Kingdoms.

Marilyn C

Marilyn C

INTRODUCTION TO THE KINGDOMS.


A Kingdom is the dominion, rule and reign of the King.

In God`s Word there are many kingdoms mentioned –

  • The Kingdom of God.

  • The Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • The Kingdom of Heaven.

  • The Kingdom of Israel.

  • The Kingdoms of this world.

  • The Kingdom of Darkness.
All these Kingdoms come under the Kingdom of God. He made different realms and different rulership positions. However, those ruling, will be judged on how they ruled.

Although everything was created good, rebellion came in. Over time as this rebellion is addressed then all rule, authority and power will come under God and His rulership through those He chooses.


Let us then begin to look at the different Kingdoms, in time and in eternity, to understand more of what God is doing and His purpose of righteous rulership in all of His great Kingdom.
 
THE KINGDOM OF GOD.


Kingdom - Gk. `malkuyah,` rule, dominion, kingdom, realm, reign.



The kingdom of God has three realms.

`In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.` (Gen. 1: 1)

Note: Heavens (plural) three parts – the third heaven, the Universe, and the atmosphere



1.Atmospheric heaven.

`And he (Elijah) prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.` (James 5: 18)

This heaven has the weather, and where the birds fly etc.



2.Universe heaven.

`Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.

God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth.` (Gen. 1: 16 & 17)

The sun, moon and stars are in this heaven.




3.The Third heaven.

`I (Paul) know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven.` (2 Cor. 12: 2)

This is the third heaven beyond the other two.


God made each realm in His great Kingdom.
 
The Kingdom of God has Rulership in each Realm.


When God created the heavens and the earth, He established different realms with positions of authority – the third heaven, the Universe, and the earth. These are all within God`s great kingdom rule and were established by the Lord Jesus Christ,

`For by Him, (Christ) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.` (Col. 1: 16)

There is a descending order of authority instituted – heaven and earth, involving thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers.

`The Lord has established His throne in heaven and His kingdom rules over all.` (Ps. 103: 19)



God gave an angel opportunity to rule within His great kingdom.

Lucifer was the most beautiful and powerful angel who had authority as king over a whole order of angels. However Lucifer aspired to ascend into the highest heaven, `the sides of the north,` (hidden quarters), the abode of the eternal God.

`..you have said in your heart; “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.”` (Isa. 14: 13 & 14)



So, by divine decree, because of his pride, Lucifer was cast out of the third heaven, being found unworthy to rule there. Lucifer then usurped the area of Principalities and Powers in the universal realm. His name is changed from `Star of the morning,` to Satan, meaning the opponent, the accuser.

God could have destroyed Satan and the fallen angels, however the angels of God, (and later man) need to see how Satan will operate from that position. Will he rule righteously? God will judge.



God also gave man opportunity to rule in the earthly realm of the Kingdom of God.

`God said, Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.` (Gen. 1: 26)

Man however, when tempted chose to believe the lie of the enemy and came under the sway of Satan. Dominion of the earth came under Satan.
 
The Kingdoms of this World.



As the nations of the world developed, they formed great kingdoms. God gave them an opportunity to rule. Here we read of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.



`You, O King, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them al…` (Dan. 2: 17 & 18)



However, God will judge the rulers of the kingdoms. This judgment is upon Belshazzar, a later ruler of Babylon. God says –

“God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it;….

You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting;…

Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Dan. 5: 25 – 28)



Satan thought he ruled the kingdoms of the world and even offered them to Jesus.

`And the devil took Him (Jesus) up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

And he said to Him, “All these I will give to you if you will fall down and worship me.` (Matt. 4: 8)



Satan had yet to learn that it is God who rules over all. King Nebuchadnezzar eventually came to realise this.

`For His (God`s) dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation…` (Dan. 4: 34)



After God`s judgments in the tribulation the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Lord.

`The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever. ` (Rev. 11: 15)



 
The Kingdom of Israel.



When God made the nations of the world, He also made a nation to rule over them. That is Israel. They learnt of God`s righteous rule and were to teach the other nations this also.

`When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Israel from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion. ` (Ps. 114: 1 & 2)



God establish the people of Israel in their own land with a king of His choosing, king David. God said -

`I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: “Your seed I will establish forever and build up your throne to all generations. ` (Ps. 89: 3 & 4)



However, over time the people rebelled against God and bowed to idols. God gave them over to the nations of the world.

