Kingdom of God Lexham Dictionary
KINGDOM OF GOD (also “kingdom of the Lord,” “kingdom of heaven”). Refers primarily to God’s kingly power exercised over creation and people.
Kingdom of God in the Old Testament and Jewish Thought
In the Old Testament, specific references to the kingdom of God are relatively rare and occur after the initiation of the Israelite monarchy. However, the Israelites understood the concept of God as king prior to the establishment of an Israelite monarchy. The notion of gods as kings was a basic belief for ancient Semites.
Deut 17 Principles Governing Kings
14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.
18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.
” (Deuteronomy 17:14–20, NKJV)
The Prophets Anticipate Kingdom
References to the Lord’s kingdom are found in Obadiah, Chronicles, Psalms, and Daniel. Additional kingship terms can be used to indicate the concept of God’s kingdom. For example, Psa 47:2 asserts that God bears the title “king.” God reigns as king (e.g., Psa 93:1; 96:10), He rules (e.g., Judg 8:23; Psa 22:28), He sits on a throne (e.g., 1 Kgs 22:19; Psa 103:19; Ezek 1:26–28), and He maintains a kingdom (e.g., Psa 45:6; 2 Kgs 19:15).
Three primary themes about God’s kingdom emerge in biblical literature:
• the everlasting duration of the kingdom;
• its present and tangible aspects in the lives of the ancient Israelites;
• the belief in a future appearance of a superior and more comprehensive kingdom of God.
The Eternal Nature of God’s Kingdom
The idea of God’s everlasting kingdom appears several times throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Dan 2:44; Psa 145:11–13). Even foreign kings make statements about the Lord’s everlasting dominion (e.g., Dan 6:26).
The Historical Aspect of the Lord’s Kingdom
For the ancient Israelites, the kingdom of the Lord was real. It was experienced tangibly in their lives. This real and present nature of God’s kingdom was true in part because Israelite kings were the extension of God’s heavenly rule. Earthly kings sat on God’s throne (1 Chr 28:5; 29:23).
The Davidic Throne
11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
” (1 Chronicles 17:11–14, NKJV)
5 And of all my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.
” (1 Chronicles 28:5, NKJV)
Even blatant sinners—such as King Abijah—exercised God’s kingdom authority (2 Chr 13:1–8; 1 Kgs 15:1–3). The Davidic dynasty was closely associated with the everlasting kingdom of God (1 Chr 17:11–14). The reign of earthly rulers brought the attributes of the kingdom of heaven to Earth. Therefore, the people experienced righteousness, justice, deliverance, and redemption (Psa 72).
The Future Aspect of the Kingdom of God
The Lord reigned particularly over Israel (e.g., Isa 43:15), yet Scripture also says that God’s authority extends beyond Israel’s borders (e.g., Psa 103:19). The conviction that all nations were subject to the Lord’s rule needed to be reconciled with reality. It was apparent that not all nations were subject to Him, and even Israel was not in full submission to God’s reign. This experience led to the belief that God’s universal reign would happen at a future time.
The notion of a future comprehensive reign of God appears mainly in the prophetic books (e.g., Obad 21). Daniel the Prophet has a vision of the future in which “one like a son of man” would exercise the rule of an everlasting dynasty (Dan 7:13–14). People in peaceful relationship with God and one another are characteristics of this future kingdom (e.g., Zech 9:9–10; Zeph 3:14–20). Isaiah also mentions the future kingdom (24:23; 31:4; 40:9; 52:7).
Jesus and the Kingdom of God in the Gospels
The arrival of the kingdom, discourse about who will (or will not) enter the kingdom, and descriptions of the kingdom are prominent in the Gospels. The kingdom of God is a major feature in the ministry of Jesus. Both his words and deeds convey different aspects of the kingdom theme. Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom reiterate many of the same ideas present in earlier Jewish thought. However, what is unique to Jesus’ teaching is the claim that the kingdom (in some sense) had actually arrived.
