"The Mysteries of the Kingdom, Pt. 2"

IV. The Theocratic Kingdom - only the nation of Israel

A. Definition

God's rule by means of and through a theocracy over Israel. (“theo-” = God; “-cracy” = government) A government ruled by or subject to a religious authority, a state so governed.

B. Two aspects of the Theocratic Kingdom in regards to Israel.

Mediatorial formGod ruled Israel through mediators. Moses, Joshua, Judges (Samuel was the last). Established by Moses with the giving of the Law which was the foundation for this kingdom (1405-1043 B.C.) The Mosaic Covenant.Monarchial formGod ruled through monarchs. Saul was the first king and Zedekiah was the last king (actually a vassal ruler) to rule. Samuel marked the transition for he was the last Judge, he also anointed the first two kings. (1043-605 B.C.) The Davidic Covenant David. The Davidic dynasty continued to occupy the throne until Zedekiah.

C. Decline of the Theocratic Kingdom

During the latter stages of the monarchial form.The ProphetsDuring this decline, the prophets began to announce a future form, a better form of God's kingdom program which would be the Messianic Kingdom.When the kings apostatized, God raised up prophets as mediators of His theocratic kingdom.The prophets had a twofold message:They exhorted the people to repentance and obedience to the Mosaic Law in the Theocratic Kingdom.They prophesied concerning the final form of the kingdom; The Everlasting Kingdom in which the Messiah would rule forever (beginning with the Millenium or Messianic Kingdom).Isaiah saw a suffering Messiah as foundational to the future kingdom reign of the Messiah.Jeremiah announced the New Covenant. It is the basis whereby God will bless Israel in the future. The New Covenant anticipates Israel as a regenerated people in the future kingdom.

Jer. 31:31-33; 32:37-40

Ezekiel envisioned a restored worship in the future kingdom (Ezek. 40-48).Daniel saw the Messiah destroying all earthly kingdoms and establishing the Everlasting Kingdom (Millennial kingdom not clearly revealed until Rev. 20:4-7)."Times of the Gentiles" - begins in 605 B.C. and ends at 2nd Advent of Christ.The Theocratic Kingdom came to an end with the Babylonian destruction of — Jerusalem. The Captivity followed.The Times of the Gentiles began with the end of the Theocratic Kingdom and continues unto this day (will end at 2nd Advent of Christ).

D. Scripture

Old Testament history from Exodus 19 through 2 Chronicles 36 is the history of the Theocratic Kingdom.

E. Between the Theocratic Kingdom and the Gospels

THE 70 YEAR BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY ...

The curses of the Mosaic covenant, however, eventually issued in the Babylonian captivity (Lev. 26:27-39; Dt. 28:36-68). This dispersion was accompanied by the stunning departure of God's theocratic presence from the temple, His place of rule (Ezek. 8-11, 11:22-25). Although the nation of Israel eventually regained its political identity, the mediatorial kingdom of God on earth had come to an end historically (Hos. 1:9).However, God was not finished with this kingdom. The OT prophets who had forecasted its demise also consistently foretold its consummate restoration.

Lev. 26:40-45; Eze. 11:14-20; Hos. 1:10-11

THE FIRST RESTORATION OF THE NATION

EzraReconstruction of the Temple and Restoration of the people.NehemiahReconstruction of the city.EstherProtection of God's people.POST-EXILIC PROPHETS - Haggai, Zechariah & MalachiWith Haggai, we come to the only three post-exilic prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, all of whom spoke to the returned remnant. Their objective was to encourage their spiritual and moral life of this remnant, now back in their home land, as they sought to rebuild the temple and the nation.Haggai and Zechariah dealt mostly with the spiritual needs as they related to the rebuilding of the temple and Malachi dealt primarily with the moral and social needs involved with the reconstruction of the nation itself.The restored remnant were to those who would anticipate and welcome the Messiah when he would come.

​Malachi 3:1 NKJV “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.

