June 17 New Kingdom

Luke 17:20-21 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is.’ or ‘There it is.’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
 
FOR centuries before Jesus’ incarnation, the Jews’ hope was that God would establish his eternal throne on the earth. The prophets had declared a king would come on David’s throne. One of those prophecies is found in Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
    What glorious hope this gave to the Jews, who believed. But in the 800 years from Isaiah to Jesus, the Jews’ history had been about exile, resettlement and foreign occupation. They longed for a glimmer of light to know they could believe the prophets’ words. Then Jesus came to declare the kingdom come. He even said in Luke 9:27 “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” 
    The Pharisees’ question, then, is very legitimate. Just as you and I want to know when someone will deliver on a promise, the Jews wanted to know, “When?”.
    Jesus’ answer essentially said, “It is here. In me the kingdom has begun. In you the kingdom is and will be” The day Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River is the kingdom’s Inauguration Day on earth. The Spirit anointed Jesus to preach the good news. Jesus then went into the land for three years, declaring the kingdom truths, demonstrating kingdom power and exercising kingdom grace.
    The kingdom of love and forgiveness began to ebb its way from the Source into his world. The Son taught. The Twelve were discipled. The cross was confronted. Death was destroyed. The King rose to his heavenly throne. The Spirit ignited the kingdom power into the apostles. The apostles went into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. In the course of time the kingdom has come right to your door and into your heart.
    For now, the kingdom of God is your salvation as your heart is renewed in Christ. Kingdom life is living in the power of the Holy Spirit within you. One day, the Kingdom of God will be fully, physically and spiritually established on the earth. In that day the prophets’ words and the Son’s promises will fully come to pass.
    In the meantime, know you live in a glorious time of history. Be the kingdom in your daily life. Expect the kingdom for your eternal life.
 
Prayer. Our Father in Heaven, may your kingdom come fully to earth soon. Amen.