to College to get some professor to help them to misunderstand this. We could go on and give several more examples, but I do not believe this point needs further proof.

God does not leave us in darkness to depend upon man's theories or ideas as to what is the Kingdom of God. GOD TELLS WHAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS! Jesus said "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation -- for behold the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21). The word "observation" comes from the Greek word "parateresis" and means "inspection or ocular evidence." This teaches that the KINGDOM OF GOD can not be seen with the physical eye. Jesus then says "BEHOLD the kingdom of God is WITHIN you."

The word "BEHOLD" (in this case) means to SEE WITH SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION, just as it does in many passages, for example I Cor. 15:5 and I John 3:1. The word "WITHIN" is the Greek word "entos" meaning "INSIDE" you. Paul the Apostle tells us that "The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; (or that which can be seen with the eye -) but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 15:17). REMEMBER -- IN THE HOLY GHOST!

Jesus Christ is the personification of the Godhead; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; "For in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9), and he is the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of his person (substance) - see Heb. 1:3. Jesus said to Philip "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9). Again in the same place he said "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world can not receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS: I WILL COME TO YOU" (John 14:16-18). Remember what John said that God told him about Jesus Christ? He said "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, THE SAME IS HE WHICH BAPTIZETH WITH THE HOLY GHOST." Before Jesus was crucified he promised his disciples he would send "another Comforter - which is the Holy Ghost."

When Jesus had, by himself, purged our sins, he ascended back to glory to be glorified with the glory he had with the Father before the world was - and He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. God the Father at that time said to the Son (read this carefully) "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the OIL OF GLADNESS above thy fellows" (read Heb. 1:3-13). That OIL OF GLADNESS speaks of the HOLY SPIRIT OF TRUTH --THE COMFORTER promised by Jesus - which HOLY SPIRIT was poured out on the Church (which existed from the days of John the Baptist) and "THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST" TEN DAYS AFTER JESUS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST -- PROVING (giving evidence) THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS FROM THE "COMING OF THE MESSIAH" -"THE SON OF MAN" (Daniel 9:24-27 with 7:13-14 & 27) AND THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WOULD NEVER END.

Peter said on the day of Pentecost that these things were the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies of Joel and David, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God HATH MADE (past tense) that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both LORD AND CHRIST" (Acts 2:36). LORD AND KING! MESSIAH! LORD AND THE ANOINTED ONE! HALLELUIAH!!

"The Kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt 10:5-15) "The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (Luke 10:3-12) Also read Matt 4:17 and Mark 1:14-15.

The Arminian Dispensationalist would have us to believe that when John the Baptist, Jesus Christ and the Apostles preached "The Kingdom of Heaven" is at hand, they spoke MAINLY of an Earthly One Thousand Year Messianic King- dom. BUT when they preached "The Kingdom of God" is at hand or nigh, they spoke of a Universal Spiritual Kingdom, which included a "mystical, parenthetical" Church Age that was required due to the UNEXPECTED rejection by the Jews of Jesus as King and His offer of the Kingdom of Heaven.

WHAT THEY TEACH IS - The John Darby (Plymouth Brethren) DISPENSATIONALIST THEORY of 1830, which was promoted by Darby's convert, C. I. Scofield, a Freemason, in his Scofield Reference Bible and other books like Chafer's Systematic Theology.

THEY TEACH: The Kingdom was announced as being "at hand"; this consisted of A LEGITIMATE OFFER to THE NATION OF ISRAEL of the promised earthly Davidic kingdom; however the JEWISH NATION rejected their King and the Kingdom; Because the jews rejected Christ, God postponed the Millennial Kingdom; but it will be instituted on earth after the return of Christ; The earthly Kingdom, when rejected and postponed, entered a "MYSTERY FORM" (Matt 13) for the present age; This Mystery is included in the term Kingdom of God; The Kingdom of God includes The Parenthetical Church Age which exist only until the Earthly Kingdom is established; The EARTHLY KINGDOM OF HEAVEN will be re-announced by a Jewish remnant of 144,000 at the beginning of THE GREAT TRIBULATION, (Matt 24) which occurs immediately before the return of Christ; The Church will then be RAPTURED away from the earth and go to be with Christ; After which an election of Jews will be sealed by God to proclaim the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN - that is the EARTHLY DAVIDIC KINGDOM is about to be set up; The Millennial Kingdom will then be established as Christ returns in power and glory and CHRIST WILL REIGN IN A "PHYSICAL" TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM FOR ONE THOUSAND YEARS.

These teachings are not only SQUIRRELLY, but blasphemous in the light of scripture when "rightly dividing the word of truth." In 1976 while in search of the truth concerning man's depravity and eternal life, my eyes were opened to the doctrines of sovereign grace. God also opened my eyes to the Truth of His "SOVEREIGN KINGDOM" in JESUS THE CHRIST.

The two are very much related! Those who deny the SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD, are for the most part, the ones who teach that God had to postpone an OFFERED KINGDOM. They believe that MAN'S WILL to is greater than GOD'S WILL. They believe that man must "LET or ALLOW GOD" to do His will. They say "God wants" to save you if you will just LET or ALLOW him to do so. This Vain Philosophy is the root cause for their misunderstanding so many Scriptures.

