The Kingdom of God

186 thoughts on “The Kingdom of God”

1. eze33 January 24, 2014 at 7:48 am

   In reading 1 and 2 Peter, do I understand correctly that 1Peter was written to the Jews and 2nd Peter was written to gentiles believers? Peter is so significant, did he at some point preach the Gospel of Grace? Could you share your wisdom about Peter.

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 25, 2014 at 9:46 am

      Peter never wrote to Gentile believers. He wrote only to Jewish believers. We know this not only from 1 Peter 1.1 but from what Paul wrote in Galatians 2.7-9. The Twelve and the Jerusalem assembly had confined their ministry to Jews and this continued following the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15). Peter recognized that only Paul’s gospel was valid in Acts 15.11 so I would say he probably preached the gospel of grace after this. But this was difficult for Peter clearly failed afterwards as Paul noted in Galatians 2.11-14 and found much of what Paul taught difficult even at the end of his life (2 Peter 3.15-16).

      Reply ↓
2. linda April 23, 2014 at 10:11 pm

   Hi,
   So i am a little confused. Both earthly(for Israel) and heavenly(the church) are both called the kingdom of God? How would 1 Corinthians 15:50 fit if its only earthly? Thanks

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorApril 24, 2014 at 7:46 am

      Linda,
      What Paul meant by “flesh and blood” was man in his natural state. One must have a new nature to inherit the kingdom of God whether heavenly or earthly.

      Reply ↓
3. Ron carney November 18, 2014 at 6:22 pm

   I have been challenged and blessed by your website thank you so much for this Holy Spirit led work . 1Question I have, Romans 14:17 For the Kingdom of God is not a place of eating and drinking ,but a place of Righteousness ,joy and peace in the Holy Spirit , whereas in the diagram And teaching In this session the kingdom of God is presented as encompassing the whole of gods rule in heaven and earth where all where all variations of existence exist including satans rule on the earth. What am I missing here in order to reconcile this verse in the over all presentation as it seems to restrict the Kingdom of God to a place of righteousness ,joy and peace.
   Thanks Ron Carney Ireland.

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorNovember 18, 2014 at 9:08 pm

      Ron,
      Thank you for your kind words. The context of Romans 14 is Christian behavior. Paul’s point was that how one behaves towards one’s Christian brother is more important than food (cf. Romans 14.20). We should be tolerant and not judgmental for those less mature in the faith. The kingdom of God is used in two senses. One is the whole realm of God’s rule which includes God’s rule on earth as David’s greater Son over Israel and the nations during the Millennial Age and God’s rule as Lord and Head over the Church. Satan, while defeated strategically at the cross, still operates as the god of this world and will continue to do so until the Lord returns at the end of the Tribulation.

      Reply ↓
4. christina November 20, 2014 at 7:40 am

   I love your teachings and study and ponder them often. Could you share your thoughts? Because the complete work of the NT was not complete until about 100 AD (I think), after the Gospel of the Kingdom was no longer the valid Gospel, wouldn’t that make the NT (less the Pauline books) for the Jews in the next age… bringing back the Gospel of the Kingdom after (or maybe overlapping as they did when Paul preached Grace at the same time Peter & the others preached the Kingdom). Will Jew and Gentile be saved the same way in the Tribulation? .. by faith plus works as written to the 7 assemblies? Jesus fulfilled the Law, so I’m wondering what Gospel message saves in the Tribulation. I always thought the Jews would begin sacrifices at the temple again and practice Levitical law to be saved… but I believe now that I am mistaken and having a hard time reconciling.

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorNovember 20, 2014 at 9:47 am

      Christina,
      Thank you. The critical issue during the Tribulation will be the question of who is God. This is what Jesus was communicating to the 7 assemblies in Revelation. The Beast will claim he is God and demand worship. All who do not take his mark and worship him will be killed. The gospel of the kingdom will come back according to Matthew 24.14. That gospel’s focus is on the identity of Christ: that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. The choice will be clear. This is what Jesus was talking about in Luke 17.33 where Jesus said that whoever saves his life will lose it and whoever loses his life will save it. I believe Paul completed the canon of Scripture based upon what he wrote in Colossians 1.25. Thus, the last Scripture written was 2 Timothy about 67-68 A.D.

      Reply ↓
      1. Brad Nitzsche November 17, 2019 at 4:31 pm

         My way of thinking is this: During this church age (Body of Christ), Pauls writings are for our doctrine. All other scriptures are for our learning and understanding BUT not for doctrine to the Body of Christ. After the church is raptured, from that point through whatever waiting period, then the 7 yr tribulation, up to the battle of armaggedon and Christs return: IF bibles are available( there will be millions laying around) those that are able to read them, it will be reversed. The OT, the 4 gospels, and the jewish epistles( James thru Revelation) will be for THEIR doctrine as the Gospel of the Kingdom will then be preached, and the letters of Paul will be for their learning and understanding. It will NOT be for their doctrine as the church age, (the times of the gentiles) will be past I wnder what will be the mindset of those who lave lived through the rapture and didn’t make it, then see the terrible DAY OF THE LORD unfolding before their very eyes. I hope this makes sense. I am so grateful for this site and for Les Feldick…5 years ago because of health concerns I am almost bedfast and had to stop working. It was a rough time and I had concluded that God was through with me, and I might as well go home…I then found this site which led me to Les Feldicks site…that has been such a blessing, and now I see that this has given me the time to plum the depths of Gods word…for that I am grateful, thank you!

         Reply ↓
         1. doctrine Post authorNovember 18, 2019 at 8:31 am

            Brad,
            So sorry to hear about your health but am delighted that God has blessed you through a better understanding of the Scriptures. Thank you!

            Reply ↓
5. Joe February 1, 2015 at 10:37 am

   Doctrine,
   Is the fact that we are not now in the Kingdom as simple as the fact that John the Baptist did not become Elijah?

   thanks,

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 1, 2015 at 1:38 pm

      Joe,
      Yes, if Israel had accepted John the kingdom would have come.

      Reply ↓
      1. Joe February 2, 2015 at 8:49 pm

         Continuing from above….Why haven’t the “Kingdom Now’ people and others of the Reformed persuasion realized the Kingdom is not a figurative or spiritualized concept? “And the government shall be on his shoulders” sounds pretty concrete to me…….Is this being ‘hidden’ from them?

