Questioner: Glen
Subject: What is God's Kingdom?Question:
- Biblically speaking: "What is God's Kingdom?"
John of AllFaith's reply
Hi Glen,Like most Scriptures, the Bible has more than one legitimate interpretation.
First, its older usage:
God created the earth as a kingdom, with God as King. So, the earth under God's rule is the kingdom. The people rebelled against God's rule however and so the original kingdom (Eden) was shatered.
In order to maintain divine rule, following the flood of Noah's day God decreed the Seven Noahide Laws (the laws all humans were to obey):
The Noahide Laws
- 1. Worship Only God
2. Honor and Praise God
3. Respect and Protect Human Life
4. Respect the Family
5. Respect the Rights and Properties of Others
6. Respect the Sanctity of all Life
7. Pursue Justice
Those who obeyed these laws were loyal subjects of the Kingdom (because they accepted the divine rule of the King).
But the people rebelled.
Next God chose the "least of the human tribes" to be His Kingdom in exile, His representatives as it were. These people were known as Hebrews (people whose feet are reddened with clay due to their nomadic ways).
They were also know as People Israel and Jews. To these people a more detailed set of laws were given, the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, especially the Law contained therein). God performed many wondrous acts among these people and established them as a "mighty nation and a royal priesthood." In time God gave them their own country to rule, Eretz Israel (Land of Israel). God established an eternal covenant with these people (it is still in effect). A promise was made to them that through their descendants a mighty king would one day arise and establish God's Kingdom worldwide (a Jewish theocratic kingdom). Jews still await the coming of this ruler who is sometimes call Mossiach (messiah), Shiloh, etc.
So, the Kingdom of God is Eretz Israel, the land of Israel. It exists within the heart of People Israel as well as in a portion of the land given them by God. It will one day be fully implemented on a global scale and through it the Mossiach will rule the planet in righteousness and justice for all peoples. This Jews believe. This the Bible teaches.
BUT, roughly 2000 years ago a man was born who at the least was a mighty prophet but who according to many was God Incarnate. He appeared in Bethlehem, the city the Hebrew prophets had pointed to as the birthplace of Shiloh. He began teaching the Jewish people to honor the Torah but to view the Talmud, the Mishna... the Oral Torah, as less than inspired scripture. He referred to these writings as the teachings or traditions of men.
This angered the Pharisees (the predecessors of the rabbis) and the temple priests (the Sadducees). And yet many of the Jews who heard this prophet were convinced that he was the long-awaited Mossiach or Messiah and that therefore the Kingdom of God "was at hand." Again, they clearly expected a physical Jewish theocratic kingdom centered in Jerusalem and ruling over the entire planet as the Torah prophecies.
The leaders of the Jewish people however considered Y'shua or Jesus to be a heretic.
Debate over the identity of this prophet was hot and divided the people. The leaders among the Pharisees and Sadducees (not "the Jews," many of whom believed in Jesus) worked with the Roman government and had Y'shua executed, thus ending all debate, as far as the scholars were concerned because, according to the centuries-held beliefs, the Messiah would die an old man, his son would take up his theocratic rule after him as world King. If Jesus was dead, then the claim that he was the Messiah would be proven wrong... Right?
But not so fast... Jesus had also made certain mystical statements such as "the kingdom of God is within" and "Tear down this house [my body] and the Father will restore it in three days" and so on. His followers began to rethink the traditional understandings about the Messiah's nature and purpose and new books were written (including but not limited to those of the New Testament).
Many Jews maintained their commitment to the controversial Rebe Y'Shua and Gentiles (Noahides) began accepting his movement as well. Stories were circulating that Jesus had not only risen from the dead, but that he had been seen alive by thousands of people! Thousands of people were convinced. Perhaps, they reasoned, the "Kingdom" is an inner realization that transcends external reality rather than a literal earthly kingdom. People developed complex systems of religious philosophy to explain this. These people are generally referred to as the Gnostics (Holders of Hidden or Concealed Teachings). Others considered that the inner kingdom might change the hearts of people who accepted it and, being spread across the globe (aka the "Great Commission") would bring about a righteous planet through spiritual conversion through the developing Nazarene Movement within Judaism (which probably was similar to modern day Reform Judaism). Noahides would embrace Rebe Y'Shua as their King and teacher and would obey the 7 Noahide Laws. Jews would come to accept Y'Shua as Shiloh and would continue to observe the 613 Laws of the Torah and rule over them as a Kingdom of priests. this is most likely what was believed at the time.
Then Jerusalem was burned in 70 CE (AD) and these Nazarene Jews, like all other Jews, fled. The leaders of the Church ruled that converts did not have to formally convert into Judaism or keep the Torah. This is discussed in depth in the Book of Acts.
Then came Emperor Constantine of Rome. When he allegedly converted into the Nazarene Jewish sect everything changed ("allegedly" because there is good evidence that he worshiped the god Sol Invictus until the day he died.
Constantine outlawed "Judaizing" and created a nationalist synthesis religion by uniting the Roman Pagan religions with the Nazarene Jewish sect into what he named the Roman Catholic (Universal) Church. Jews refused to join this new religion and so were fiercely persecuted, as were those Nazarene Jews (who were beginning to be known as Christians) who refused to embrace the New Religion.
According to the new Bishop of Rome (the Pope -- literally "papa" of father), the Kingdom of God was the Church. All who were members of "the One True Apostolic Roman Catholic Church" were citizens of the Kingdom, all others were divinely condemned heretics and enemies of the Kingdom of God.
Following the Protestant Reformation, the Catholic Church (as well as the Orthodox Church) maintained this belief and hold it still today in a slightly modified version. Most Protestants returned to the older belief that the Kingdom of God refers to the creation of a literal kingdom (although they typically maintain it will not be a Jewish kingdom but a Christian empire, there is debate here).
Likewise, many people still believe that the Kingdom is a metaphor for spiritual realization. This view is held mainly by more liberal segments of the Church however most Christian conservative and fundamentalist Christians usually say that prior to the "second coming of Jesus" the kingdom is an inner inner experience.
So... What is the Kingdom? It depends on who you ask.
Personally, I believe the Jews are the eternally Chosen People of God and that the Kingdom will be a Jewish theocracy that will be harmonious with the basic teachings of Rebe Y'Shua. Those who are spiritually minded and who hold to the authority of God are "in the Kingdom," and that one day (soon, following certain foretold events that currently seem to be unfolding), Messiah will come to save Israel and will create the literal global theocracy that will rule the earth for a thousand years, as Rebe Y'Shua foretold and the other prophets predicted.
Hope this helps,
Write back any time.
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~John of AllFaith
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