The Arrival of the Kingdom
John the Baptist is the first to preach about the arrival of the kingdom of God (Matt 3:2). John preaches a message of judgment and repentance. The kingdom was so near that Jesus claims that there are some with Him who would not die prior to witnessing its power (Mark 9:1). While Jesus’ message of the kingdom included elements of judgment and repentance, it also entailed the good news of salvation. Thus, Jesus preached the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matt 4:23; Luke 4:43 ESV).
Jesus’ healings and expulsions of demons are also directly linked to the kingdom of God (Luke 11:19–20). Jesus came to overthrow the Satanic opposition to God’s kingdom (Mark 3:22–27). By casting out demons, He was demonstrating the power and presence of the kingdom (Matt 12:28).
The Parables of the Kingdom
Jesus does not define the kingdom of God; He describes it only through parables. There are numerous parables in Matthew, Mark and Luke, which open with the phrase “the kingdom of God (or the kingdom of heaven) is like …” (e.g., Matt 13:31–32; Mark 4:26–29; 30–32; Luke 13:18–19, 20–21).
Even some parables that do not specifically mention the kingdom of God teach about it. For example, the parable in Matthew 25:1–13 teaches about the kingdom of God. The parable that immediately follows (Matt 25:14–30) does not mention the kingdom, but has similar themes to the first parable. It, too, may be read as a teaching about the kingdom of God.
Many parables say that the kingdom is growing (Mark 4:26–29; 4:30–32; Matt 13:31–32, 33; Luke 13:18–19, 20–21). They teach that upon the discovery of the kingdom, a person experiences joy (Matt 13:44, 45–46). Further, they convey that God’s kingdom reign is a future reality (Matt 25:1–13; Luke 12:35–48; 19:11–27).
The Son of Man and the Kingdom of God
There is a connection between Jesus’ use of the phrase “son of man” and the kingdom of God. “Son of man” indicates Jesus’ earthly role (e.g., Luke 19:10) and describes His suffering and death (e.g., Mark 8:31; 10:45). This title also conveys His role in the future kingdom (e.g., Matt 16:28; 19:28; Mark 9:1; Ladd, A Theology, 147). Jesus identifies himself as the agent of God’s kingly rule (compare Dan 7:13–14).
Kingdom of God in Acts
In the Acts of the Apostles, the risen Jesus continues to teach His disciples about the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). His disciples persist in their belief of a political or nationalistic kingdom for Israel (Acts 1:6). In Acts, the kingdom of God is often used as a synonym for the gospel or good news (Acts 8:12; 19:8).
Kingdom of God in Paul’s Letters
Paul does not discuss the kingdom of God to the same extent that Jesus did. However, the theme is present in his teaching. There are two notable aspects of Paul’s teaching about the kingdom.
1. In 1 Corinthians 15:23–24, Paul states that, at the Second Coming and at the resurrection of Christians, Jesus will hand the kingdom of God over to the Father after He has destroyed every other rule, authority and power. It is unclear from this passage whether there are two kingdoms—the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of God. It is more likely that Paul understood both kingdoms to be one and the same and that he uses “kingdom” to describe Jesus’ rule. This is supported by the fact that when Paul speaks of Christ’s rule (1 Cor 15:25, 27) he borrows Old Testament language (Pss 8:6; 110:1) that describes the dominion of God (Vickers, “The Kingdom of God,” 55).
2. Paul teaches that the kingdom has both present and future dimensions.
a. The kingdom is a present blessing for those who have been delivered from the powers of darkness to the kingdom of Christ (Rom 14:17; 1 Cor 4:20; Col 1:13; Eph 5:5).
b. Those exhibiting a virtuous lifestyle will inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9, 10; 15:50; Gal 5:21; 1 Thess 2:12; 2 Thess 1:5).
Kingdom of God in the General Letters
In Hebrews, the unshakable kingdom is the heavenly Jerusalem—a city yet to come (Heb 12:22–28). In 2 Peter 1:5–11, Christians are encouraged to cultivate certain virtues so that they may enter the everlasting kingdom of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Kingdom of God in Revelation
The kingdom of God is a main theme in Revelation (Rev 1:6, 9, 5:10; 11:17; 12:10; 19:6; 20:4; 22:5). Seven trumpets announce the final triumph of the kingdom of God and Christ: “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev 11:15 NASB).