The Kingdom . . . What ? Where ? When
?
I
am convinced that some of the teaching generally accepted by us on the above
subject is quite wrong; otherwise I would remain silent. Many of us have
imbibed it from our infancy, and it has become so much a part of us that we are
loath to let it go.
Divisive
doctrine was introduced among believers around 1830 by Mr. John Nelson Darby of
Dublin. This was the main cause of controversy between him and George Muller.
Dr. Tregelles and others.
This
doctrine has mainly to do with "the millennium," i.e. the concept of
Christ reigning corporeally on earth for a literal 1000 years after His second
Advent. The subjects of this kingdom are said to be Jews and Gentiles, in
natural bodies subject to death. Such a theory has no support in the Bible,
unless of course you use a "Scofield Bible".
Please
do not mistake me. The writer taught according to the "Scofield
Bible" for 28 years. I have had some of the notes pointed out to me as if
they carried as much weight as the Bible itself. This is the great danger of
such a book.
Millennium
teaching was never church doctrine. A study of early Christian creeds will
reveal this fact. It is said that Mr. Darby recovered the truth of the Lord's
coming. Hymnology, however, shows that this truth was never lost. What he
"discovered" was that two comings, or two stages of the second
coming, are taught in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians!
Both
letters, however, have the same Greek words for the coming, the
"parousia", i.e. arrival. It is supposed that I Thess. 4:16 speaks of
a secret coming. It is not secret at all, for we have the words
"shout", "voice of, the archangel" (implying the presence
of the angelic hosts) and "the trump of God". Can this be secret?
Peter's
second Epistle chap. 3 definitely precludes an extension of time after this age
of salvation; so also the Epistles of John, James and Jude, and the Epistle to
the Hebrews. The parables of Our Lord speak of the Advent as ONE sudden event,
with the immediate separation of the saved and lost, the wise and foolish, the
righteous and unrighteous. The resurrection of BOTH classes is certainly
postulated.' (cf. Dan. 12:2; John 5:28; Acts 24:15) The door of the Kingdom of
God is shut for ever at the Harvest, (see Matt. 13:24-43; 25: 1-13; Luke
13:25f)
The
Lord Jesus was most emphatic concerning this; "as it was ... so shall it
be". (Luke ch. 17) The day that Noah entered the Ark, the door was shut.
The same day that Lot went out of Sodom, judgment fell, "and destroyed
them all". Christ used different similes and metaphors, but they all point
in the one direction. Take for instance the parable of the Nobleman. (Luke ch.
19) He goes away to receive a kingdom and to return. At his return he reckons
with his servants and slays his enemies, who would not have him reign over them.
The meaning is clear. This present era is the one and only "day of
salvation", and we must urge sinners to "flee from the wrath to
come." for the next Day will be the great Day of wrath, vengeance and
judgment. (II Thess. ch. 1: 3:vs. 5-9: Rev. Chs. 6. 11 and 20)
The
Holy Spirit will go with the Church, the redeemed of all time. There will be no
Christians left on the earth. How can anyone be saved later? How foolish to
suppose that the comparatively few Jews living on earth then should be so
specially privileged! We know that all who have died without Christ are
eternally lost. Is God to raise all the Jews who have died in their sins and
give them a second chance? God cannot be unjust. The Bible teaches that Jews
and Gentiles are on the same platform. Only "by grace through faith"
can they be saved, in obedience to the one and only Gospel.
Please
note that the Kingdom is always spoken of as spiritual and eternal, (see
Concordance) All its blessings are spiritual, e.g. the forgiveness of sins,
salvation, eternal life, peace, hope, joy, and power to live the Christian
life. It is "not of this world", as Jesus said. (John 18:36) Rather,
Our Lord promised tribulation, cross-bearing, and hard trying times until He
comes and takes the Church to Himself and judges the world. He told Nicodemus
how the Kingdom is entered: "you must be born again", and receive
eternal life. (John 3: 3,7) James said that the Kingdom is promised to them
that love Him. (James 2:5) Paul said that no unrighteous person will inherit
it, (I Cor. 6:9) and that "flesh and blood (i.e. natural bodies) cannot
inherit it." (I Cor. 15:50; Phil. 3:20)
It
is a serious mistake to divorce the Church from the Kingdom. "What God has
joined, let no man put asunder." We heartily endorse the statement in a
recent article in "The Witness"; "There can be no fundamental
difference between the Church and the Kingdom." No sane scholar, moreover,
would deny that "the Kingdom of Heaven" in Matthew and "the
Kingdom of God" in Luke are identical. Both terms recall an area based
upon Daniel 2:44. Christ is at once the Foundation (I Cor. 3:11) and the Head
Corner Stone. (Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20) This Kingdom has NOT been postponed.
