God’s Kingdoms – Part 5 – Summary and Conclusion :: By Mark A. Becker
Summary of God’s Kingdoms
This is our summary regarding our God’s Kingdoms series.
God’s Kingdoms Series
God’s Kingdoms – Part 1 – Mark and John
God’s Kingdoms – Part 2 – Matthew
God’s Kingdoms – Part 3 – Luke
God’s Kingdoms – Part 4 – Acts Through Revelation
God’s Kingdoms – Part 5 – Summary and Conclusion
Greek Words and Phrases Used in the Study
The Greek word for “kingdom” is 932 βασιλεία “basileia” and means kingdom, sovereignty, royal power, kingship, dominion, rule, royalty, rule, a realm.
The Greek word for “heaven” is 3772 οὐρανός “ouranos” and means heaven, heavens, heavenly, air, sky.
The Greek word for “God” is 2316 θεός “theos” and means God, supreme divinity, godly, a god.
The Greek for “kingdom of heaven” is “basileia τοῦ ouranos.”
The Greek for “kingdom of God” is “basileia τοῦ Theos.”
The Greek for “My Father’s kingdom” is “Mou (3450 – μοῦ) Patér (3962 – πατήρ) basileia.”
The Greek for “gospel of the kingdom” is “euaggelion (2098 – εὐαγγέλιον) τῆς basileia.”
The Greek for “My kingdom” is “Emos (1699 – ἐμός) basileia”
The Greek for “Thy kingdom come” is “Sou (4675 – σοῦ) basileia erchomai (2064 – ἔρχομαι).”
The Greek for “… Thine is the kingdom” is “Sou esti (2076 – ἐστί) hé (3588 – ἡ) basileia.”
The Greek for “children (sons) of the kingdom” is “huios (5207 – υἱός) τοῦ (3588 – τό) basileia”
The Greek phrase for “word of the kingdom” is “logos (3056 – λόγος) τοῦ basileia.”
The Greek phrase for “His kingdom” is “Autos (846 – αὐτός) basileia.”
The Greek phrase for “kingdom of their Father” is “basileia autos Patér.”
The Greek phrase for “kingdom of Christ and of God” is “basileia τοῦ Christos (5547 – Χριστός) kai (2532 – καί) Theos.”
The Greek phrase for “His kingdom and glory” is “heautau (1438 – ἑαυτοῦ) basileia kai doxa (3191 – δόξα).”
The Greek phrase for “His heavenly kingdom” is “Autos epouranios (2032 – ἐπουράνιος) basileia.”
The Greek phrase for “sceptre of Your kingdom” is “rhabdos (4464 – ῥάβδο) Sou basileia.”
The Greek phrase for “kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” is “basileia hémón (2257 – ἡμῶν) kurios (2962 – κύριος) kai sótér (4990 – σωτήρ) Iésous (2424 – Ἰησοῦς) Christos.”
The Greek phrase for “the kingdom of our God” is “basileia hémón Theos.”
Keys Used in Our Survey of God’s Kingdoms.
Keys:
Salvation Kingdom – From personal salvation, to being in heaven with Christ, through the Second Coming, the gathering of Israel, and preparation for the Millennial Kingdom.
Millennial Kingdom – The 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth.
Eternal Kingdom – The Everlasting Kingdom – that follows the Millennial Kingdom of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment – with a New Heaven and a New Earth.
The All-Encompassing Kingdom – Inclusive of the three Kingdoms above, from personal salvation through to the Eternal Kingdom.
Findings
Here are our statistical outcomes in surveying God’s Kingdoms.
God’s Kingdoms – Part 1 – Mark and John
The Gospel of Mark
Mentions of “kingdom” in the gospel of Mark.
“Gospel of the kingdom” – [1]
“Kingdom of God” – [13]
“The kingdom (of our father David)” – [1]
The Gospel of John
Mentions of “kingdom” in the gospel of John.
“Kingdom of God” – [2]
“My kingdom” – [3]
God’s Kingdoms – Part 2 – Matthew
Mentions of “kingdom” in the gospel of Matthew.
“Kingdom of heaven” – [30]
“Gospel of the kingdom” – [3]
“Thine is the kingdom” – [1]
“Kingdom of God” – [5]
“The kingdom” – [2]
“Children (sons) of the kingdom” – [2]
“Word of the kingdom” – [1]
“His kingdom” – [2]
“Kingdom of their Father” – [1]
“Thy kingdom” – [1]
“My Father’s kingdom” – [1]
God’s Kingdoms – Part 3 – Luke
Mentions of “kingdom” in the gospel of Luke.
“His kingdom” – [1]
“Kingdom of God” – [31]
“Thy kingdom” – [2]
“The kingdom” – [1]
“A kingdom” – [2]
“My kingdom” – [1]
God’s Kingdoms – Part 4 – Acts Through Revelation
Mentions of “kingdom” in Acts through Revelation.
