The Kingdom of God

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” Matthew 25:31-34

The use of the term kingdom sets in our minds the idea of rule, order, plan, organization, purpose, and authority. It was for this reason that those who penned the Scriptures used the term to indicate and illustrate the realm of God. Scripture consistently holds this though while communicating the truths concerning God.

- We are called sons (not slaves) who will inherit the kingdom.

- We are given the armor of God as a champion of God’s forces.

- We are commissioned to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the whole world.

- Jesus will return bearing the name “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

- We possess the kingdom of God within us.

In one sense, God’s kingdom is a future reality, and in another sense, it is an immediate realty - expressed in and through the lives of each child of God. Once we realize the magnificence of the kingdom of God, our present way of life mirrors what has been revealed, and those around us will become aware that our citizenship is in another place.

As the lion rules the animal kingdom, the Lion of Judah rules the Kingdom of God.