BIBLE STUDY
What did Jesus preach? - The Kingdom of God!
Webster's: KINGDOM
1. Country headed by a king or queen, a monarchy.
2. Realm, domain.
One of the things Jesus taught us to pray for in His example PRAYER, was "Thy Kingdom come!" Our desire and prayer should be that His Kingdom come to US. But, . . . what is His Kingdom?
*****************************
Romans 14:17
For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost.
(the following definitions are from Webster's dictionary and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, with Greek def. for each key word in the above scripture)
*****************************
KINGDOM
STRONG'S #932
1. Royal power, kingship, dominion, rule, not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom.
2. A kingdom or territory.
3. Used in the N.T. to refer to the rule of the Messiah.
*******************************
GOD
STRONG'S #2316 theos (theh'-os)
(of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially with 3588, the supreme Divinity)
1. A god, or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
2. Christ is called God in John 1:12;, 20:28, IJohn vs 20, Romans 9:5, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:8., etc.
3. Spoken of the only and true God; refers to the things of God; i.e. has counsels, interests, things for Him.
4. Whatever can in any respect be likened unto God, or resemble him in any way: God's representative or vice-regent, of magistrates and judges.
*********************************
MEAT
STRONG'S #1035
1. Act of eating, corrosion
2. That which is eaten, food, ailment, used of the soul's food, either which refreshes the soul, or nourishes and supports it in eternal life.
**********************************
RIGHTEOUSNESS
WEBSTER'S DEF:
1. Acting in a just, upright manner; virtuous.
2. Morally right or justifiable.
STRONG'S - GREEK #1343
1. The state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God.
1a) the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attend a state approved of God.
2b) integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting.
2. In a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due.
********************************
PEACE:
WEBSTER'S DEF.:
1. Freedom from war.
2. An agreement to end war.
3. Law and order.
4. Harmony, concord.
5. Serenity, calm or quiet. - hold (or keep) ones peace, to be silent.
STRONG'S - GREEK #1515 eirene (i - ray'- nay)
1. A State of national tranquillity; exemption from the rage and havoc of war.
2. Peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, discord
3. Security, safety, prosperity, felicity, (because peace and harmony make and keeps things safe and prosperous)
4. Of the Messiah's peace, the way that leads to peace (salvation)
5. Of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of it's salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with it's earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.
6. The blessed state of devout and upright men after death.
**********************************
JOY:
WEBSTER'S DEF.:
1. A very glad feeling; happiness; delight.
2. Anything causing this.
STRONG'S - GREEK #5479 chara (khar - ah')
1. joy, gladness
1a) the joy received from you
1b) the cause or occasion of joy; of persons who are one's joy.
*********************************
HOLY
STRONG'S - GREEK #40 haziog (hag'-ee-os)
1. Most holy thing, a saint
*********************************
GHOST
STRONG'S - GREEK #4151
1. A movement of air (a gentle blast)
1a) of the wind, hence the wind itself
1b) breath of nostrils or mouth
2. The spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated; the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides; the soul.
************************************
AGAIN - WHAT IS HIS KINGDOM?
Jesus felt it very important to instruct us to pray the following: " . . .thy Kingdom come . . ."
Matt. 6:10
Matt. 6:33
But, seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all things shall be added unto
you.
Matt. 12:28
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come to you.
Matt. 19:24; Luke 18:24
easier . . .than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
Matt. 21:31 . . .go into the kingdom of God before you.
Matt. 6:33
But, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you.
Luke 10:9
And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto
you.
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.
Luke 17:20 -21
. . . the kingdom of God is within you.
John 3:3-5
Except ye be born again. . .
Acts 1:3
Speaking if the things concerning the kingdom of God
Acts 8:12
Philip preached kingdom of God and the name of Jesus.
Mark 4:11
unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God
Mark 9:1; 9:47; 10:14; 10:15; 10:24;
Mark 12:34
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
Acts 14:22
. . . through much tribulation, enter the kingdom of God.
Luke 13:20
"what is the kingdom of God like?"
******************************
KINGDOM, SPIRITUAL
THOMPSON CHAIN - #2008, Conditions of Entrance into. . .
HUMILITY
Matt. 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 5:0)
SYMPATHETIC SERVICE
Matt. 25:34 & 35
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was a hungered, and ye gave
me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: (Luke 6:20)
PERSEVERANCE
Luke 9:62
And Jesus said unto him, no man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for
the kingdom of God.
NEW BIRTH
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:5
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter unto the Kingdom of God.
ENDURANCE
Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we
must through much tribulation enter unto the kingdom of God. (2Thess 1:5)
FAITH AND LOVE
James 2:5
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
**************************
THOMPSON CHAIN:
#2009 COMING WITH POWER Daniel 2:44
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be
destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
Mark 9:1
And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which
shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.(outpouring of
the Holy Ghost - Acts 1;8; Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you)
*Acts 2:2 - 4
2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all
the house where they were sitting. 3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of
fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4.And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to
speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
ICor. 4:20
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
Rev. 11:17
Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. (Rev.12:10;19:6)
***************************
THOMPSON CHAIN:
#2012KINGDOM OF CHRIST
Matt 16:28
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see
the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Luke 22:30
That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.
Luke 23:42
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
John 18:36
Jesus answered, 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. (Ph 2:10;He 1:8;Re 11:15)
Rev. 17:14
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
***********************
3-20-93
NOW, THE MEAT!
Matt. 11:12
"THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERERETH VIOLENCE AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT
BY FORCE"
WEBSTERS: Violent/violence
1. acting with or having great physical force.
2. caused by violence.
3. furious (violent language.
4. intense; extreme; very strong.
WEBSTERS: Force
1. strength; power
2. physical coercion against person or thing.
3. power to control, persuade, etc. (effectiveness)
*********************************
Let us now go to Matthew Henry's commentary for enlightenment on this verse.
MATTHEW HENRY:
"The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. . ." like the violence of an army taking a city by
storm, or a crowd bursting into a house, so the violent take it by force.
(parallel, 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.
It shows what fervency and zeal are required of all those who design to make heaven. Note, they
who would enter into the kingdom suffers a holy violence; self must be denied, the bent and bias,
the frame and temper of the mind must be altered; there are hard services to be done, and hard
sufferings to be undergone, a force to be put on the corrupt nature; we must run, and wrestle, and
fight, and be in agony, and all little enough to win a prize, and to get over such opposition from
without and from within.
"The violent take it by force"
They who will have an interest in the great salvation are carried out towards it with a strong
desire, will have it upon any terms, and not think them hard, not quit their hold without a blessing,
(Gen.32:26 - Jacob & angel) They who will make their calling and election sure must give
diligence. The kingdom of heaven was never intended to indulge the ease of triflers, but to be the
rest of them that labor.
Oh, that we could see a greater number, not with an angry content & thrusting others out of the kingdom of heaven, but with a holy contention thrusting themselves into it!
*****************************
Shirley Deem