​Luke 1:16–17 NKJV And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

​Luke 1:76 NKJV “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

See also: Isa. 40:3-5, Isa. 49:6; Dan. 12:3; Matt. 3:1-6, Matt. 21:32

THE OFFER OF THE MEDIATORIAL KINGDOM (Millennium, Kingdom of Heaven)

Not to consummate all the promises concerning the Messianic Kingdom, but to continue to serve as a model of God-rule in the Mediatorial Kingdom, and to exhibit the Spiritual Kingdom.THE GOSPELS and EARLY ACTSA. John the Baptist

​Matthew 3:1–2 NKJV In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

B. Jesus Christ

​Matthew 4:17 NKJV From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

C. The Twelve Apostles, the 70 disciples

Mt. 10:1-7; Lu. 10:1-12

D. The Apostle PeterActs 3:12-26 “…repent and return…that He may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you...”God offered to Israel the restoration of this historic, mediatorial kingdom in the person of the ultimate Davidic king, Jesus, at His First Advent (Matt. 3:1-2; 4:17; 21:1-9).Jesus spoke of this kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). He preached the Gospel of this kingdom (Mt. 9:35) and sent the disciples to proclaim it to the Jews (Mt. 10:5-7). This is the "kingdom of heaven," the "kingdom of God," the "kingdom of the Father" to which Christ referred in the parables (Mt. 13, 20, 22), in His discourse on the Mount of Olives (Mt. 24-25), and in the Upper Room (Mt. 26:29).With this restored historic Theocratic Kingdom, Israel would have led the world into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.Unfortunately, with the rejection of the king, and offer of the kingdom, twice (Mt. 27:22-25; John 19:13-15; Acts 3:12-26; 7:46-53), the restoration of the Theocratic Kingdom on earth was deferred until the return of its ruler and His acceptance by national Israel (Zech. 12:10-13:9; Rev. 1:7).With the second advent of Christ, the former, historic, mediatorial kingdom will be established on earth (Amos 9:11; Micah 4:8). As the theocracy began under Moses this renewed Mediatorial Kingdom will be governed under the structures of a covenant.

KINGDOM OF GOD AND KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are not the same although the same things may be true of both in many instances.

Kingdom of God:

1. The rule of God over all creation, all creatures and during all time. It is as broad as the universe (future establishment).2. It is both physical and spiritual.3. In its spiritual aspect it is entered only by new birth. (Jn. 3:3-6). In a very limited sense, participation in this aspect of the kingdom is being experienced on the part of the Church today, so that in one sense it does exist — but has not yet been established on earth. Of believers it is declared that He "has conveyed us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love." (Col. 1:13). In the sense that the Mediatorial Kingdom is an aspect of the Kingdom of God, believers enter it by new birth (Jn. 3:5). In one sense, believers actually enter the Kingdom before its visible establishment on the earth.4. It belongs to all ages from the garden of Eden to the Eternal City.5. Ultimately, the Kingdom of God will be established on the New Earth with God, personally dwelling with all the inhabitants of the earth. All who dwell there will be sinless and death will be no more. This Kingdom has yet to be established.

Rev. 21:1-8, 27; Isa. 66:22-24

Kingdom of Heaven:

1. It is the rule of God in relation to the earth, literally heaven's rule over earth. This kingdom presently is being post-poned. It will be realized at the second Advent of Christ.2. It is the earthly phase of the universal Kingdom of God. It merges with the Kingdom of God when the Lord Jesus delivers up the Kingdom to God. “The Millennium”.

​1 Corinthians 15:24–28 NKJVThen comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

The rejection of the Kingdom of Heaven — “Kingdom Postponed”

A. As we have seen: John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, the Twelve, the 70, The Apostle Peter, all offered the Kingdom to the nation of Israel.B. This Kingdom was rejected twice by the nation of Israel in that generation. As a result of that rejection of the King and His Kingdom, the offer was rescinded or "taken away" from that generation (2nd offer of Kingdom in early chapters of Acts by Peter, also rejected) and from a human perspective the Messianic Kingdom was "postponed" and not to be set up at this time. From the divine perspective, (Acts 2:23) this rejection was part of God's plan and the means by which the Messiah would die to provide the atonement and by which the gospel would extend to the Gentiles (Isa. 49:1-13).C. The kingdom will be offered again to another generation of Jews at the consummation of the Tribulation and they will accept it.

