Page 15 - TH130 Kingdom of God A4 Final

The Meaning of the Kingdom

the Kingdom prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. We will
look at this aspect of God’s kingdom in Chapter 5.

Next, the Kingdom is seen in establishment in the ministry of Jesus
Christ. Jesus began His ministry by declaring that the kingdom of God
was at hand (Mark 1:15). Christ now establishes His kingdom reign in
the lives of those who will repent and believe the gospel. For them, He
is indeed Lord and King (John 12:13).

Finally, the kingdom of God will come in completion at the second
coming of Christ, when Jesus sets up His eternal kingdom on earth. At
that time, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of
our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever”
(Revelation 11:15). The kingdom of God in history is illustrated in
Figure 1.2 below.

The Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God in History
Eternity Eternity
Past Preparation Establishment Completion Future
Old Christ’s Second
Testament Ministry Coming

Figure 1.2—The Kingdom of God in History

Two Aspects of the Kingdom of God

In the New Testament, the kingdom of God is shown in two aspects:
present and future. We can say that it is a Kingdom that has come and
is coming. It is now, but not yet. Let’s look at these two aspects of the
kingdom of God:

The Kingdom of God Has Come

Mark wrote, “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee,
proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The
kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (1:14–15).

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