In
Paul's simile of the "Olive Tree" (Rom. ch. 11) there is only ONE
tree, and both Jew and Gentile are grafted into it. "God is able to graft
them in again." But how? "IF they abide not in unbelief." (V.
23) The words "and so all Israel shall be saved" (V. 26) guarantee
the completion of it. We note that "so" is an adverb of manner, not
of time.
The
believer has been "translated into the kingdom of the Son of His
love." (Col. 1:13 R.V.) Philip preached "the things concerning the
kingdom of God" in Samaria. (Acts 8:12) Paul reminded the elders of the
church at Ephesus that he had spent three years there "preaching the
kingdom of God" and "testifying the Gospel of the grace of God".
(Acts 20: 20-25) He ended his days in Rome doing the very same thing (Acts
28:31)
The
Lord Jesus told the Jews that the Kingdom would be taken from them and given to
a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matt. 21:43) This new
"nation" is referred to in 1 Peter 2:9 as "A chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people" (R.S.V.). Its fruit is
the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22, 23 and Rom. 14:17) What Israel
was to be, the Church has become, viz., the true "Israel of God."
(Gal. 6:16; Exod. 19:6) To the saints at Corinth Paul wrote: "For we are
the temple of the living God, as God said,'. . . they shall be my people."
(II Cor. 6:16 R.S.V.)
The
whole concept of Bible prophecy finds its complete fulfillment in Christ and
the Church. All nations were to be blessed in Christ (Psa. 72) the promised
Seed. (Gen. 22; Gal. 3) To the two disciples on the road to Emmaus Our Lord expounded from the O.T.
Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25 ff). This surely included
Isa. 9:7; "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no
end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to
establish it ... for ever." Also Jer. ch. 31 including v. 31: "I will
make a new covenant with the house of Israel." (Cf. Heb. chaps. 8 and 10)
We cannot for one moment think that old covenant shadows will be restored, now
that the New Covenant "glory that excels" has dawned upon us. (II Cor.
ch. 3)
Even
Futurists admit that the "chain", "seal" and "key of
the abyss* in Rev. ch. 20 are symbolic, and concede that we do not know the
meaning of all the symbols of the Patmos visions. Why make "one thousand
years" an exception? No mention is made of Christ reigning in bodily form
over saved and unsaved in earthly Jerusalem. (See Heb. 12:22; Gal. 4:26; Rev.
3:12) It is the souls of men, not bodies, who live and reign. They are
"Kings and priests", as we are. (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) Paul said, "If
we endure, we shall also reign with Him." (II Tim. 2:12 R.S.V.) and again,
"to be with Christ, which is far better." (Phil. 1:23) Departed
believers live and reign with Christ now in His Heavenly kingdom.
Satan
is spoiled (Col 2:15), chained (II Pet. 2:4), destroyed (Heb. 2:14), bound
(Matt. 12:29), cast out (John 12:31f.), judged (John 16:11), and the God of
peace will shortly bruise him under our feet. (Rom. 16:20) Yet he goes about as
a roaring lion (I Pet. 5:8), he is transformed into an angel of light (II Cor.
II: 14) and he sows tares until the final Harvest. (Matt. 13: 38,39) Then he
will be consigned to the "everlasting fire". (Matt. 25:41) Christ has
conquered him through death. Satan's captives are being set free now. (Isa.
61:1; Luke 4:18; Rom. ch.6)
The
Kingdom is growing; nothing can stop it. The Church will continue to be built
"all the days, even unto the end of the world", i.e. until the end of
time. (Matt. 28:20) The Gospel witness must go to all the nations, and THEN
shall the end come. (Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10) Long neglected tribes are hearing
the emancipating message of the Cross; wild people are being tamed, and the
"lion and the "lamb" sit down together at the Lord's table in sweet
fellowship.
Let
us not adopt a defeatist attitude. Let us buy up the opportunity of serving
Christ the King, and winning others into His Kingdom. Let us “seek first the
Kingdom of God" in our lives, and keep on praying "Thy Kingdom
come" until "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour
Jesus Christ", (Titus 2:13 R.V.) when He shall reign forever and ever.
(Rev. 11:15)
Further
copies of this article may be obtained from Gospel Truth, P.O. Box 116,
Doubleview, Western Australia, 6018. It is adapted from a paper given by the
late Mr. A.J. White of Takaka, New Zealand, for the Christian Brethren
Research.
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