Rather, “kingdom of God” or “kingdom of heaven” is a way of saying “God is acting as King.” The kingdom of God refers to the dynamic reality of God acting as the King. The Hebrew prophets longed for the day when God would finally impose and establish his kingly-rule over the entire world. They longed for the day when God would intervene once and for all, and rule without rival. In the minds of the Jewish prophets this reign of God would be ushered in by God’s messiah (“anointed one”) on the so-called “Day of the Lord,” the great and awesome Day. The period of time preceding the “Day of the
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