One of my "side" studies recently has been about the kingdom of God, and I have been asking the Lord to show me if the kingdom (the millennium) has already commenced or is still in the future.
In the process of this investigation I have been considering the position that the kingdom of God is not a physical thing to be set up somewhere, sometime, but is God's rule in the hearts of people who are committed to him and who trust him. And it is this kingdom that will spread and cover the earth "as the waters cover the sea" as all people are eventually reconciled to God.
An application of this definition of the kingdom is our willingness to be content with whatever God sends us - good or bad - because of our willingness to trust God's love and sovereignty.
Indeed it could be a good test of whether we are "in the kingdom" or not. To be worried about anything suggests we are not trusting God in that thing. And I am so guilty of that - not trusting that God is sovereign in ALL my circumstances.
God loves me and will never send me wrong things. They may be things I do not like, be extremely unpleasant or cause great hardship, but they are never wrong if they come from a loving God who only wants the best for me and is planning to make me Christ-like.
Whatever God sends me will be beneficial - if I allow it to do the thing God designed it to do.
Remember my translation of 1 Cor 10 : 13 that I shared a couple of months ago?
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide the planned outcome (or sequel) so that you can endure it. [BSV]It is becoming a key verse in my life.
The greatest evil ever was the murder of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son.
But look at the benefit to the whole world that evil brought!
Hope you're learning to trust God in ALL things quicker than I am.
Blessings, Barry
In my Bible reading this morning, I had another little prod towards a possible definition of the kingdom and when it occurs.
ReplyDeleteActs 8 tells the story of Simon the Sorcerer who believed Philip's good news about the kingdom of God and was baptised, but was later scolded because his heart was not right before God.
Belief in the good news and baptism were not enough for him to be operating in the kingdom realm - it required a heart that was right before God.
It seems that Kingdom people are believers who are in harmony with God and ready to serve him and govern on his behalf and for his benefit.
So the kingdom could be seen as the grand total of all such people??
So does the kingdom start when the first of such people arrives on the scene?
And continues until .... it has completed its task and brought the whole universe under its influence and dominion?
Am I getting closer towards a right understanding of KOG, or am I drifting further away?
What think ye, O great ones?
Blessings, Barry