Why Future Events?-Part 12
| By: Dr. Renald Showers; ©2000 |
| Dr. Showers describes the nature of the future kingdom of God, both its earthly and its political aspects. |
WHY FUTURE EVENTS? PART 12
In our two previous articles we looked at the purpose, time, length and citizens of the future theocratic kingdom of God. This present article will focus on the nature of that kingdom.
Two things should be noted concerning the nature of the future theocratic kingdom of God. First, it will be an earthly kingdom. Second, it will be a political kingdom.
An Earthly Kingdom
The future theocratic kingdom of God will be an earthly kingdom involving the administration of God’s rule over everything on this present earth. Just as the original theocratic kingdom involved the administration of God’s rule by His original representative, the first Adam, over this present earthly province of God’s universal kingdom, so the future theocratic kingdom will involve the administration of God’s rule by His future representative, the last Adam (Jesus Christ), over this same earthly province.
Several things indicate that this is so. First, Psalm 2 portrays the time in the future when the rulers of the whole Gentile world will band together against God and His “anointed” (the Messiah) to try to prevent them from restoring God’s theocratic kingdom rule over the earth (vv. 1-3) (see also Revelation 19:11-14, 19). In spite of this oppostion, God expressed the certainty of His establishing His anointed One, His Son, as His King to rule from the earthly city of Jerusalem (“my holy hill of Zion”) (v. 6). Verses 7-8 indicate that God has decreed to turn over to His Son the nations for His inheritance and “the uttermost parts of the earth” for His possession. God also has decreed that His Son will crush the godless forces of the world (v. 9).
Second, in a prophetic dream that God gave to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Daniel 2), He portrayed His future kingdom as a stone that totally destroys the last great form of Gentile world dominion, and then becomes a great mountain that fills “the whole earth” (vv. 34-35, 44-45). God thereby indicated that His future kingdom will replace Gentile world dominion on this present earth.
Third, Daniel 7:13-14 reveals that, when the Messiah, as the Son of man, will come with the clouds of Heaven, God will give Him “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him.” Verse 27 indicates that this kingdom rule that God will give to Him and the saints will be the kingdom “under the whole heaven.” In other words, it will be a kingdom on the earth. Jesus Christ indicated that this will happen in conjunction with His Second Coming to earth after the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21, 29-30).
Fourth, in Jeremiah 23:5-8 God declared that, when the Messiah will reign as King, He will execute judgment and justice “in the earth,” and the people of Israel will “dwell in their own land.”
Fifth, Zechariah 9:10 states that the Messiah’s “dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth” (see Psalm 72:8)
Sixth, Zechariah 14:4, 9 signifies that, after the Messiah’s feet have touched down on the Mount of Olives in His future coming to earth, He will be King “over all the earth.”
Seventh, Revelation 11:15 reveals that the kingdom that God and His Christ will take over in the future will consist of “the kingdoms of this world.”
Eighth, when Satan after the Millennium will lead a final revolt against Christ’s future rule, he will deceive the nations located “in the four quarters of the earth” (Revelation 20:7- 8). Satan and these rebels will go up “on the breadth of the earth” in their attack, and judgment will “come down from God out of heaven” (v. 9). The language of these statements indicates that this revolt will be against an earthly rule of Christ and His saints.
Ninth, after God will crush this final future revolt, the present earth will be replaced by a new eternal earth (Revelation 20:11; 21:1). The fact that the present earth will be replaced by a new eternal earth after the thousand year phase of the future theocratic kingdom rule of Christ has ended prompts the conclusion that that phase of the future theocratic kingdom will be on this present earth, not the new eternal earth.
A Political Kingdom
The second thing to be noted concerning the nature of the future theocratic kingdom is this: It will be a political kingdom involving governmental structure and function. Several things indicate that this is so. First, when Christ will rule, He will sit upon David’s throne, ruling David’s kingdom (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:32-33). Since David’s kingdom was political in nature, Christ’s kingdom will be the same.
Second, Isaiah 9:6-7 states that, when Christ will sit upon David’s throne ruling his kingdom, “the government shall be upon his shoulder, “ and “of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.” The term “government” implies literal political rule.
Third, Psalm 72:10-11, 17 indicates that there will be individual nations with sub-kings under the rule of Christ. In line with this, Revelation 19:16 reveals that at His Second Coming He will be the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Fourth, Christ will exercise control over international relations, causing the nations to live together in peace (Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3).
Fifth, Christ’s capital city, Jerusalem, will be the political center of the world. Out of it will issue forth the law by which the nations will be governed (Isaiah 2:1-3; Micah 4:1-2).
Sixth, as Supreme Judge over the affairs of His subjects, Christ will protect the poor, the needy and the meek, punish the oppressors and execute the wicked (Psalm 72:1-4, 12-14; Isaiah 11:1-5). These are to be the functions of political government (Romans 13:1-7).
Christ’s rule will be characterized by absolute righteousness, justice and peace (Isaiah 9:7; 11:4-5). It appears that all His officeholders will be glorified, immortal saints who have no sin nature (2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 20:4-6). This means that every politician in His government will be sinlessly perfect and, therefore, there will be no government corruption.
Conclusion
By restoring God’s theocratic kingdom rule to this present earth in conjunction with His Second Coming, Christ will accomplish the second future thing that God must do to fulfill His purpose for history.
The next article will begin to examine the third future thing that God must do to fulfill His purpose for history.
For a study of the Kingdom of God concept in the Bible and the different millennial views that have been advocated during the history of the Church, order my book, There Really Is A Difference! from The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, P.O. Box 908, Bellmawr, NJ 08099. Telephone: 1-800-257-7843. Fax: 1-856-853-9565.