         I think very few grasp the fact that there’d be no Christianity without Paul. ……I don’t see many Catholic churches named for Paul…..Lots of RCC’s in south Texas where I’m from….Many to Peter, Mary and the Virgin. …..one is to the “Holy Family”……Probably doesn’t include Jesus’ siblings being that they are catholic and Mary is a perpetual Virgin to them. …..at least from the 1850’s

         Reply ↓
         1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 3, 2015 at 7:47 am

            Joe,
            They interpret unfulfilled prophecy figuratively in order for their larger theology to make sense. They see the Church as the fulfillment of God’s program. For them, Israel was merely typological of the Church. According to their theology, God set Israel aside permanently when they rejected the Messiah and God’s new program is the Church. In Reformed theology Israel has no hope apart from the Church.

            Reply ↓
6. christina sylva May 7, 2015 at 8:06 pm

   Hi,
   so when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven, during the millenium, only Jews will be in that city, hence Israel is God’s earthly people and The Church, the body of Christ is God’s heavenly people? thanks

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorMay 8, 2015 at 7:39 am

      Christina,
      Paul wrote that members of the Church, the body of Christ, are joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8.17). We do not know all that entails other than it will be glorious. New Jerusalem is a heavenly city which comes to earth. In the New Heavens and the New Earth, heaven and earth come together as never before. I see no reason why Church believers will not have residences in the city.

      Reply ↓
7. christina May 9, 2015 at 4:25 pm

   i understand. obviously there are many that believe The Church is the bride, although the Bible doesnt exactly state that the church is the bride. So if the The Church, the body of Christ, are in that city and as Rev 21:9-10 (KJV) reads, 9 “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” then would The Church, the body of Christ (as well as all whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life are in that city) then The Church would be considered the bride (because they reside in that city which is coming down from heaven? It seems like the Lamb’s wife is the actual City Holy Jerusalem, not a people looking at these two scriptures. Sorry if my question is unclear.

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorMay 10, 2015 at 4:23 pm

      Christina,
      Revelation 21.2 states the New Jerusalem appeared as a bride, not was the bride. The Scriptures are clear Israel is the wife/bride of Christ. See my article, The Bride of Christ. I think Revelation 21.9-10 is a figure associated with Israel. It makes little sense for the Lord to have a city for a bride. The Church is the body of Christ, not the Bride. We are part of the bridegroom, not the bride.

      Reply ↓
      1. Tim October 7, 2015 at 9:32 pm

         Nice site. I am convinced of the argument of the kingdom of heaven in the gospel of Matthew refers to the eschatological kingdom promised to Israel and therefore much of what Christ says in the Gospels prior to the upper room discourse applies to the millenium and not the church age. Regarding the Groom/Bride typology, Louis Sperry Chafer makes a fairly convincing argument for the Church as both the bride and body in vol 4 chapters 4 and 6 of his Systematic Theology. In addition to several examples in the NT he gives refutation to the argument that the body cannot be the bride through the typology of Adam and Eve where Eve (the Church in the typology) was taken from Adam’s (Christ in the typology) body and is said to be “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” and yet she is still his bride. Thus she is both his body and his bride. In addition he points out that scriptures that might be interepretted as referring to Israel (e.g. Eph 5: 25-33) as the bride are easily explained as actually referring to the church. What is Dr. Chafer missing in his refutations? Thanks

         Reply ↓
         1. doctrine Post authorOctober 8, 2015 at 7:57 am

            Tim,
            Thank you. It’s been a while since I’ve read Chafer but do not think he understood Paul’s “secrets”. He was a traditional dispensationalist and most do not comprehend the significance of the difference between God’s prophetic program and God’s Church program. I do not think a compelling Biblical case can be made for the Church to be the bride of Christ. Paul never used the word “bride” but spoke of the Church as the “body” several times. The passages used to support the “bride” arguments are analogies, (Paul always qualified the argument with ‘as’)–different from the way he argued for the body. Lastly, Chafer thought the Church was in Revelation. It is not. Revelation deals with Israel and the nations.

            Reply ↓
8. John Duryea May 21, 2015 at 10:57 am

   Don,
   This is another outstanding article.
   How may I learn more about the kingdom of God?
   Thanks for all you do.
   John

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorMay 21, 2015 at 12:12 pm

      John,
      Thank you. The Berean Bible Society probably has good information on this subject.

      Reply ↓
9. John Duryea June 2, 2015 at 8:46 am

   Don, another question, if I may.
   You stated above that, ” if Israel had accepted John the kingdom would have come”.
   I have mentioned this to others but they said that this idea is not Scriptural because Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was to die on the cross (and offer salvation to all) and that even Isaiah foretold of his suffering at the hands of men. Therefore, they said, he could not have ushered in the kingdom at that time because that would contradict Scripture.
   Can you help me to better understand your position and theirs?
   Thank you.
   John

   Reply ↓
   1. doctrine Post authorJune 2, 2015 at 2:28 pm

      John,
      The offer of the kingdom to Israel was genuine. If you read the Gospels, particularly Luke 1-2, you find their focus is the kingdom (cf. Romans 15.8). While Jesus’ ultimate purpose was to die for the sins of the world (see my article, For Whom Did Christ Die) the disciples knew nothing of this (Luke 18.31-34) even after he rose from the dead. Peter did not tell the Jews Christ died for their sins on the day of Pentecost. Don’t you think he would have if he had known? The significance of His resurrection was that He was alive and could return and establish the kingdom if they repented (Acts 3.19-20). They knew Isaiah 53, but did not comprehend its meaning. That Christ died for the sins of the world and could offer salvation to all was a Pauline revelation. The Twelve knew nothing of this. Had the Jews repented and accepted Jesus as the Messiah the kingdom would have come. He still would have had to die and presumably, the Romans would have taken the lead in crucifying Him rather than the Jews. The Tribulation would have come (which Peter expected by quoting Joel 2 in Acts 2). The Lord would have returned to set up His kingdom. There would have been no Church, no body of Christ. Gentiles would have been blessed through Israel as the prophets had foretold (Isaiah 49.5-6).

