Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 3
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Matthew: Volume 7 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Matthew: Volume 7 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
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