The Arminian, dispensationalist, postponed kingdom theory can not stand in the light of a sovereign God who doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou? This theory fails in the light of a sovereign God Who hath CHOSEN US and PREDESTINATED US "according to the good pleasure of his will; according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will; according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord - that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom He hath called, NOT OF THE JEWS ONLY, BUT ALSO OF THE GENTILES." The "Doctrine of Election" (Eph 1 and Rom 9) slams the cork into the bottle which holds this heresy.

Now our battle is not against the "Armenians" as such; "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, the rulers (kosmokrator or world ruler) of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness (wicked spirits) in high places" (Eph 6:12). The ministers of Satan, who are transformed as ministers of righteousness are the ones who teach that God is subject to the will of man! "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ" (II Cor. 11:13-15). "And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom THE WAY OF TRUTH shall be evil spoken of" (II Pet 2:2). "Armenianism," the doctrine that Man's will is greater than God's will is a Satanic doctrine which began in the garden of Eden when the Serpent said to Eve "Thou shalt not surely die"; thereby saying God is inferior to man.

DOES THE SCRIPTURE TEACH THAT THE "MESSIAH" WOULD EVER SET ON THE NATURAL THRONE OF DAVID AND RULE HIS KINGDOM FROM THE PHYSICAL TEMPLE IN EARTHLY JERUSALEM? or DOES SCRIPTURE TEACH THAT THE "MESSIAH" WOULD ESTABLISH A "SPIRITUAL KINGDOM" AND RULE OVER HIS PEOPLE AND REIGN WITH HIS SAINTS IN A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM ON EARTH UNTIL THAT KINGDOM BE DELIVERED UP TO ETERNAL GLORY?

The answer to the first question is NO. The answer to the second question is YES. But we must prove it from Scripture or surely the cork will pop from the bottle. This will take more space than what we have remaining, but we will begin. Please read the Scripture references.

GOD RULES FROM HEAVEN! GOD DWELLS NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS! This is a well established fact, but THE POSTPONED KINGDOM THEORIST have failed to understand it. Solomon who built the first Temple, (David, being a man of war could not build it - See: I Chron. 22) said, "Will God indeed dwell on earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? (I Kings 8:22-30). The Temple in earthly Jerusalem was to be a HOUSE OF PRAYER, not the dwelling place of God. Jesus cast out the moneychangers who sold doves and defiled the Temple and said "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Mat 21:12-13).

Steven, the Deacon, who was stoned by Christ-rejecting Jews who trusted in the Temple, said "Solomon built him (God) a house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all the things? YE STIFFNECKED AND UNCIRCUMCISED IN HEART AND EARS, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (See: Acts 7:37-53 and Cf Romans 2:28-29).

These unregenerate or apostate Jews had put their emphasis in TEMPLE WORSHIP, and did not understand TRUE WORSHIP which is IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH (Jere. 7:1-16, John 4:23-24). God has never desired or delighted in animal sacrifices or burnt offerings on a natural altar in a physical Temple. Those "Burnt Offerings" were only types and shadows to point men to Jesus the Christ (Ps. 51:16-17, Jere. 7:21-24, Heb. 9:19-28, Gal. 3:19-25). We are to worship the Lord from the heart in the beauty of holiness (Ps. 29:2, Matt 22:36-38, Phil 3:3).

Paul, the Apostle, who preached ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD - THE WHOLE TRUTH - ALL OF THE REVEALED WORD OF GOD - BOTH OLD AND NEW -(Acts 20:26-27), said; "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, DWELLETH NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS; Neither is worshipped with men's hands --" (Read: Acts 17:22-31). NOW IF GOD DWELLS NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS, AND IS NOT WORSHIPED WITH MEN'S HANDS, HOW SAY SOME THAT GOD IN CHRIST IS COMING BACK TO THIS EARTH TO DWELL IN A NATURAL MADE TEMPLE? For Christ is God with Us!

Paul wrote to Timothy "These things have I written unto thee -- that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the HOUSE OF GOD, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (I Tim 3:14-16).

At one point in our Lord's ministry "When Jesus therefore perceived that they (The Jewish people) would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone" (John 6:15). Does that sound like someone who "offered himself" as a King but was rejected? Jesus said, "My Kingdom is not of this world: if my Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my Kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36-37). That doesn't sound like someone who could not have been King on Earth had he wanted to. Christ was God manifest in the flesh. He could have called twelve legions of Angels to install him as an earthly king, had that been his will (See Matt. 26:53). NO FORCE ON EARTH COULD HAVE KEPT HIM FROM BECOMING A KING ON EARTH AND REIGNING FROM AN EARTHLY THRONE HAD THAT BEEN THE PURPOSE OF GOD. But that was not God's "eternal purpose in Christ Jesus our Lord."

No man took his life from him, he had the power to lay it down and he had the power to take it again, BECAUSE HE AND THE FATHER ARE ONE. (See John 10:14-18, 24-31). He gave his life for his sheep - the elect children of God - chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world - AND "when he had by himself purged our sins, SAT DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH -" and God the Father said to God the Son -"Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever -- Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Hebrews 1:1-13). PRAISE GOD, HE REIGNS TODAY!

Continued