      Reply ↓
10. John Duryea June 3, 2015 at 9:58 am

    Don,
    Thank you for your kind response. It has led me to think on this a bit more. My goal is to gain understanding. I have no other agenda. And, I have reread your article entitled, “For Whom Did Christ Die”.
    My original thinking on this topic was: So the sin of the Jews would have been set aside/forgiven if they repented, were baptized, and believed that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. The atonement for sin by his sacrificial death would not have been needed to bring the eternal Kingdom of God/the New Jerusalem (and, I suppose, eternal life) to the Jews and to the earth.
    I did not imagine that the Lord would still have to die even if the Kingdom of God began to unfold to a repentant Jewish nation in his earthly life. I’m trying to understand the purpose for his death for I thought salvation came to the Jews by simply repenting, being baptized, and by believing Jesus was the Messiah. The idea that he still had to die didn’t seem to fit in to this scenario.
    But now, after rereading your article on For Whom Did Christ Die, it seems that the new covenant the Lord made with the Jews had to be instituted by blood, his blood. Therefore,when Jesus walked the earth, the Jews needed to believe he was the promised Messiah and even then Jesus still had to shed his blood and die for the forgiveness of their sin, and the sin of the world. It seems that both were needed for the Kingdom of God to come to the earth and for salvation to come to all of mankind.
    Am I on the right track?
    Thanks again.
    John

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJune 3, 2015 at 12:53 pm

       John,
       Yes. Christ had to die to solve mankind’s sin and this was always in view (Revelation 13.8). Immediately after Adam sinned God initiated animal sacrifices (Genesis 3.21). Physical life is in the blood (Leviticus 17.11). Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9.22). The animal sacrifices were pictures of the ultimate sacrifice Christ would make to satisfy God’s justice so He could forgive and reconcile us to Himself. Animal sacrifices covered sin (כָּפַר) but had to be offered continually. They could not solve the problem. Christ death and resurrection solved the problem of sin and death (Hebrews 9.11-15, 10.1-25). Men have been saved throughout history of the basis of what God revealed. But the foundation of that salvation was Christ’s sacrifice. It had to happen.

       Reply ↓
       1. Don November 11, 2016 at 7:31 pm

          “Men have been saved throughout history of the basis of what God revealed. But the foundation of that salvation was Christ’s sacrifice. It had to happen.”
          Why is this so hard for some to understand?

          Reply ↓
       2. Donna April 8, 2023 at 8:12 am

          Questions that came up in me from your above responses: please help clear up my confusion.
          1. So in the millennium when Israel is acting as priests, they are not going to be making animal sacrifices for sin since Jesus “said It is finished”? If so then what other services did Isreal s priest perform?
          2. If Jesus fulfilled the law, then in the millennium, when Israel has His law written in their hearts by believing He is Messiah and receiving New Covenant, they cannot sin? Then who is sinning? The nation’s who have yet to bow their knee and confess that Jesus is Lord? Because discipline will happen quickly in the kingdom age as demonstrated with Annanis and Saffira.
          3. Can we overlay the parable of the prodigal son over the uniting of God’s heavenly kingdom with His earthly kingdom ie the prodigal son coming home to a great feast ? If yes, hopefully the church will not snub brothers return.

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorApril 8, 2023 at 8:19 am

             Donna,
             1. According to Ezekiel there will be animal sacrifices in the Millennium. The role of the nation as a whole to serve as priests will be to bring Gentiles to God. See Zechariah 8.20-23.
             2. Those who are believers who survive the Tribulation and go into the Millennium still have sin natures and will sin. Their children will also. At the end of the 1,000 years they will revolt against God.
             3. The prodigal son is a picture of repentant and restored Israel.

             Reply ↓
             1. Carl Soper June 26, 2023 at 9:18 am

                Thank you for your work, Don, but I have a problem with temple sacrifices during the Millennium. Why would Ezekiel write that there will be such sacrifices when Christ’s sacrifice paid the sin for all, including those future sins during the Millennium? Aren’t all of our sins future to Christ’s death?

                Reply ↓
                1. doctrine Post authorJune 27, 2023 at 8:05 am

                   Carl,
                   Jesus paid for all our sins. So the animals sacrifices in the Millennium can have nothing to do with atonement or redemption.

                   Reply ↓
    2. Alicia May 19, 2022 at 12:06 pm

       It’s my personal belief that, in addition to the prophetic pause resulting in Paul being born “out of due time” (i.e. ahead of his kinsman in the flesh being born again nationally one day) the revelation of the secret purpose of the cross was revealed “out of due time” to Paul for the sake of establishing the Body of Christ.

       Had the Jews accepted Messiah—-and when they do at the end of the Tribulation—Jesus’ glorious accomplishment on the cross as sin bearer and sacrifice, substitution, etc. (doctrines we the Body of Christ already know/enjoy) will be revealed/explained, rejoiced over on the Day of Atonement and celebrated through memorial sacrifices throughout the Millennium by all of Israel.

       Perhaps that future revelation, reserved for Israel on the Day of Atonement, is the significance of the last recorded conversational words we have of Peter. Acts 15:11, spoken after hearing Paul explain the Gospel of the Grace of God.

       Peter’s statement is, in effect, his “lightbulb moment.” Suddenly he understands the BASIS by which God will offer permanent reconciliation on the Day of Atonement. It is significant, even though Peter “gets it” at that moment, he still speaks in FUTURE tense of himself and his nation saying, “through the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we SHALL BE saved ” even as the Gentiles are being saved now. He knows that pronouncement of Grace, for him and his nation is yet future, after enduring and overcoming until the end.

       Confirmation of this is seen in his words in I Peter 1:13 where he admonishes his Jewish readers to “HOPE TO THE END for the Grace that IS TO BE BROUGHT unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

       What a glorious moment that must have been for Peter at the Jerusalem Council—-to see clearly for the first time the MEANS by which God could forever solve the sin problem!

       Reply ↓
       1. doctrine Post authorMay 19, 2022 at 3:13 pm

          Alicia,
          Please see my article, The Great Hinge for the significance of Acts 15.11. National Israel will be saved under the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24.14).

