Upon the mount of God, Moses was told by God the words he should speak to the Children of Israel. “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. It was then that God brought to the attention of men, for the first time, the concept of his kingdom upon the earth when he proposed to Israel; “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” Exodus 19:4-6. But the history of Israel of old speaks volumes underlying the fact that Israel never saw the fulfillment of that promise. They never became a kingdom of priests neither did they evolve into a holy nation.

As far as their history goes, the multitudes that left Egypt died in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb. But God’s intention to produce upon the earth a kingdom of priests and a holy nation was never to be denied: and was never in doubt as a matter of God’s perspective. It was to this end that Peter wrote, saying to the church: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1^st Peter 2:9. Acts 7:38 refers to Israel as being the church in the wilderness. So it is, that all of God’s dealings with ancient Israel in the natural, signified his dealings with his church today in the realm of the Holy Spirit. Even the prophecy that has become the crux of this study was given in about the year B.C. 740. It was after these hundreds of years that Gabriel visited Mary and spoke of the pending birth of Christ and his reign upon the throne of David.

History has shown that God has blessed Israel above every nation on earth. By the same token He has punished them more than any other nation on earth. Let us look at a single example of this! “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” 1^st Corinthians 10:8. That was in the wilderness! But taking into consideration the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70, millions of lives were lost in that single event. Although these events were earth shattering, coupled with the wars of our times, aspects of the kingdom of God have not changed by a single iota.

As we fast-forward to the presence of the man Christ Jesus, it is obvious that he entered a world filled with different groups who had different ideas concerning religious matters. They sought opportunity to put their ideas to Christ. We can assume that some did it “to score points” some did it to flaunt their own personal doctrines, and others had personal reasons, such as to gain more knowledge of what weighed heavily upon their heart. Thus, whether reading their thoughts, or being asked questions by these people, Jesus had to respond to their needs or even their curiosity, and perhaps even their craftiness. As Jesus went by one day followed by crowds who wanted to learn from his new doctrine, they put forth their questions to him. One such question was to find out when the kingdom of God would appear. The crucial part of his answer that intrigues me is this:

Because the kingdom of God is within you, the kingdom comes not by observation. You need not scan the four points of the compass. Do not listen to them who’d say he is over here or over there. Jesus removed all need for them to launch a search for the kingdom of God in that its fulness and complete realities are already in us. I like Paul’s understanding of kingdom truths that are meant to serve us well. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet (worthy) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:12-14.

As we have noted in past chapters of this series, much of what was spoken in olden times, even by Gabriel to Mary concerning her son Jesus, was not fulfilled in the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ himself. His ministry lasted for only about 4 ½ years. From our vantage point, and since the kingdom of God is within us, let us slowly trace its growth in us and its place in the world at-large to where it is today. Let us look once more at the language and sentiment wrapped in the words of the prophet. “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.” Isaiah 9:7. Every aspect of this verse signifies an ongoing process with no predictable end in sight. Therefore, if we go back to Christ’s word that the kingdom of God is within us, it goes on to say, or to indicate that its growth involves us in every sense of the word.

We learn more in scripture: “As newborn babes (babies) desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby. Ye also, as lively stones, (or life-giving stones) are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.1^st Peter 2:2,5. The growth of the church—as being the very body of Christ held a special place in the overall plans of Jesus Christ; so, upon his ascension into heaven, he initiated a set of Holy Ghost dynamics that were to bring the church (his body) into perfection, as his full-grown body in the earth.

“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teacher: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:10-13. Let us remember that at this juncture, we cannot separate ordinary believers in Christ from the development of the kingdom of God that is within us. We can conclude with this declaration of truth: The kingdom of God that is within us is destined to grow, and grow, to fill the whole earth.

This growth is guaranteed by God placing the ingredients or building blocks within each one of us. Paul’s prayer was on this wise: “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” Ephesians 3:19. There are more dynamics of the power that God has placed within us. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh IN US.” Ephesians 3:20.

The scriptures are full of truths assigned to the children of God, with the desired end being the fulness of his kingdom being seen and accepted over the entire earth. Back in about the year B.C.487, the prophet Zechariah wrote saying: “And he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river (Euphrates) even to the ends of the earth.” Zech.9:10.

But behind that prophecy that sounded immediate for Israel, some four hundred years elapsed during which time there were no open prophecy or direct word from God. The point for us to consider is that the number of years that will elapse while the world goes on with its business as if nothing happens has no bearing or impact upon what, or when God spoke. Let us look at an amazing truth that is seldom heard in sermons from the pulpits or in open camp meetings. “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which were sometime disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing.” 1^st Peter 3:19;20 “For this cause was the gospel preached to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit.” 1^st Peter 4:6,7.

Thus, it is clear that neither time, the seasons, life or death, or the grave has any impact upon the eternal workings of God in the building process of his eternal kingdom. Let us not forget that it was about the year B.C.553 that the prophet Daniel wrote saying: “But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Daniel 7:18. We are first introduced to Abram in Genesis 11 in about the year B.C. 1921. From Abram to David are fourteen generations. From David to the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations. Thus, the 42 generations that occupied the time span we just numerated, accounted for about 126 generations. But nothing about these generations had any effect upon the dynamics of the “pending kingdom of God.”

It is as if God set in motion all the integral parts of the future kingdom of God upon the earth, and seemingly, walked away to do other things (so to speak). Suppose we consider the state of the world from Abraham to Christ, and from Christ to 2021. (in this our day) God’s intention is to set up his kingdom upon earth because we have the pending joys spoken of by prophets of many years gone by.

Let us quote some of the prophecies spoken a long time ago concerning God’s kingdom upon the earth. “Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.” Psalm 72:11. Jesus himself spoke, saying: “Blessed are the are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:3,5. Since the building of God’s kingdom is an on-going process, we have the opportunity to join the conversation at any point along the way, from Daniel 2.44 where we read: “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 is shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Daniel 2:44.

Based upon these truths concerning the Kingdom of God, we can hug closely to the biblical narrative, and walk in the truths espoused by Christ himself. All the way to the barren hillsides of the Isle of Patmos, we can hear John describing God’s well-developed kingdom, eradicating all other kingdoms upon the earth. “Indeed! His kingdom shall not be destroyed.” As to the sounding of seven angels of the book of Revelation, we are offered a unique vision of what happened when the seventh angel sounded his trumpet. “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:15. John also wrote saying: “Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof---and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9,10.

In the earlier part of Revelation, Jesus Christ himself offered us a glimpse of events that will occur at the end of time as we know it: (or at the culmination of the ages). He was very specific in his version of events, as they are likely going to be. “But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.” Revelation 2:25-28.