The Kingdom’s Future
It should be noted that I did not title this article, “The Future Kingdom.” The kingdom of God is at hand; it is now in time, as it has always been in eternity. The kingdom of God is present in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17), who indwells God’s elect, regenerated people (Jn 3:1–8; 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11; Eph 1:4–5; 2:5).
The continuation of the kingdom is assured because the King is eternal (2 Pet 1:11). King Jesus rules now and forever more (Ps 145:13; Dan 4:3). This, of course, is good news for the citizens of His kingdom, who reside both in heaven and on earth (Rev 5:9; 7:9).
The clash of kingdoms and kings is the true history of the world. It began in the Garden of Eden when Satan stole dominion of the earth from Adam (Gen 3). The war between the children of the devil and the children of God was announced in Genesis 3:15 (1 Jn 3:10). That war rages, today.
The advent of the second Adam, the Christ from heaven, incarnating as Jesus of Nazareth, is the turning point of history (Jn 1:14; Rom 5:12–21). The God-man, King Jesus, brought the kingdom of heaven to earth. The visit of this King was not received well by the kings of the earth (Ps 2). Two thousand years after His departure home to heaven, the kings remain at enmity with Him.
This hostility is caused by the fact that sinful men will not have this Man to rule over them. This is the rebellion of lawless men (1 Jn 3:4), kings and kingdoms. The kingdom of this world, ruled by the prime adversary of Christ, is comprised of kings and kingdoms in service to Satan (Jn 8:44; 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; Eph 6:12). Their daily work is the promotion and proliferation of sin.
When Christ the King of heaven did battle with the prince of this fallen world, he made a spectacle of His adversary and bound him. In sending the Holy Spirit, King Jesus began to plunder the devil’s kingdom, depriving the dragon of God’s chosen people.
Reconciling the elect of God and gathering them into His church (1 Cor 12:13), the kingdom of God was like a harvest ready to happen. The harvest is happening now, and it will continue until the full number of the wheat has been brought in God’s temple storehouse.
The kingdom’s future is one of continued labor, and then the end of the age will come (Mt 24:14). The complete harvest will consummate with the King coming again. It will be a glorious day for the wheat, but it will be a terrible day for the chaff (Jn 5:28–29).
The day of the Lord Jesus Christ is a day of gathering, a day of separation, and a day of judgment (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21; 1 Thess 4:13–5:11; Rev 19:11–21). The gathering of people (resurrection), sheep and goats, will be great. The separation of the sheep to the Great Shepherd’s right hand will be contrasted with the goats to His left hand. King Jesus will judge the living and the dead, and His kingdom will have no end (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5).
The children of the devil, the goats, the chaff will be cast into hell and the eternal lake of fire (Mt 25:41, 46; Jude 7; Rev 20:14–15). Their sins were great upon the earth, and the payment will be made in full for eternity. The children of God, the sheep, the wheat will be resurrected in glorious bodies that will never sin and never die. These will always be with their King in His spiritual and physical kingdom.
The kingdom of God is eternal and the citizens of Christ’s kingdom, His very body, will enjoy life eternal in the good pleasure and presence of God.
The reconnaissance of that which was lost will be a mission accomplished. The reconciliation of rebels, redeemed by their rightful King, warrants eternal praise. The great things He has done for His people will be fully recognized and acknowledged in glory.
In conclusion, we have briefly considered the history of two kingdoms and two kings at conflict with one another. The kingdom of heaven has come to retrieve its citizens from slavery in the kingdom of this world. The mission continues to the end of time, until the full number of sons has been brought to glory.
David Norczyk
Missoula, Montana
March 18, 2022