          Reply ↓
          1. Alicia May 22, 2022 at 6:02 pm

             I have read your article The Great Hinge—really enjoyed it. I think (correct me if I’m wrong) you see Peter’s statement as more current tense and forward from that point on. You paraphrase it in your Great Hinge article as “But we believe that we ARE SAVED through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” I am no Greek scholar, but am I wrong in understanding the literalism (Greek to English) of Peter’s “we SHALL BE saved, even as they?”

             I think he had his future New Covenant Day of Atonement in view and that he, at this moment, for the first time understood God’s future official application of the blood of the Lamb for the sin problem for the nation Israel—the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We now know know the legal requirement of anyone saved—-from Adam forward—was met by the efficacious effect of the blood of Christ. Granted, we in this dispensation are the first, through Paul’s revelations, to understand that fact.

             And I completely see and agree with you on the differences between the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of the Grace of God. Jesus had to die —even if Israel had accepted Him as Messiah at Pentecost, he had to go through the suffering on the cross as sin bearer for the world. That’s what Peter “gets” after hearing Paul—-the secret purpose of the cross. But that realization doesn’t change his waiting for the Grace he knows he will not receive until his Day of Atonement along with all of believing national Israel.

             But that realization is the impetus of his statement in 15:11. He’s not at that moment, at the Jerusalem Council deciding he will begin to preach Paul’s gospel to the next unbelieving Jew he meets. The transition for believing Jews in that several decades who might have conceivably heard both Gospels is a tricky concept for us to wrap our thoughts around. I don’t disagree necessarily with your premise in The Great Hinge. I just think we maybe differ a bit on what was in Peter’s mind when he made his statement in 15:11:)

             Reply ↓
             1. doctrine Post authorMay 23, 2022 at 1:16 pm

                Alicia,
                The Greek text reads, πιστεύομεν σωθῆναι, literally, “we believe we must be saved.” The “we believe” is a present active indicative, 1st person plural. The “we must be saved” is an aorist passive infinitive. The proof that a fundamental change occurred here is Paul’s statement in Galatians 1.6-9 where he said that anyone who proclaimed a gospel different from his was cursed. So, had Peter or anyone else continued to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, they would have been cursed. They understood this. What we see after this is that those saved under the gospel of the kingdom continued to live under the Mosaic Law and the provisions of that gospel but that gospel itself, as a salvation message, ceased. Peter remembered that Cornelius and his house were saved by faith alone, as Paul proclaimed, not by circumcision or keeping the Mosaic Law, the claim of the Jerusalem rulers.

                Reply ↓
11. Joe August 7, 2015 at 11:48 pm

    This is off subject but an observation from a verse sited above. I was reading this fine article of yours for insight in regards to another question but noticed this. I wonder how many have? It wasn’t until centuries after Luke wrote that it was determined that day and night occurred on earth simultaneously. (earth is a spinning globe and it’s relation to the sun). In these versus it is evident that both day and night are in effect at the Lord’s return. (unless two men and two women are working in the dark)

    “I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 “There will be two women grinding at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left. 36 [“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”]3

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorAugust 8, 2015 at 7:10 pm

       Joe,
       That the earth was a sphere was known long before Luke. If that was known, people probably knew night and day occurred simultaneously. Luke’s statement certainly confirms that knowledge.

       Reply ↓
12. Joe August 9, 2015 at 11:50 am

    You are so correct. It’s just another myth I was taught in public school. After some research it appears people knew of the spherical shape hundreds of years BC.

    Reply ↓
13. Vernon September 5, 2015 at 11:33 pm

    Hi Don,

    What chance is there that you have a list of all the OT Scriptures that mention the earthly reign of the Messiah?
    If you do I would really appreciate the trouble.

    Thank you,

    Vernon.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 6, 2015 at 9:07 am

       Vernon,
       No, I don’t. They’re probably scattered throughout my articles but I do not have a complete list. Sounds like a good project. Want to take it on?

       Reply ↓
       1. Vernon September 6, 2015 at 11:22 pm

          Certainly, I have already begun.
          Thanx.

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 7, 2015 at 7:38 am

             Super!

             Reply ↓
14. Vanessa October 26, 2015 at 12:12 am

    Good Morning Don, A question was put to me regarding 1 Cor. 14: 3-4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth HIMSELF; but he that prophesieth edifieth THE CHURCH. The question is how does one edify himself if you speak in tongues since you do not know what you are saying.?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 26, 2015 at 7:54 am

       Vanessa,
       We can only assume the speaker understands what he is saying and is thereby edified.

       Reply ↓
       1. GraceReceiver October 26, 2015 at 9:15 am

          Or, perhaps Paul was saying it tongue-in-cheek. (Excuse the pun!) We know that Paul used this type of speech on occasion. (1 Cor. 4:8-10, just to name one.)
          I think he was saying that these Corinthians were puffed up with pride, speaking “into the air”. Maybe some of them were speaking in tongues just to get the praise of men, thereby edifying themselves?

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorOctober 27, 2015 at 7:40 am

             GraceReceiver,
             The Corinthians had many problems. Paul wrote to correct the speaking in tongues, which was being elevated beyond its importance. Paul placed controls on how they were to be exercised.

             Reply ↓
15. Vernon November 9, 2015 at 4:03 am

    Hi Don,
    Could you please explain why there appears to be a “signs and wonders” program in the Galatian Church as stated in Galatians 3:5 “He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
    I understand that these things ceased when the Cannon was full and in place.

    Thanx,

    Vernon.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 9, 2015 at 7:41 am

       Vernon,
       The early church exercised sign gifts and miracles. The principal reason for these signs was to show Jews that Gentiles had salvation from God (1 Corinthians 1.22).

       Reply ↓
16. Vernon November 10, 2015 at 8:06 am

    Don,
    Act 15:9 says “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
    What exactly is being referred to here? Does this mean that there is no difference between what we believe and the kingdom gospel?