`…they (Israel) tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies, but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers;…` (Ps. 78: 56 & 57)

`O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps. ` (Ps. 79: 1)



But God is faithful, and, in His timing, He will bring them back to Himself in righteousness.

`I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in loving kindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the lord. ` (Hos. 2: 19 & 20)



After the tribulation of God`s judgments upon the nations the Lord will come and reveal Himself to His people Israel.

`It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced.

Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.` (Zech. 12: 9 & 10)

 
The Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.


When Jesus ascended, He went to His Father`s right hand, on the Father`s throne. At the appointed time the Father will send Jesus to gather His Body and take them to the third heaven.

`He (the Father) may send Jesus….whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things…` (Acts 3: 20 & 21)



The `restoration of all things` begins with restoring the visible rulership in the third heaven. This is where Jesus will be coronated as the supreme King overall.

`…a throne set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. ` (Rev. 4: 2 & 3)



This description of the one on the throne is of gem stones that were the first and last on the High Priest`s breastplate. The jasper is for conqueror, Sardius is for king, and the emerald of the rainbow stands for heir.


Thus the `One` on the throne is the King and High Priest of Heaven, the conqueror, the Sovereign Ruler and Heir of all the Father`s estates. This is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, His rulership from the third heaven.



With the Lord is His Body that has been promised their inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

`He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love. `(Col. 1: 13)

`…inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.` (Eph. 5: 5)


`Around the throne were twenty- four thrones, and on the thrones, I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. ` (Rev. 4: 4)


Note: The 24 Elders are representative of the Body of Christ.
 
The Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. (cont.)



From His throne in glory the Lord begins to reign and put all His enemies under His feet.

`….put an end to all rule and all authority and power. ` (1 Cor. 15: 24)

`For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.` (1 Cor. 15: 25)



Judgment has been given to the Son by the Father and He begins to execute these in the time know as the tribulation and great tribulation. Jesus had warned the Jews of this time.

`For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ` (Matt. 24: 21)



The judgments affect the earth, the sea, the fresh water in rivers and springs, the celestial bodies, and humans, with increasing intensity. A great multitude turn to God yet there are many who do not repent.



In the middle of the tribulation Satan and his fallen angels are cast to the earth with limited power.

`Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea!. For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.` (Rev. 12: 12)



Satan will bring his Global Government through a man and take control of all aspects – Political, Economic and Religious. The Lord will judge these. `Fallen, fallen,` refers to the Economic and Religious areas of their government in Babylon.

` Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.` (Rev. 14: 8)



Finally, at the end of the tribulation the Lord descends with His angel army and deals with the leaders of the World System plus Satan and his fallen angels.

`when Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God,..` (2 Thess. 1: 7)



The Body of Christ will declare - `We give you thanks, O Lord God Almighty,…because you have taken your great power and reigned…` (Rev. 11: 17)

 
The Kingdom of Heaven.


The kingdom of heaven in time, is the rule of Jesus through Israel in the millennium. The Prophet Daniel prophesied that the God of Heaven would set up His kingdom through Israel.

`…in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed;…` (Dan. 2: 44)

`Then the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. ` (Dan. 7: 27)



After the tribulation the Lord will set up His righteous rulership in Israel. A man named David will be Israel`s king and priests will also be appointed.

`They shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.` (Jer. 30: 9)

“And I will also take some of them for priests and Levites,: says the Lord.` (Isa. 66: 21)



The nations that looked after the Jews in the tribulation, will go into the millennium.

`The King (Lord) will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed on my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…. Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.` (Matt. 25: 34 & 40)



God`s glory will be upon Israel, on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. It is from here that God`s righteous rulership goes forth to the nations of the world. The nations will hear of God`s glory over Jerusalem and come up to Jerusalem to learn of God`s ways.



`Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.` (Micah 4:2)





Nations will not learn war any more till the final battle when Satan is released for a short time. Those who chose Satan will be dealt with.



`A fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.` (Rev. 20: 9)
 
The Kingdom of Darkness.



`We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. `(Eph. 6: 12)

Satan`s kingdom is of darkness. There is no light of God, but evil, wickedness, and torment. There are rulers and they do have power.

`He has delivered us from the power of darkness …` (Col. 1: 13)



Satan himself is the Prince, the leader of a host of evil, demonic spirits.

