The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible

by Michael S. Heiser

The kingdom of God is reborn at the first coming of Jesus. His arrival marks the beginning of the end of the rule of darkness and the initiation of Yahweh’s reclamation of the nations ruled by the other gods. Jesus is the son of man, and the kingdom is his. Ruling with him will be the holy ones of Yahweh’s (and his) council. Note in Daniel 7:27 that the kingdom is given to the nation of the holy ones of the Most High but it is still referred to as God’s kingdom (“his kingdom”). This is a subtle reference to joint rulership in God’s kingdom. The nation of the holy ones refers to the human followers of Yahweh aligned with him and his council. As we’ll see in later chapters, in New Testament theology, all believers—Jew or Gentile—are the people of God, having inherited the promises of the covenant with Abraham (Gal 3:7–9, 23–29). The kingdom language of Daniel 7 informs us that all the nations once disinherited and ruled by corrupt gods will be made subject both to God and to his people.5 This is why the book of Revelation says of believers, “The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him authority over the nations.… I will grant to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also have conquered and have sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev 2:26; 3:21).