    Thanx,

    Vernon.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 10, 2015 at 8:11 am

       Vernon,
       Peter was recounting his experience going to Cornelius’ house. They were saved and received the Holy Spirit. Hence, Peter saw that Gentiles received the same Holy Spirit as had the Jews. That was the “no difference.” The point was to affirm Paul’s gospel that Cornelius, etc. had been saved apart from circumcision and keeping the Law–which is what the assembly at Jerusalem was teaching and causing problems for Paul’s Gentile converts.

       Reply ↓
17. Vernon November 13, 2015 at 12:55 pm

    Hi Don,
    The passage in 1John 3:2,3 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
    And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
    Will the Kingdom saints also be changed physically at the second coming?
    What does the verse mean?

    Thanx Don.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 13, 2015 at 1:20 pm

       Vernon,
       Members of the body of Christ will be changed at the Rapture. OT, kingdom believers, will be resurrected later. See my article, The Resurrection, for this timing.

       Reply ↓
18. Bruno January 7, 2016 at 10:57 am

    Don,

    How does Daniel 7.9-14 relates to the Millennial Kingdom and the second coming of Christ at the end of the great tribulation? These are the scriptures talking about the thrones, the Ancient of days, the judgment, the opening of the books, the coming of one like The Son of Man with the clouds.

    At first I thought “What? Great white throne?”, but at verse 12 it says “As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time”, so it could not be The Great white throne, not to mention the coming of the one like The Son of Man after that.

    Could it has something in relate to that issue of Daniel see things in one direction and John see the same things but in the opposite direction, I mean, like “backwards”?

    Thanks and regards from Brazil!

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 7, 2016 at 12:42 pm

       Bruno,
       The Daniel 7.11 passage describes judgment of the Antichrist (Revelation 19.20). Daniel 7.12 describes the judgment at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20.11-15) of the rulers of the other empires–Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome (in its first phase). They have been in hell and are resurrected to face God’s judgment.

       Reply ↓
       1. Bruno January 7, 2016 at 2:56 pm

          Don,

          I appreciate you answer so fast.

          How about Daniel 7.13-14 ? The Son of Man is coming in the clouds. I thought He would be at earth after the Millennial Kingdom. The verse seems to suggest He will come after the Great White Throne, and this blow my mind.

          Verse 14 is suppose to be the fulfillment of Ezekiel 21.27?

          Thanks once again!

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 7, 2016 at 3:52 pm

             Bruno,
             Visions do not necessarily fall in chronological order. They preview what will happen but not when they will happen. It gave Daniel a headache. :)

             Reply ↓
19. Bruno January 7, 2016 at 6:05 pm

    Hahahaha!

    Sure!

    Thanks, brother!

    Reply ↓
20. courtney king February 11, 2016 at 8:31 pm

    Dear bro. 1001 thank you’s we appreciate and need you’r articles.

    Reply ↓
21. Stan Feldsine April 2, 2016 at 6:57 pm

    Hi Don. A couple questions on this one….

    In your bullet points, #3, you mention that “The gospel is the means by which we have a relationship with God and the means by which we enter the Kingdom of God.” Am I right in that you are referring here to God’s “Kingship Over All Creation” from the chart above the bullets, and not the “Kingship Over Israel”?

    Second, I get that the religious leaders and common Jews of the time believed that Jesus was talking about an earthly kingdom, and that most didn’t believe that He was the prophesied King of that kingdom. Others believed other prophecies speaking about Jesus coming to take away sins and overcome death through His atoning death. Peter seemed to believe that this was to happen first, then the kingdom. (1Pe 1:10-12)

    I believe that what you are saying is that John the Baptist, then Jesus was actually announcing that the prophesied Millennial Kingdom was at hand, and that if the Jewish nation had accepted Him, there would not have been a church age, but we would have directly entered the tribulation, followed by that kingdom, led by Jesus as King.

    But I’m having trouble seeing that this is actually what Jesus was saying, that He had come to institute the Millennial Kingdom. Here are a couple of the passages that are causing me trouble with that line of thought.

    For one thing, Peter seemed to indicate that Christ’s suffering would have to occur first, then the glories (1Pe 1:10-12), and Paul said the same (Act 26:22-23), suffering first, then proclaiming light. If He had come to set up the kingdom, when would the suffering have taken place according to the prophesies? (Psa 16, 22, Isa 53, etc.)

    In John 3, Jesus seems to be explaining to Nicodemus that entering, or perceiving the kingdom requires being born spiritually. Only with spiritual eyes can the kingdom be seen.

    In Mat 5:20 Jesus seems to be saying that the internalization personally of the New Covenant where the law is written on hearts and a heart of stone is replaced by a heart of flesh is the only way to enter the kingdom. This and John’s passage seem to indicate a personal one by one entrance into the kingdom rather than a king setting up a kingdom and all the subjects entering at once.

    It was more of an inward transformation first that allows for entrance into the kingdom, which is why Jesus could say that tax collectors and prostitutes were going ahead of the Pharisees into the kingdom (Mat 21:31). The outward would follow the inward which seems to indicate a spiritual dimension to the kingdom.

    Paul seems to corroborate this in 1Co 15:50 when he says that flesh and blood is not able to inherit the kingdom, in Rom 14:17 that the kingdom is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

    John records Jesus telling Pilot that His kingdom was not of this world when asked if He was King of the Jews. Presumably if Pilot had any inkling that Jesus’ kingdom was earthly, he would be justified in putting Him to death for being in opposition to King Herod, but Pilot found nothing wrong with this kingdom since it was “not of this world”.

    On the other hand, if Jesus was in fact saying that the earthly kingdom was at hand it would seem then that foreshadows of the kingdom were appearing as the nature of the kingdom was coming into being during the time it was being proposed, and before being rejected. I.E. healing, the Holy Spirit in power through His indwelling, and so on.

