The Kingdom is a Coming Age Part I
As we read in our last post, the kingdom of God is best understood as the manifest reign of God. Wherever God truly is reigning and extending His rule, there is the kingdom. At some point, though we have to realize that when Jesus and the writers of the New Testament speak about the nature of the kingdom of God, there are certain aspects of it that we can see here and now. Jesus commissioned the apostles to preach and demonstrate signs of the kingdom: “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give,” (Matthew 10:7-8). At the same time there are certain aspects of the kingdom of God that we do not see. The very fact that demons still exist plainly declares that Jesus has not fully destroyed wickedness and taken up the fullness of His reign on the Earth. This leaves us with the question: Is the kingdom here? Or is it still yet future? The bold answer of Scripture is: “Yes!”
In order to understand this clearly we have to understand that the Bible describes two realities which operate in the world. The word the Bible uses to describe these two realities is “aion,” the Greek word best translated into English as “age.” Jesus speaks about the reality of two ages when He says, “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come,” (Matthew 11:32). Paul declared the reality of the two ages when he taught the Corinthians that Christ would be “exalted far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come,” (Ephesians 1:21).
Paul not only believed in the existence of two distinct ages but also believed that this current age stands in direct opposition to the coming age. Speaking of the work of Christ, Paul says that Jesus “gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age,” (Galatians 1:4). Paul also says that not only is this present age evil, but it is ruled by Satan. Paul calls him “the god of this age,” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Two ages exist, one a current age ruled by Satan and another a future age that will come to the earth and be ruled by the resurrected Christ. These two ages not only exist but are in total opposition to each other.
. While we experience a measure of the coming age (or the coming Kingdom) in this life we will taste it fully in the age to come. As Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life,” (Mark 10:29-30). There is a future age that will be consummated by the coming of our King. Matthew 24:3 associates the close of this age with the coming of Christ. Luke 20:34-36 associates our resurrection with the age to come. Thus the age to come will be marked by the return of the resurrected Christ and redeemed humanity enjoying the state of resurrection.
The reality that is presented here has an important application. The kingdom of God has come in the first coming of Christ, but it is not fully consummated. Many movements believe that we have the ability to establish the kingdom of God here on earth. And we do, in a measure. But I believe the body of Christ suffers if we focus entirely on the kingdom now and aren’t seeking the kingdom of the age to come. While we are commanded to seek the kingdom and pray for the coming of the kingdom, the kingdom will only be established fully at the return of the King. We err when we pursue the kingdom now and neglect the fact that the fullness of the kingdom is still to come. We haven’t seen it? the fullness of it yet. This should encourage us. There is a greater manifestation of the Kingdom that is coming. Those who truly receive this message will both fully prepare for the coming Kingdom and be empowered to see the Kingdom established in their lives today, in the here and now. As Paul said, “Therefore comfort [stir up or exhort] one another with these words,” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
In order to understand this clearly we have to understand that the Bible describes two realities which operate in the world. The word the Bible uses to describe these two realities is “aion,” the Greek word best translated into English as “age.” Jesus speaks about the reality of two ages when He says, “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come,” (Matthew 11:32). Paul declared the reality of the two ages when he taught the Corinthians that Christ would be “exalted far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come,” (Ephesians 1:21).
Paul not only believed in the existence of two distinct ages but also believed that this current age stands in direct opposition to the coming age. Speaking of the work of Christ, Paul says that Jesus “gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age,” (Galatians 1:4). Paul also says that not only is this present age evil, but it is ruled by Satan. Paul calls him “the god of this age,” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Two ages exist, one a current age ruled by Satan and another a future age that will come to the earth and be ruled by the resurrected Christ. These two ages not only exist but are in total opposition to each other.
. While we experience a measure of the coming age (or the coming Kingdom) in this life we will taste it fully in the age to come. As Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life,” (Mark 10:29-30). There is a future age that will be consummated by the coming of our King. Matthew 24:3 associates the close of this age with the coming of Christ. Luke 20:34-36 associates our resurrection with the age to come. Thus the age to come will be marked by the return of the resurrected Christ and redeemed humanity enjoying the state of resurrection.
The reality that is presented here has an important application. The kingdom of God has come in the first coming of Christ, but it is not fully consummated. Many movements believe that we have the ability to establish the kingdom of God here on earth. And we do, in a measure. But I believe the body of Christ suffers if we focus entirely on the kingdom now and aren’t seeking the kingdom of the age to come. While we are commanded to seek the kingdom and pray for the coming of the kingdom, the kingdom will only be established fully at the return of the King. We err when we pursue the kingdom now and neglect the fact that the fullness of the kingdom is still to come. We haven’t seen it? the fullness of it yet. This should encourage us. There is a greater manifestation of the Kingdom that is coming. Those who truly receive this message will both fully prepare for the coming Kingdom and be empowered to see the Kingdom established in their lives today, in the here and now. As Paul said, “Therefore comfort [stir up or exhort] one another with these words,” (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
posted by Travis at 8:05 AM
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