“Kingdom of God” – [16]
“The kingdom” – [5]
“Kingdom of Christ and of God” – [1]
“His kingdom and glory” – [1]
“His kingdom” – [1]
“His heavenly kingdom” – [1]
“Sceptre of Your kingdom” – [1]
“A kingdom” – [1]
“Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” – [1]
“The Kingdom of our God” – [1]
Aggregate Totals in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament)
Total mentions of “kingdom” in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament).
“Gospel of the kingdom” – [4]
“Kingdom of God” – [67]
“The kingdom (of our father David)” – [1]
“My kingdom” – [4]
“The kingdom” – [8]
“Kingdom of Christ and of God” – [1]
“His kingdom and glory” – [1]
“His kingdom” – [4]
“His heavenly kingdom” – [1]
“Sceptre of Your kingdom” – [1]
“A kingdom” – [3]
“Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” – [1]
“The Kingdom of our God” – [1]
“Thy kingdom” – [3]
“Kingdom of heaven” – [30]
“Thine is the kingdom” – [1]
“Children (sons) of the kingdom” – [2]
“Word of the kingdom” – [1]
“Kingdom of their Father” – [1]
“My Father’s kingdom” – [1]
Overall Interpretive Categorization of Kingdom Passages
From verses containing only one mention of kingdom, to entire passages that contain many references of kingdoms (whether all references in a passage refer to the same kingdom or if diverse kingdoms are in view throughout the passage), here is our overall interpretive categorization of kingdom passages in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament).
Salvation Kingdom – [75]
Millennial Kingdom – [4]
Eternal Kingdom – [3]
All-Encompassing Kingdom – [7]
Salvation Kingdom & Eternal Kingdom – [5]
Millennial Kingdom & Eternal Kingdom – [1]
Results
Here are our concluding results from our study of God’s Kingdoms.
We found that the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” are synonymous, and virtually every incident of their usages in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) refers to what we have coined the Salvation Kingdom and/or the Eternal Kingdom.
Interestingly, yet not surprisingly, the kingdom of primary importance in the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) was the Salvation Kingdom, which would eventually give way to the Eternal Kingdom. The Millennial Kingdom was rarely in view when it came to the teachings of Jesus and His Apostles.
When one breaks down and considers the entire Bible, they should come away with the understanding that the Tanakh (Old Testament) would invariably have an emphasis on the restoration of Israel in the Millennial Kingdom under Messiah’s rule and reign, while the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) has as its cornerstone the work of the Messiah in redeeming mankind to Himself on the cross – that is, the Salvation Kingdom which would unite all believers in every dispensation, and, ultimately, climax in the Eternal Kingdom.
Taken together as a whole, the Old and New Testaments encapsulate the promises, plans, and consummation of God’s purposes in creation for mankind, in general, and His chosen people, Israel, in specific.
When it comes to the Messianic Millennial Kingdom and its relationship specifically to the Israeli people, we need look no further than the Fourth Commandment:
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” – Exodus 20:8-11
While “the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27) – as all of mankind needs a day of rest in their workweek – this is the one commandment of the ten that was uniquely a covenant between God and Israel, and her alone:
“Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you.
“Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
“Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
“Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” – Exodus 31:13-17 (emphasis mine)
In The Prophetic Third Day, we looked into the picture of the six days of creation with God resting on the seventh day being a pattern for approximately 6,000 years of human history with a 1,000-year rest for the people of Israel during the Messianic Millennial Kingdom.
Of course, the church and every Saint since creation will be there, as well, but truly, the Messianic Millennial Kingdom is for Israel and her Messiah!
Overall Assessment
I do understand the tendency to want to put a few “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” passages, such as Matthew 8:11-12, Luke 13:25-29, and Luke 21:31, into the Millennial Kingdom category – I really do. But after undertaking this study, it has become apparent to me, personally, that the Millennial Kingdom is never the focus of the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” passages. The Salvation Kingdom of personal salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and the consummating Eternal Kingdom, however, are.
For those who might have this inclination to place the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” within the Millennial Kingdom, I would encourage those Bible students and teachers to at least consider the following:
1.Christ’s sole mission at His First Coming was to teach, establish, and fulfill the Salvation Kingdom by His sacrifice on the cross and His death, burial, and resurrection. While He did, on occasion, teach on the Millennial Kingdom, His objective when it came to the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” was always the Salvation Kingdom.
2.Virtually every other “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” passages refer to the Salvation Kingdom that culminates into the Eternal Kingdom.
3.Though the Salvation Kingdom was revealed within the Tanakh (Old Testament) through The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53) and other passages, the concept was essentially foreign to the Jewish mind, just as it is today. Thus, when Messiah Yeshua spoke of the Salvation Kingdom/Eternal Kingdom as the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven,” the Jews would erroneously believe He was referring to the Millennial Kingdom promised to Israel throughout the Old Testament Scriptures. This, in my mind, was totally understandable on their part but was still in error. There were some Israelites, however, who did understand that God’s Salvation Kingdom – the kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven – would come to earth from heaven to save Israel and the remnant by the hand of the Messiah, and thus comprehended the Holy Scriptures and Messiah Yeshua’s prophetic message correctly.
