The failure of the Jewish kingdom
Sadly, this profitable phase of Israel’s history was short-lived. Human failure, arrogance and disregard for divine standards pulled it down. It soon ceased to look anything like a dominion in which God was King; so much so, that a few hundred years later God had to bring an end to the royal line. A Babylonian assault on Jerusalem was near – there was to be no more a visible kingdom of God for a long time. The last monarch was told:
“I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” (Ezekiel 21:27)
That statement was a tremendous forecast of the desolation of the royal line until the greatest heir to the throne should come – Jesus Christ! In other words, until the kingdom of God should again appear on the earth.
It is not surprising, therefore, that there was always a remnant of faithful Jews who were looking for a Messiah from the line of King David of the tribe of Judah. The disciples of Jesus were greatly excited at the prospect of the renewed kingdom of God in Israel’s land. After he had been raised from the dead they asked: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).
They were, in fact, in too much of a hurry! They had seen his title “King of the Jews” placarded on the cross outside the city walls of Jerusalem. He had come out of the grave and once more was amongst them, alive and well, indeed immortal, and they were impatient to see the crown on his head and the kingdom of God restored there and then. It was not to be – yet. The Gospel of the kingdom had first to be preached to all nations – not only to the Jews. Jesus quietly told them:
“Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Jerusalem – crossroads of the world
We have seen that the kingdom of God will be focused on a Jewish State with a Jewish king. Now, every king must have a residence, a capital, a central seat of authority. Jerusalem will be that centre; and what place more fitting? One thousand years before Christ the Jewish poets declared:
“Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” (Psalm 48:2)
It will make a superb capital – more central than Washington, DC, Moscow or Beijing – and convenient to the great land continents of Europe, Africa and Asia.
This kingdom of God is to be a world empire and Jesus Christ the emperor. This was revealed long ago. The prophet Daniel, interpreting a vision which forecast the successive empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, to be followed by a fragmented world of strong and weak governments leading up to the coming of Jesus Christ, pictured God’s agent in the form of a “stone” descending to crush the rebellious nations at the time of the end:
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44)
Here is another prophetic statement:
“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)
Judgements on the world
Before we go any further let us remember that the return of Jesus Christ will bring its terrors as well as its blessings. The takeover of the nations will not be accomplished without much resistance. Let us note four aspects:
- “All nations” gather against Israel but Jesus will destroy the invaders (Zechariah 14; Ezekiel 38,39).
- Jerusalem will suffer a major earthquake, with devastating results, when “his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” (Zechariah 14:4).
- Some governments will challenge Christ and will “set themselves … against the Lord, and against his anointed” (Psalm 2:2; Acts 4:26), but there will be judgements on those who oppose Christ (Isaiah 34; Revelation 18).
- There will be a resurrection and judgement. Loud will be the cries of those who are rejected, who had the opportunity, but rejected it! On the other hand, what joy for those to whom the King will say: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).
Readers will find more details on these traumatic happenings in the companion booklets, Christ is Coming!, Your Share in God’s Promises and Raised to Judgement.
The kingdom begins
With these events over and the King having led his triumphal army of faithful followers into Jerusalem, the real work of Christ’s kingdom can begin. There is a new temple to be built and the tribes of Israel are to be allocated their respective divisions in the land of Israel.
National ambassadors will begin to arrive to pay their respects to the King: “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba (Arabs) shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him” (Psalm 72:10,11). Even the survivors of those enemies which invaded the holy city will come to worship, for “every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zechariah 14:16).
Nations will be rallying their peoples: “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.” They will do this because:
“He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3)
The effect of this education will be remarkable. Nations will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks” – a colourful way of describing disarmament. There will be no more war.
The people of the kingdom
We ought to clarify one or two matters about the inhabitants of the kingdom of God. There will be two kinds of people: firstly, the rulers and spiritual leaders, who will be immortal (that is, never-dying) and, secondly, the citizens of the kingdom, who will be mortal (that is, subject to death).
The first group will include Jesus, the universal king; Abraham, David and other great “worthies”, who will have positions of honour in the empire; the twelve apostles, and the faithful followers of Jesus – the “saints” – who will be the administrative rulers and educators of the new age.
The second group will consist of the mortal peoples of the world who, at Christ’s return, survive the judgements on the earth and are willing for Jesus to be their king. This will include Jews who are allowed to live in Israel.