Mt. 24:14-31

​Mark 13:10 NKJVAnd the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

V. The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven/God

Once Jesus knew that the Jews would reject His offer of His kingdom, He began to speak to them in parables. These parables were designed to add new information regarding His kingdom which is presently in a state of anticipation.

Let’s Clear up the Confusion

With all of these questions and experiences of the disciples in the background, Jesus decided it was time to share some truths about the dawn of the millennial age for which the Old Testament prophecies had not prepared them. He gave the parables of Matthew 13 in order to teach the disciples that imminency (to happen without delay) does not necessarily mean immediacy (having nothing coming between, not separated in space or time). These parables indicate that certain conditions characterize the period of imminency.

During the same time that the king's messengers are announcing the kingdom is at hand, other developments integral to the kingdom program are occurring. These developments do not mean that the kingdom has been indefinitely postponed at this point; rather, these developments are a prelude and a preparation to the actual historical inauguration of the kingdom.

When Jesus used the expression "the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" certainly the disciples would never surmise that He was talking about a different kingdom from the one they were anticipating and announcing. If He had meant some other form of the kingdom, He would have plainly clarified the point. They would naturally assume that He was talking the millennial (Davidic) kingdom, for it was the only kingdom the Jews knew anything about. By "mysteries" they would conclude He was going to tell them secrets about the millennial (Davidic) kingdom which had been hidden from men until then.

At the conclusion of the discourse Jesus explained that "the scribe who is instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a man what is an householder, who brings forth out of his treasures things new and old" (Mt. 13:52). Would Jesus' disciples not interpret this to mean that the whole discourse had taught them new things about the kingdom which had never been revealed before and old things about the kingdom which had been the subject of much prophetic attention in the Old Testament?

The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are the new things which Jesus brought out of the treasury- truths which would explain why the Messiah had failed at that point to set up the Davidic theocracy. These parables explain the delay during the period of imminence that is, the delay that ensued from the time Jesus and the disciples began to preach the kingdom was at hand.]

See "INTERPRETATION OF MATTHEW 13 PARABLES" Article.

A. Definition

The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are new revelations regarding the prophesied kingdom not revealed by the Old Testament Prophets.

The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and God do not include the Church Age.

The Church Age itself is also designated a “mystery" by the Apostle Paul (Ephesians 3:3, 9, 5:32; Colossians 1:26-27). If the Church Age is a secret revealed to the disciples by Jesus, then how does the Church Age still remain a secret revealed to the Apostle Paul? Paul could easily get this information from the 12 Apostles.

B. The Church Age

[THE GAP] between the 2 advents of Christ.

THIS PRESENT "EVIL" AGE... Gal.1:4

According to the NT this present age has an unwholesome designation. It is called "this present evil age" (Gal. 1:4). It is so called because it is under the dominion of Satan, who is its god (2 Cor. 4:4). This age is marked by spiritual darkness (Eph. 6:12). This darkness produces its own wisdom, in which there is no light (1Cor. 2:6-7). As a result it is marked by ungodliness and lusts (Titus 2:12), from which the believer is to turn away (Rm. 12:2), even though formerly he walked in conformity to its wisdom and standards (Eph. 2:2).

THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THIS PRESENT AGE AND THE PRECEDING AGES

There are a number of ways in which this present age differs from all the ages that preceded:

In all previous ages Christ was anticipated, but in this present age He has not only come, but has died, been resurrected and is looked to now in His position at the right hand of the Father.

The Holy Spirit, who in previous ages came upon certain men to empower them to a given task, in this age He has taken up His residence in every believer.

In previous ages the good news announced was anticipatory, but in this present age the declaration of the good news announces an accomplished salvation through Christ.

The revelation in previous ages was incomplete, but in this present age, since Christ came to reveal the Father, revelation is complete.

Since this present age is marked by antagonism to God and His anointed, bears a distinct characterization as an evil age, which was not applied to any previous age.

This age is, consequently, under the dominion of Satan, its god, in a unique and unprecedented way.

The nation of Israel has been set aside as a particular object of God's dealing and can not expect the fulfillment of her promises during this present age.

THE MYSTERIES ...

