The Kingdom Of God

by G. Prasher | Category: General | Feb 1944

The kingdom of God may be defined as the sphere wherein the rule of God operates. In commencing our consideration of the subject we recall that rule and government were committed to Adam in Eden, and that through his disobedience he lost that position of honour and responsibility. Noah also had rule given to him, but failure marked both him and his sons.

Then God took up Abraham, saying to him: "Get thee out of thy country... and I will make of thee a great nah on" (Genesis 12.1, 2). This nation is seen in Exodus 1.7, where we read: " The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; - and the land (Egypt) was filled with them." -

The LORD executed judgement on the Egyptians, and the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea. They were redeemed by blood, and separated by water from Egypt's rule. They had bee " baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (1 Corinthians 10.2). The LORD was now - to be their Ruler.

A kingdom requires (1) a ruler; (2) a law, or instrument of rule; (3) people subject to the rule. The LOAD was to be the Ruler, but be fore the kingdom could be established the law had to be given and the covenant confirmed. The statutory law is in Exodus 20, and the judgements in chapters 21 to 23 Thus we have God as Ruler, the law of Moses to effect the rule but what of those willing to subject themselves thereto? - Chapter 24 presents this people They assert their readiness to obey in the words All that the LORD hath spoken will we do, and be obedient (verse 7) The blood of the covenant was sprinkled on " both the book itself and all the people (Hebrews 19); and, as has been said; Israel became a people of the -Book. If the kingdom of God were to be manifested, the book of the law must be prominent. A neglected book was equivalent to a decadent kingdom. The books of Kings and Chronicles are commentaries.

We observe that it was subsequent to the sprinkling of the book and all the people that God was seen in the mount with the nobles of the children of Israel, "and there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the very heavens for clearness." When Ezekiel saw the likeness of the glory of the LORD, he says, "And the glory of the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone" Ezekiel 1.26). The throne speaks of rule and government.

Here then the kingdom of God was established among His people which - He had redeemed. It was a theocratic government and the people's life depended upon their obedience. Set your heart to observe to do all the words of this law. For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life, and through this thing ye shall prolong our days upon the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it

(Deuteronomy 32.46, 47).

In view of their entering the land the LORD gave instructions regarding the observance of His law: "Thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law; and that their children, which have not known, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it" (Deuteronomy 31.11-18).

Anticipating what Israel would do when in the land, the LORD gave instructions for the king. He knew they would wish to follow the example of the nation and set a king over them, so among other commandments we read: "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites ; and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel" (Deuteronomy 17.18-20).

In the great work of crossing the Jordan and possessing the land Joshua was exhorted to "be strong and very courageous." Was this strength and courage specially for contesting the might of the foe in the land? No! There is something vastly more important. "Only be strong and very courageous, to observe TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL TRE LA, which Moses My servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1.7). At all times our chief concern should be to do God's will, and leave the giants and walled cities to Him.

"Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, and had known all the work of the LORD, that He had wrought for Israel" (Joshua 24.81). Then followed the dark days of the Judges, and the last words of that book are,-" Every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

Samuel's godly ministry resulted in revival: "And all the house of Israel lamented (was drawn together) after the LORD" (1 Samuel 7.2). The law of the LORD being brought before the people revealed to them their drift from Him, and drew them back again to Himself.

Whether it were judge or king the word of the LORD was to be the rule of life, and much may be learned by careful consideration of the histories of the kings of Israel and Judah. While the law was given its place peace and prosperity abounded; but neglect of God's law occasioned disturbance and death. King Asa was told: "The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you" (2 Chronicles 15.2). Alas ! their persistent departure from Him during the

I period of the kings, especially in the latter Days, brought about His departure from them, and the kingdom was taken from Judah. We read: "For through the anger of the LORD did it come to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until He cast them out of His presence" (Jeremiah 52.8). "This whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years " (Jeremiah 25.11).

At the close of this period a remnant returned to Jerusalem, builded again the house of God, and re-established its services. Ezra expresses the position thus: "And now for little moment grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage" (Ezra 9. 8). Unhindered by paucity of numbers, or the insignificance of the house they builded as compared with the Solomonic house, they completed the work, for the LORD was with them. Sec Haggai 1.18. Although under the suzerainty' of a Gentile monarch, within this remnant of Judah and Benjamin there was an expression of the kingdom of God.

God bore with His people's failure until at last He sent His Son. It was then they shewed the full hatred of their hearts towards Him. They were the husbandmen to whom the vineyard had been let. They said among themselves, "This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him, and take His inheritance, And they took Him, and cast Him forth out of the vineyard, and killed Him." In view of this the Lord Jesus said; "Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof" (Matthew 21. 38, 39, 48).

It is here the mind naturally inquires, Where is this nation to which the kingdom of God has been given? Who are the people that constitute this nation? Bef6re we answer these questions let us note that the kingdom was not restored to Israel at that time.

This is clear from the Lord's words to His disciples : "It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you : and ye shall be My witnesses " (Acts 1.7, 8). Israel is still scattered among the nations, and is still in unbelief.

