Eternity is in Our Heart: Session 5 – Thy Kingdom Come

Notes:

Thy Kingdom Come  See Session Slides Here

Is the term ‘1000 years’ figurative or literal? And, are the 1000 years past, present, or future?

  • Amillennialists believe there is no literal 1000 year reign of Christ; the number is only figurative of a long time. The Church is now in the Millennium. Christ reigns from heaven. Satan was bound at Calvary. The church, the kingdom of God, Israel are all synonymous terms. This is replacement theology.
  • Postmillennialists believe the world will be gradually conquered by the gospel and usher in the 1000 year reign of Christ. But the end of the age will be anti-Christianity and anti-God.
  • Preterists believe most or all prophecy has been fulfilled, including the Great Tribulation, the 2nd Coming, bodily resurrection of believers, Great White Throne, etc. We are now in the new heavens & earth.
  • Pre-millennialists believe the Second Coming will be followed by Christ’s millennial reign on earth.

 

  • The OT predicts that the Son of David, will reign over the earth: ‘And the Lord shall be King over all the earth’ (Zech.14:9); ‘…His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth’ (Zech.9:10); ‘Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him’ (Psa.72:11).
  • Daniel describes 4 successive empires. The 4th is worst. Its last king, ‘the Little Horn’ blasphemes God and persecutes to death His saints. Then the Stone from heaven destroys the kingdoms of the Gentiles.  And the kingdom of Christ is established. ‘…until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom’ (Dan.7:22).
  • Jesus said the Father had appointed Him a kingdom and taught us to pray for the kingdom to come.
  • Paul spoke of Christ being exalted to reign over all creation, Phil.2:9-11; and of the saints judging the world, 2 Tim.2:11-13. John saw it, Rev.15:4.

 

  • A kingdom is a territory and a people ruled over by a king. It is wrong to say that the Kingdom has come. To-day there is no spot in the world that can be called the Kingdom of God. There is no country now, where God’s will is done on the earth as it is in heaven. The King is absent. He in heaven seated on His Father’s throne, waiting till the time for the establishment of His Kingdom upon earth in power and glory.
  • The Church is not the ‘Kingdom of God.’ It is an ecclesia; a congregation of called-out ones assembled for worship, to be a witness, to let our light shine, not to rule or to set up a kingdom.
  • Now God’s King is absent from earth, and till He comes back again the Kingdom will not even begin. At His return it will be set up, and not before; and then it will be the heavenly Kingdom upon earth.

 

It will be a blessed time for the earth then.

  • At His return there will be a great earthquake and the landscape of the land of Israel and the rest of the earth will be drastically altered, (Isa.40:4-5).
  • Satan will be bound and the nations rescued from his deception. Wickedness will be ended. No curse.
  • The earth, and Israel, will be like Eden, ‘So they will say, “This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited”’ (Ezek. 36:35)
  • The earth will be full of the knowledge of God, Rom.8:18-23; (Isa.11:6-9;  Isa. 65:20-23.)
  • There will be no more bad government, wasting time; no democracy. A King will reign in righteousness. His will shall be done
  • The earth will be full of peace and plenty. No wars shall be waged. Armies and navies will be totally unnecessary; police and jails things of the past.

 

Application:

  • Pray for it. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matt.6:10).
  • Preach it. The Bible teaches two advents of Christ. The first provided salvation and the gospel; the second will establish His kingdom. This is the whole counsel of God, (Acts 20:24-27; Luke 24:26;  1 Pet.1:11).
  • Seek it.‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness’ (Matt.6:33). ‘…that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer’ (2 Thes.1:5).