    In addition, there seem to be passages that are clearly speaking of the kingdom of God being the Millennial Kingdom. Mat 8:!1

    I really feel like I am missing something, like the focus knob is set to blurry. I’m a big picture guy, all the little pieces make up the larger image, and I have lots of little pieces all seeming to point in different directions, and I’m not able to satisfactorily put them together into the larger image yet. Can you see what I’m missing?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorApril 2, 2016 at 8:11 pm

       Stan,
       According to Paul, the kingdom of God for Christians is that overall rule of God. Our hope is heavenly, not earthly. The Jews, the Twelve, had no understanding of how sins were to be forgiven. The only passage that touched on this was Isaiah 53 and no Jew understood it. Read Luke 1-2, especially, Zechariah’s speech at the end of Luke 1. It reveals what Jews knew and hoped for. Obviously, Jesus had to die. That was prophecy. But God kept it hidden because that was the key of His plan. If Satan had understood it he would have done everything to keep Jesus alive. Had Israel repented, the Romans (rather than the Jews) would have taken the lead in crucifying Him. Jesus’ statement “not of this world” is a genitive of source, not location. In other words, it’s source was not human power. Jesus did not mean it was not on the earth. That would have contradicted all prophecy. The Tribulation would have followed soon after Christ’s resurrection just as was prophesied. This was what Peter expected when he quoted Joel 2 at Pentecost. The kingdom would have been established and Jews would have fulfilled their destiny as a blessing to Gentiles. No hint of the Church is in the OT. It was a secret. Read Psalm 2. That was God’s program in a nutshell.

       Reply ↓
       1. Stan Feldsine April 4, 2016 at 1:22 pm

          Thank you Don, much to think about, and think about it I will.

          Reply ↓
22. Joseph April 6, 2016 at 12:20 pm

    Why not include my comments? Scared of the truth? If you have a heavenly hope then why did God make Adam and Eve Perfect to live on the earth forever? Read Psalm 115:16 ESV / The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. Psalm 37:29 ESV /The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.

    “May the truth set you free” John 8:32

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorApril 6, 2016 at 12:41 pm

       Joseph,
       To understand truth requires understanding God’s programs. God created Adam and Eve to live on the earth. They sinned and died. God dealt with the entire human race for 2,000 years. He then called Abraham to be the father of the Jews. He gave the Jews earthly promises and dealt with them for 2,000 years. When they rejected the Messiah, God commissioned Paul as the apostle of the Gentiles and created the Church, the body of Christ. God revealed through Paul that the Church, the body of Christ, has a heavenly destiny and are citizens of heaven, not earth (Ephesians 1.3; Philippians 3.20). God has dealt with the Church for 2,000 years. When He returns, He will establish a 1,000 kingdom on the earth, a Sabbatic kingdom. The psalmist knew nothing of a heavenly destiny for God had not revealed it. No Jew had a hope of dying and going to heaven. His hope lay in resurrection and living on earth. Dying and going to heaven was a Pauline revelation which the risen Lord revealed. We must interpret the Scriptures in context and in the order God has revealed them.

       Reply ↓
23. uzziel May 20, 2016 at 7:58 pm

    Don,
    Is it possible for the Church believers “the body of Christ” to dwell or come and go in that new Jerusalem? Since the body of Christ that time are in their heavenly, incorruptible and glorified bodies.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorMay 21, 2016 at 9:57 am

       Uzziel,
       The Bible provides no information on this subject but I can see no reason why not.

       Reply ↓
24. Becky June 11, 2016 at 2:35 pm

    Thanks Don,

    Now I remember, this article was in essence my dad’s teaching on the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. Thanks for reminding me of the differences.

    I do have a question though. The pulpit at the church I attend always says “that we are growing the ‘kingdom’ one soul at a time” but I never quite understood what they meant by this (what kingdom?) as I don’t recall reading this in scripture this plainly. I guess they mean evangelizing, but I don’t believe that is the Church’s calling. Do you know what they might mean by that phrase and where I would find that idea in the bible as far as the Church is concerned?

    I still can’t believe how blessed I am to have found this treasure trove of knowledge that so nicely organizes all topics so that my finite mind can understand and be refreshed.

    Thanks again Don and blessing to you.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJune 11, 2016 at 2:47 pm

       Becky,
       I’m not sure if pressed they would know since the “kingdom” is confusing to most. We are growing the kingdom in Paul’s sense of salvation for those who have chosen for God but not in the sense of the kingdom found in the gospels which is the earthly kingdom promised to the Jews.

       Reply ↓
       1. Becky June 13, 2016 at 12:54 pm

          Amen! Thanks Don

          Reply ↓
25. Becky June 11, 2016 at 6:35 pm

    Thanks Don,

    One more question . . . if the great commission is not for the Church, is Rom 10:14-19, 21 speaking about Israel rather than non-believing Gentiles? “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? . . .” and Rom 10:20 referring to believers (the Church, Gentiles); “Rom 10:20, But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.”?

    Per Rom 10:20 It seems plain to me that God will draw them not the believers [then the body (of Christ) can/will plant the word and the body (of Christ via Holy Spirit) can/will water/nurture; God gives the increase, regarding growing His kingdom]. Is this a accurate summation?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJune 11, 2016 at 7:18 pm

       Becky,
       Everything in Romans 9-11 concerns the subject of Israel. You might enjoy my article, The Olive Tree.

       Reply ↓
26. Res Sfiso Dlamini September 5, 2016 at 11:38 am

    Doctrine

    Your work has revolutionalized my life and our church. Thanks a lot. Ever since I started teaching more on the grace of God – great things are happening in both my life and the life of our church. Thanks again

    Rev. Sfiso

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 5, 2016 at 2:16 pm

       Red Sfiso Dlamini,
       Thank you!

       Reply ↓
27. David Reynolds September 7, 2016 at 11:43 am

    Mr. Samdahl, forgive me if you addressed this in your article, but I have a question in regards to the Kingdom of God as well as the Kingdom of Heaven. I was reading through Acts last evening with my wife, as she does not agree with me on right division yet. Since she said our differences in our understanding mostly start with the book of Acts, she suggested we read and discuss our thoughts on it together, to which I agreed. Unfortunately for me, I am still learning when it comes to right division, so I don’t always have the answers to the questions she poses when she has a question about rightly divided doctrine. While discussing, I tried to explain to her that Mathias was to fill Judas’ position among the twelve at least in part because they thought they needed another apostle to sit on the twelfth throne that was promised to them in Matthew 19:27-28. I told her that this was talking about a literal and physical kingdom on earth where they would rule alongside Christ if Israel accepted him as Messiah.