`And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. ` (Eph. 2: 1 & 2)



In the tribulation Satan will set up his kingdom through the global leader, the anti-Christ. Satan is described as a dragon, one who devours.

`The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ` (Rev. 13: 2)



The unbelieving world will worship Satan, his ultimate desire.

`So, they worshipped the dragon who gave authority to the beast;…` (Rev. 13: 4)



God judges this Satanic kingdom on earth –

`Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, (anti-Christ) and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.` (Rev. 16: 10)



There is an appointed time that God will judge Satan and his demonic angels. God`s word keeps them in darkness till that day.

`And the angels who did not keep their proper abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. ` (Jude 6)



Satan and his fallen angels are judged and cast into the lake of fire.

`The devil who deceived them (people), was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone..` (Rev. 20: 10)

 
The Kingdom of Heaven in Eternity.



This is the rule of (God in) heaven through the New Jerusalem. This was promised to the Old Testament saints – a heavenly city.

`These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth….

But now they desire a better, that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.` (Heb. 11: 13 – 16)

Then when God makes the New Heavens and New Earth, the New Jerusalem will come down out of the third heaven to the Universal realm.

`Now I saw a new Heaven and a New Earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea.

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, (third heaven)…` (Rev. 21: 1 & 2)



The glory of God shines forth from the city over the earth. As the earth revolves the celestial city shines over each part.

`And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light…` (Rev. 21: 24)



The kings of the earth go up into the city giving praise and worship to God, receiving God`s righteous guidance.

`And the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. (Rev. 21: 24)



The twelve Apostles of the Lamb will rule from the city.

`So Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.` (Matt. 19: 28)

`Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.` (Rev. 21: 14)



The Lord Jesus Christ`s throne is there, meaning His authority which is from His seat of power and authority in the third heaven.

`the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it,…` (Rev. 22: 3)
 
The Kingdom of God in Eternity.



When the Lord Jesus Christ has put down all rule, authority, and power He will deliver up the kingdom rule to God the Father. Jesus had been carrying out the Father`s will and executing His judgments upon the rebellious.

Then when all that is finished then Jesus will deliver the kingdom rule to the Father. This means that Jesus is not a dictator but functions in the right order of the Godhead over all – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

`Then comes the end (a setting out to a goal) when He (Jesus) delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts and end to all rule and all authority and power.` (1 Cor. 15: 24)



All those over time who looked to God will go into God`s great Kingdom in the New Heavens and New Earth. This is all because of Christ`s sacrifice that covers all sin.

`He, (Jesus) because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.` (Heb. 7: 25 & 25)



Everyone forgiven will be in God`s great Kingdom however not all in the same realm. Some will be on the earth, others in the New Jerusalem and still others in the third heaven. All rulership in those realms will be under the Lord Jesus Christ: -



Kings on the earth.

`the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it. ` (Rev. 21: 24)



Kings in the New Jerusalem.

`you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.` (Matt. 19: 28)



Kings in the third heaven.

`To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.` (Rev. 3: 21)



 
NOTE: The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven often get confused.



The Kingdom of God is over the three realms –

Third heaven, universal heaven, and atmospheric heaven and the earth.



The Kingdom of Heaven is –

Christ`s rulership through Israel on earth, in the millennium, in time.


Christ`s rulership and the Father`s rule through the city, the New Jerusalem in the universal realm, in eternity.



 
Conclusion.


`Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of your kingdom.` (Ps. 45: 6)



God is not the author of confusion; everything He does is ordered and controlled. The divine pattern of the heavenlies will survive time, into eternity.

`For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ` (Col. 1: 16)



The divine pattern of the heavenlies will not be changed, only those which exercise authority in each realm.

Angels and man were given opportunity to rule in God`s great kingdom, but they all failed. The only Worthy One is Jesus Christ. He will be the supreme ruler over all of God`s Kingdom. He will rule righteously in each realm through those whom He has prepared.

`Far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

And He put all things under His feet,…` (Eph. 1: 21 & 22)



God in His wisdom has enabled man to not only have dominion over the earth, but also to rule with Christ in the Universal heavens and in the third heaven.

What a wonderful purpose, and all because of Christ`s sacrificial death on the cross, to His ascension in the highest.



`And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.

Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,

That every tongue should confess Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.` (Phil. 2: 8 – 11)

`

 
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