The existence of this present ( evil) age, which was to interrupt God's established program with Israel, was a mystery (Col. 1:25-26).

That Israel was to be blinded so that Gentiles might be brought into relation with God through Christ was a mystery (Rm. 11:25).

The formulation of the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles to form a body, was a mystery (Eph. 3:3-9; Col. 1:26-27; Eph.1:9; Rm.16:25).

This whole program of God that results in salvation was called a mystery (1Cor. 2:7). The relation of Christ to men in itself is called a mystery (1Tim. 3:16), not as to fact but as to its accomplishment.

The development of evil unto its culmination in the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:7) and the development of the great apostate religious system (Rev. 17:5, 7) both constitute that which was called a mystery.

That there should be a new method by which God received men into His presence apart from death was a mystery (1 Cor. 15:51).

Summary: These, then, constitute a major portion of God's program for the present age, which was not revealed in other ages, but is now known by revelation from God.

THE CLOSE OF THIS PRESENT AGE

The close of God's program for the CHURCH — The Rapture (a mystery, 1Cor. 15:51-53)

a. "last times" for the church. 1Pet. 1:20; Jude 18

b. "latter days" for the church. 1 Tim. 4:1

c. "last days" for the church. 2 Tim. 3:1; 2 Pet. 3:3

d. "the last day," which, as related to the Church, is the day of the resurrection of those who have died in Christ (cf. Jn. 6:39-40, 44, 54) S. L. Chafer

The close of God's program concerning the nation of ISRAEL - The Second Advent

Within the present age between the two advents of Christ, God is bringing to fulfillment two distinct programs.

"last times" for Israel 1Pet. 1:5; 1Jn. 2:16.

"latter days" for Israel Dan. 10:14; Deut. 4:30.

"last days" for Israel Jn. 6:39-40, 44, 54 .

. . . distinction must be made between the "last days" for Israel-the days of her kingdom glory on earth (cf. Isa. 2:1-5)-and the "last days" for the Church, which are days of evil and apostasy from the truth (cf. 2Tim. 3:1-5). Likewise, discrimination is called for between the "last days" for Israel and for the church and "the last day," which, as related to the Church, is the day of the resurrection of those how have died in Christ (cf. Jn. 6:39-40, 44, 54). Careful distinction must be made, or one will relegate to the church that which constitutes closing events for Israel or visa-versa.

There is at least seven year time period between the Rapture and 2nd Advent.

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IN THIS PRESENT EVIL AGE

"The Called Out Assembly" - THE CHURCH

By means of the church in the present age, God is now making known His wisdom and manifesting His grace to the angelic host (Eph. 3:10).

CHURCH:

Evangelize the world, not fix or reform it.

In heaven the church will eternally be the illustration of what the grace of God can do (Eph. 2:7). Strictly speaking, however, the divine commission of the church is given to individual believers rather than to the corporate body. Christ as the Head of the church is able to direct each believer in the paths of the Lord's will in keeping with His personal gifts and the plan of God for the individual life. All of this, however, is in harmony with God's general purpose for the church in the present age. In the church corporately, God is fulfilling a present divine purpose which is unfolding exactly as prophesied in the Scriptures...

The immediate purpose of God is not the correction of this present evil age, but the out-calling of all who will believe.

Israel's covenants will yet be fulfilled (Rm. 11:27), and evil will be banished from the earth (Rev. 12:1); but the present purpose of God, for which all else evidently awaits, is the completion of the church.

The calling out from the world those who will believe in Christ to form the body of Christ which is the Church.

The Church is not called to "fix" or "Christianize" the world and its institutions -but to "evangelize" the world.

Never is the individual believer (much less the church) appointed by God to a world-improvement program; but the believer is called to be a witness in all the world to Christ and His saving grace, and through this ministry of gospel preaching the Spirit of God will accomplish the supreme divine purpose of this age.

Acts 1:8 "preach gospel- to ends of earth"

Acts 15:13-18 "call out people for his name, after this ... kingdom set up"

Rm. 11:25-29 "after Church complete, Israel restored, society restored"

2Cor. 5:19-20; Eph. 6:20 "Ambassadors for Christ"