    She told me she heard other preacher’s say that the Greek translation of Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God are interchangeable, and so she doesn’t think it was talking about earth but heaven. I try not to press a point if I don’t know all the details behind it, and in this case, this was something I was not sure of as far as the two being interchangeable is concerned. My understanding was that the Kingdom of God is a broader term encompassing the Kingdom of Heaven as well as the earth. Is this thinking on my part correct? If the Kingdom of Heaven falls under the Kingdom of God is the other called the Kingdom of the earth? If anything I told her is incorrect I’d appreciate you insight. Thanks for any clarification you can provide.

    In Christ,
    David Reynolds

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 7, 2016 at 12:31 pm

       David,
       Only Matthew used the phrase “kingdom of heaven.” Many times the “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” mean the same but “kingdom of heaven” always means the earthly kingdom promised to the Jews. If you have ever prayed the “Lord’s prayer” you have prayed for this kingdom–“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on EARTH, as it is in heaven.” The phrase, “kingdom of heaven” is a genetive of source, not a genitive of location. Thus, the source of the kingdom is heaven, not its location. There are hundreds of passages in the OT which promise Israel an earthly kingdom. The Jews has absolutely not prophecy or idea of a heavenly destiny. No Jew every thought of dying and going to heaven. It is nowhere in the Bible. Everything for the Jew was earthly.

       Reply ↓
28. bmariez October 19, 2016 at 7:48 am

    Don, from my perspective, your foundation for this study is weak right from the start.

    you state:
    As such, he has the authority to give the kingdoms of the world to whomever he desires. Satan asserted that authority in his temptation of the Lord in the desert (Matthew 4.8-9; Luke 4.5-6). The Lord did not refute Satan’s claim. He knew it was legitimate.

    Just because satan said he would give all the kingdoms to Jesus doesn’t mean he could. Matt 4:9 the devil says, “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” He was lying. John 8:44 Jesus says, He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: FOR HE IS A LIAR, and the father of it.

    For you to say that “The Lord did not refute Satan’s claim because he knew it was legitimate” is at best assumption. There is no proof Scripturally that backs your statement. In fact, it could be that Jesus was thinking Pro 26:4-5
    4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
    5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit

    You state:
    The Bible reveals that God, at the strategic level, rules over all the kingdoms of the earth (2 Kings 19.15; 2 Chronicles 20.6, 36.23; Ezra 1.2; Isaiah 37.16; Daniel 4.17, 5.21). This is part of His sovereignty. The Bible also reveals that at the operational level, Satan controls the kingdoms of this world. He is the puppet-master of the world’s governments.

    This is a confusing statement because the verses you listed in this same paragraph contradict what you say. In fact, Revelation 17:17 says, “For GOD HATH PUT in their (the ten kings) hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.”

    Where Paul talks about “the god of this world,” it has nothing to do with governments. In context he is talking about unbelievers and believers. You are taking it out of context in trying to use it as a foundational part of this study.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 19, 2016 at 2:41 pm

       Bmariez,
       Satan is a liar but a subtle liar. He knew he could not lie outright to the Lord. Revelation 20.3 states he deceives nations to control them. Adam lost rule of the world to Satan when he sinned. The Lord, as the second Adam, will restore rule to mankind. He will do this in His humanity as King of the earth.

       Reply ↓
       1. Bmariez October 22, 2016 at 7:57 am

          Don,
          Rev 20:3 doesn’t say “he deceives nations to control them.” There is nothing in this verse that tells us why he deceives the nations. For you to state this, there has to be specific verses to back it up. It seems to me you would first need to answer, Why does the devil deceive? according to what is written in the Scriptures.

          Again, “the god of this world” is not speaking about goverments. It is about the devil blinding the minds of the lost lest they should see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. I’m not convinced you can use this as part of your foundation for this particular study.

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorOctober 22, 2016 at 11:39 am

             Bmariez,
             The offfer of the governments to Christ would not have been a temptation were it not true. Satan knew to whom he was speaking and is smart enough to know he could not get away with a blatant lie. That is the weakness of you case. What is Satan’s goal in Revelation? It is to fulfill his ambition to have the governments of the world submit to him overtly and worship him. Prior to this time God has restrained his power. If one does not deceive to control something or someone, what does it mean to deceive?

             Reply ↓
29. RM October 22, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    Don,
    In your last comment to Bmariez, you wrote “Satan knew to whom he was speaking and is smart enough to know he could get away with a blatant lie. That is the weakness of you case.” Did you mean to write: Satan knew to whom he was speaking and is smart enough to know he could NOT get away with a blatant lie. That is the weakness of youR case?
    Sorry for the compulsive proof-reading.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 23, 2016 at 9:57 am

       RM,
       Thanks for the compulsion. :)

       Reply ↓
30. Bmariez October 23, 2016 at 8:46 am

    Don,
    I think in the case of people, to deceive can be for the purpose of controlling, for power, to take advantage of, for love, etc. For Satan, I think the bottomline of deceiving is to keep people fom seeing the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, to remain in disobedience and unbelief. He is a murderer, he walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He clearly hates man.

    The Word does say he is a ruler of darkness. Eph 6:12 says we wrestle against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world. And before Jesus died, the devil had the power of death Heb 2:14-15…..that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Revelation says Jesus has the keys of hell and death.

    This is a great verse Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son…. It is interesting that this verse does not say the “kingdom” of darkness instead of “power” of darkness.

    You state
    The offfer of the governments to Christ would not have been a temptation were it not true.

    This is a great point. So a good supportive verse for this could be Rev 11:15 ….The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ…..
    (It is baffling to ponder sometimes about what the devil does or does not know. According to Scripture, he does know that his time is short.)

    These are passages that came to mind when i began reading the first part of your study:
    Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

    1Ti 2:1-2  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  2  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty

    How would you fit these into your study? Also, you state the kingdom is not the church but going back to Col 1:13 it says believers have been translated into Jesus’ kingdom.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 23, 2016 at 9:39 am

       Bmariez,
       The kingdom of God in its largest sense is all God rules. In particular, as related to Israel, it is the promised earthly kingdom. Satan does not know a lot. God and His angels seem to have the ability to reveal things to humans apart from Satanic powers, much like our governments encrypt information. Satan does hate man. He seeks his worship but to him our lives are worthless. He is a destroyer. We know as early as Psalm 2 that Christ will inherit the nations. Satan knew something big was afoot with the Son becoming man but he did not know He had come to pay for man’s sin or how he could inherit the earth. These passages could have been hidden from him. The Scriptures reveal a warfare exists regarding earthly kingdoms that involve angelic powers, e.g., Daniel 10.10-13). Satan is defending his rule over the nations and God intervenes to deliver them from him. Such is the nature of war.