We turn now to Luke 12. 32, and read: "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Here we have the answer to the above queries. In this flock were persons who had received Christ (John 1. 12), and who were following Him (John 10.27). At the time of Acts 1.15 the flock numbered about one hundred and twenty. Surely a small number when consider that the Lord had spent so long time among men! These were added to as the gospel was proclaimed and hearts were softened by the love and grace of God. Sinners who repented towards God and put faith in Christ, were baptised in water and added to those already to ether. See Acts 2.41, 42. The persons who form the little flock are the same that constitute the nation.

The flock and the nation are again brought before us in Peter's first epistle. Those together of God in the five provinces are referred to as a holy nation (2.9), and as the flock of God (5.2). In chapter 2. verse 25 the Lord Jesus is termed the "Shepherd and Bishop (Overseer) of your souls." Under Him are shepherds or bishops (overseers). The shepherds are among the flock to feed and to tend; the bishops (overseers) are over the nation to rule and govern. So we are exhorted: "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls, as they that shall give account" (Hebrews 13.17).

The instrument for guiding those who rule in the kingdom of God to-day is "the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 8); that is, the doctrine of the Lord as contained in the Scriptures. The law of Moses was still the instrument for divine rule at the end of the Old Testament (see Malachi 4.4); and so, the faith, to which obedience is required (Acts 6.7; Romans 1.5), remains the law of Christ until the end of the present age.

On the resurrection morning, when the Lord appeared to His wondering disciples - as they were together,- His message to them was firstly, "Peace be unto you," then,-" as the Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." And having breathed on them He said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit: whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained" (John 20.21-23). This, we understand, - is in connection with the kingdom of God. Those together according to the will of God are called upon to "judge them that are within " (1 Corinthians 5. 12); and at times the circumstances call for forgiveness, where there is manifest repentance, as in 2 Corinthians 2. verse 7: "Ye should rather forgive him and comfort him." This refers to the person whose sin was judged when they purged out the old leaven, and "put away the wicked man from among" themselves (1 Corinthians 5.18).

Before the cross the Lord gave clear instructions to His disciples relative to the kingdom of God. "Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 18.18). In this scripture, as in John 20. already referred to, there is acknowledgement in heaven of action by a church of God on earth. We read : "Tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican" (Matthew 18.15-18). When a church of God acts in discipline, as guided by the word of God, and persons are subjected to restrictions inside the church (2 Thessalonians a. 14; Titus 3. 10); or given the place of the Gentile and publican, that is outside the church; heaven sanctions or confirms the action, because it is done according to the mind of heaven.

These truths necessarily make church discipline a very solemn matter. First of all the overseers who lead -the church in such actions must be conscious of their weighty responsibility as acting for God within His kingdom. This calls- for lowliness of heart, and much dependence on God. Then as for the subjects of the discipline, what godly fear would be wrought in their hearts if they appreciated that the place assigned them by the church had been sanctioned and recognised in heaven! Indeed this is the object of all discipline-the repentance and salvation of the persons concerned.

Without doubt these weighty considerations contributed towards the Lord's spending so much time instructing His disciples in the things concerning the kingdom of God, both prior to the cross, and during the forty days He went in and out among them after He arose from among the dead (Acts 1. 8).

Both in the Gospels and in the Epistles we find the principles of the kingdom of God. For example, accepting the word of God and His ways as a little child is - essential to entering; trusting to riches is a hindrance; and those who practise the evil works of the flesh can have no inheritance therein (compare Mark - 10. 15, 25; 1 Corinthians 6.9, 10).

The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, "but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14.17). Of those glad days when the King shall be on the earth it is written: "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and confidence for ever" (Isaiah 32. 17). If we "follow after righteousness " we shall enjoy the peace and joy that spring from doing the will of God, even though we be passing through the persecutions and tribulations which are to be expected in this hostile world. The powers of darkness will see to it that these abound. See Acts 14. 22; 2 Thessalonians 1.4, 5.

It should be observed that the rule of God is not confined to the sphere where we are together in church. Its sphere extends to every phase of life and controls the believer in the home, and in the world. Therefore the concern of all who love the Lord Jesus Christ should be to know and do God's will. The psalmist says

"Shew me Thy ways, 0 LORD;

Teach me Thy paths.

Guide me in Thy truth, and teach me" (Psalm 25.4, 5).

It should be apparent that God's kingdom cannot find expression in companies where His will is lightly regarded. Wrong doctrines dishonour the Lord, and produce evil practices. Those discovering such conditions should heed the injunction of 2 Timothy 2.19: "Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness."

Even under those conditions where outpurging is needful, as in 2 Timothy 2., it is well to note that the Holy Spirit does not- indicate a resort to individualism, but rather to being found with others who are likeminded in regard to the truth, or, "with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart "- (verse 22). These may be few in number, but it is better to be with the few who are in the divine position, than with the multitude who have not the kingdom.

G. Prasher | Feb 1944
General