Kingdom Through Covenant-The King and His Kingdom

God created a Kingdom and He is the King

The story of the Bible is all about how God as King, makes a kingdom on earth through redeeming a people for himself and his glory.

As we begin, we will first focus on God as King and the Kingdom that he has created.

Let us now break down what each of these words/phrases mean.

God is King

“The way we think about God shapes the way we think about everything else, along with the way we act and respond to every circumstance”-Chris Bruno

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us”-AW Tozer

Genesis 1 makes clear that God is the King of all the universe, but what does it mean for God to be King?

He is Eternal

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

No one created God, He has always existed

Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God.”

He is Sovereign

Psalm 103:19 “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.”

Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in heaven and does whatever he pleases.”

Sovereign means he is in control of all things, nothing slips from his grasp, and he answers to no one.

Isaiah 46:10 “I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: my plan will take place, and I will do all my will.”

Since God is King, no one tells him what to do. He sets the standards, He says what is right and what is wrong. He has the right, the power, and the authority to rule over his creation.

He is Unique and Holy

Isaiah 46:9 “Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one is like me.”

Exodus 15:11 “Lord, who is like you among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?”

Deuteronomy 3:24 “Lord God, you have begun to show your greatness and your strong hand to your servant, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours?”

He is Good

Psalm 145:9 “The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made.”

Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!”

Psalm 92:15 “The Lord is just; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.””

We see God’s goodness specifically in Genesis 1 when he creates his Kingdom… which brings us to our next phrase…

God Created a Kingdom

To summarize how God created a kingdom of this universe as described in Genesis 1

God created everything, and everything he made was good.

God created his kingdom from nothing and he did it all with the power of his word.

God spoke and creation obeyed. All creation submitted to God’s sovereign rule as King

Emphasize the repetition of the phrase “then God said,” in chapter 1

Do you think it was difficult for God to create his kingdom?

Because God is all-powerful, creating the universe with his word was as easy as it is for us to tie our shoes… effortless.

Listen to these verses that proclaim God’s amazing power

Psalm 33:9 “For he spoke, and it came into being; he commanded, and it came into existence.”

Jeremiah 32:17 “Oh, Lord God! You yourself made the heavens and earth by your great power and with your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!”

God, being the King is the only one who could determine the value of his creation, and he deemed it… all of it very good.

Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.”

Calling creation “very good” meant that God’s kingdom was perfect, there was nothing missing, and creation was everything God intended it to be.

Essentially God’s Kingdom was in perfect harmony with his king.

It is important for us to see that God’s creation, despite the effects of sin, is still good.

1 Timothy 4:4 “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,”

Therefore, we must continue to see that God’s creation is still good and he has a purpose for his creation.

Yet even though creation is good, we cannot separate it from it’s creator. We have to affirm that creation’s goodness depends on God, the Maker and King of creation.

Application

Because God is King, he must be the King of our lives

Is God the King of your life?

If God is the King of your life, how should that change or effect the way you live?

Because God’s Kingdom of creation is good, we must enjoy Him and His creation.

We must respond in praise and worship to God when we enjoy his good creation (and not worship the creation…forgetting about the Creator).

The Story So Far: God created a Kingdom, and He is the King.

Next week: Genesis 1:26-28: God made human beings to represent Him in His Kingdom