4.Messiah’s focus – almost exclusively in His ministry – was on the Salvation Kingdom; for in truth, no human being who did not belong to the Salvation Kingdom would ever see the Millennial Kingdom.
5.The Millennial Kingdom does not appear to be a “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” simply because the Father will still be present in heaven, presumably along with the holy angels, as we have no mention of them partaking in the Millennial Kingdom at all, although we do know that the holy angels will come to earth with Christ and us at the Second Coming so they may gather together God’s elect that the Lord’s remnant may enter the promised Millennial Kingdom of Israel with their Messiah. The Second Coming and the rescuing of God’s people on earth will be among the last tangible acts of the Salvation Kingdom that will prepare the way for the Millennial Kingdom to commence.
6.The Salvation Kingdom’s ultimate fulfillment of the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” will be in the Eternal Kingdom when the fullness of the Godhead will finally reside with man on the new earth (Revelation 21:1-3), something that could never be said of the Millennial Kingdom.
7.The Millennial Kingdom – though more glorious than we can ever imagine today and ruled and reigned over by Messiah Yeshua – will experience a tragic end. After Messiah rules and reigns for a thousand years, and Satan is released from his prison to deceive the entire world (Revelation 20:7-9), the majority of those that lived in the Messianic Kingdom will rebel against the Messiah and march to Jerusalem in an effort to overthrow Him. Hence, the hearts of many men and women will obviously not be right with the Lord during the Millennial Kingdom, and I would not think it could ever be said that they had been living in the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” – where true righteousness will prevail – when so many would ultimately rebel in an effort to cast out their Creator, Savior, and Redeemer.
8.”Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.” – 1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” and the Millennial Kingdom will be inherited by those who survive the Tribulation in their flesh and blood bodies. Therefore, once again, we see that the Millennial Kingdom cannot be the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven.”
So, while I understand the temptation to accommodate these few admittedly difficult passages into the Millennial Kingdom, I just do not see the rationale in doing so. This is why I offered in this study series what I believe to be Scripturally sound and logical interpretations that would keep the cohesiveness of the “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” consistently within the Salvation Kingdom and/or the Eternal Kingdom narrative that Christ and the Apostles routinely taught.
As one contemplates God’s Kingdoms, they should discover that the Messianic Millennial Kingdom is uniquely for Israel and her Messiah in order to fulfill the promises of God to His chosen people, and the kingdom that has been prepared for those who have entered the Salvation Kingdom through grace through faith in the finished work of Messiah on the cross for their sins is the glorious Eternal Kingdom.
When it comes to the book of Revelation, only a handful of verses are dedicated to the Millennial Kingdom, with virtually no description of this kingdom – other than its length and Satan’s imprisonment – as those narratives are provided for us in the Tanakh (Old Testament) when God’s promises to Israel will be fulfilled.
On the other hand, the last two full chapters of Revelation are devoted entirely to the Eternal Kingdom. This really should not surprise us as the Eternal Kingdom will be the culmination and consummation of God’s plan for mankind that essentially began with the Salvation Kingdom that Messiah Yeshua procured for us from His sacrifice on the cross, along with His death, burial, and resurrection. The Eternal Kingdom is the kingdom that God has prepared before the foundation of the world for those who love Him.
As for those who are saved and do not rebel against our Lord following the Millennial Kingdom, we are not told anything in Scripture regarding their destiny, though it is apparent they have their rightful place within the Eternal Kingdom. For a supposition on what may actually transpire for them as they go into the Eternal Kingdom, please see The Mystery of the Last Sheep.
Conclusion
As we repeatedly emphasized throughout this study, and despite the single-mindedness of the leaders of Israel, the Jewish people, and, even at times, the disciples themselves, Israel’s focus was almost exclusively on the Millennial Kingdom. Again, this was totally understandable on their part. However, Messiah Yeshua’s – and later His Apostles through their writings – prime objective and focus was almost entirely centered on the Salvation Kingdom.
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” – Luke 17:20-21
Christ confirms that “the kingdom of God is within [us]” upon salvation, and “cometh not with observation” as the Millennial Kingdom will.
The “kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven” could best be encapsulated as “The Kingdom of God in heaven,” which will fully be apprehended when God in His fulness will dwell with man in the New Jerusalem, on a new earth, and under new heavens… When God’s Kingdom of heaven will finally be realized on earth.
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:10
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
“And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.” – Revelation 21:1-5
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9
“To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” – Jude 1:25
Amen, and Amen!
All praise, honor, majesty, and glory be unto our amazing and loving Creator, Savior, Redeemer, and Lord!
Thanks be to God the Father – Adonai Avinu, God the Son – Yeshua HaMashiach, God the Holy Spirit – Ruach HaKodesh, for all God has done, all God is doing, and all God will do, forever and ever!! Amen!
May we continue to grow the “kingdom of God in heaven” as we keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
I would really love to hear from you and your thoughts regarding our five-part study of God’s Kingdoms!
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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