Kingdom Notes

DBL- Greek Definition of the Word Kingdom; βασιλεία (basileia)

reign, as a king

Kingdom, an area ruled by a king

become a king

Give right to rule

People of God, formally, sons of the Kingdom (Mt 8:12;13:38)

DBL- Greek Definition of the Word Church; ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia)

Congregation, an individually assembly of Christians, usually with leaders who conform to a standard, and have worship practices, with members interacting, more or less

church, the totality of all congregations of Christians at all times.

Assembly, gathering of persons for a purpose, even riotous

Observations: from these definitions:

The Kingdom (God’s Kingdom) is best understood as the reign and rule of its King (God)and his mediator, Jesus the Messiah (1 Timothy 2:5).

The church is the totality of all followers of Christ (Christians)

The church is the people of the Kingdom; the citizens of the Kingdom. The church is the people who have chosen to be ruled and governed by its King.

Old Testament understanding of the Kingdom:

The prophets understanding of the Kingdom and their anticipations of it shows that their expectation was all about how God would rule and reign.

Isaiah 9:5-7

Isaiah 9:5–7 ESV

For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Jesus as Messiah is coming to bring about peace in his kingdom thus putting an end to war.

Isaiah 11:1-9.

Isaiah 11:1–9 ESV

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Jesus the Messiah and King is coming to establish a Kingdom of peace with no conflict because all enemies will be destroyed.

The prophets spoke of the Kingdom as a place that is completely void of evil because its King has destroyed all evil and brought about complete peace.

When the Kingdom comes in its fulness God’s reign will be uncontested because he will have defeated all evil and there will be complete peace.

As the church (citizens of the kingdom) we have come into the Kingdom (by being born again of water and Spirit John 3) and God as our King reigns uncontested in us as citizens of his kingdom.

Although God rule over us is uncontested. God’s rule is still contested today because there is still evil and enemies of God (sin & death).

Once Christ defeats death and turns the reign back to the father his Kingdom will be fully revealed. (1 Corinthians 15:24)

At this point we as citizens of the Kingdom will inherit God’s uncontested peace and reign in heaven for all eternity with no enemies or death.

The citizens of the Kingdom play an important role in helping the Kingdom come in its fulness.