       Reply ↓
       1. Bmariez October 23, 2016 at 11:52 am

          Don,
          It will be interesting to one day find out the full story behind satan, if the Lord so wills to let us in on it. thanks

          Reply ↓
31. Joe October 23, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    I’m having a difficult time getting my brain around the concept that the devil does not know what’s going on. When the devil was tempting Christ he must have known something was up. “The God of this world”? Please help me find some references, vs’s, etc to help me understand this. Thanks

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 24, 2016 at 9:42 am

       Joe,
       We have to compare Scripture with Scripture to piece this together. We know Satan did not know Christ’s crucifixion would be his undoing for he entered Judas to betray Him to be killed. If we can hide information through encryption, etc., God can do this to hide His word with far greater sophistication. Remember, God and Satan are at war. 2 Corinthians 4.4 speaks of Satan as the “god of this world.” He’s running the governments of the world which is why they are so corrupt. All of this is under the control of God, however, as is evident in the example of the crucifixion. Whatever evil Satan does, God can turn it to victory.

       Reply ↓
    2. Bmariez October 25, 2016 at 6:50 am

       Joe,
       If you don’t have it, download E-Sword onto your computer. I prefer using it on my iPad. Do a search in the new testament for satan, devil, beelzebub, liar, murderer, “the enemy” (search this under the Exact Phrase option). Ask the Lord to open your eyes and give you understanding. Then read the verses in context. Ephesians 6 tells what armour we need to battle the rulers of darkness.

       Reply ↓
32. Joe October 24, 2016 at 2:30 pm

    Thank you Doctrine….this gives me some hope for what I see coming on Nov. 8th. God is in control in ways that I can’t see……I imagine this control applies to the unseen world as well.

    Thank you for your patience and your ability to articulate concepts in easy to understand language.

    Reply ↓
33. jeff March 30, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    Hi Don, Can you help me with this. In Matt.8:11 and Luke 13:29 almost say the same thing but Matthew mentions the Kingdom of Heaven and Luke mentions the Kingdom of God.Which verse has precedence?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorMarch 30, 2017 at 5:23 pm

       Jeff,
       Only Matthew used the term “kingdom of heaven.” It always refers the earthly kingdom. Most of the time the terms, “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven” mean the same thing. Sometimes, however, “kingdom of God” refers to God’s overall kingdom, i.e., that which is not strictly on the earth.

       Reply ↓
34. William Waller July 13, 2017 at 11:03 pm

    Don:

    Ezekiel 45:15-25 seems to say there will be burnt offerings in the kingdom of heaven. How can this be interpreted consistently with Isaiah 11:9?

    Thank you

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJuly 14, 2017 at 8:28 am

       William,
       The Scriptures are clear that burnt offerings will be offered in the kingdom. This has troubled many commentators. The significance of these offering is not clear since Christ’s sacrifice atoned for sin. It must be remembered that animal sacrifices never atoned for sin. They “covered” sin and the temporarily propitiated sin. Most commentators see these kingdom sacrifices as memorials.

       Reply ↓
35. William Waller July 15, 2017 at 8:02 am

    Don:

    This is perplexing. I envision the earthly kingdom being like the garden of eden before the advent of sin. Mankind enjoyed a perfect relationship with God. Sin changed everything. As I understand it, the earthly kingdom will be administered by love. Why would God want his perfection marred by a memorial of sin?

    Thank you.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJuly 15, 2017 at 10:17 am

       William,
       There’s a lot we do not know about what life will be like in the kingdom. But I do not follow the logic that ongoing animal sacrifices militate against love. We remember Christ’s sacrifice for us and it reminds us of His love for us and our consequential love for Him. For example, does the Lord’s Supper compromise love?

       Reply ↓
36. George September 6, 2017 at 1:59 am

    Hello bro Don, what do you make of Matthew 22:40? In the millennial kingdom, they do not marry again? Aren’t the kingdom JEWS going to have babies? In what sense are they like the angels? Thanks

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 6, 2017 at 7:57 am

       George,
       Everyone who enters the Millenium will not have resurrection bodies. Believers who have survived the Tribulation go into the kingdom in mortal bodies and will produce children, marry, etc.

       Reply ↓
37. Vanessa October 5, 2017 at 5:25 am

    Good Morning Don,
    Can you please help me. The gospel of the kingdom is the preaching of John the Baptist: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). We do not preach that gospel today. The Lord Jesus preached it when He first began (see Matthew 4:17), and He sent His disciples out, saying, “Go…to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:6,7). These men went out and preached that, but the day came when that changed. After His death and resurrection He said, “Don’t just go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but go now to the world” (see Mark 16:15). HERE IS WHERE I AM STUCK. When they went into the world what Gospel did they preach. I am assuming it was the Kingdom but why would they go into the world (Gentiles) to preach the Kingdom Gospel. Thanks Don.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 5, 2017 at 8:23 am

       Vanessa,
       They proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. This was to give that generation of Jews the opportunity to fulfill Zechariah 8.20-23. God kept hidden the revelation that His death and resurrection had paid for the sins of Jews as well as Gentiles until He gave it to Paul when it became clear the nation would not repent. The order of repentance was Jerusalem, Judea, Samarian, the rest of the world (Acts 1.8). Note also that water baptism was required for salvation (Mark 16.16). The program of faith + works continued. This was the prophetic program of salvation throughout Jewish history. Nothing in the OT revealed faith without works (exception Abraham). That is one reason Paul declared his gospel was a secret (Ephesians 6.19). In Revelation, in the Day of the Lord, the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed again for Israel will be center-stage and God will be dealing with the nations (no Church). The gospel will again focus on the identity of Christ, He is the Messiah, the Son of God. This will be in direct conflict to what the Beast is saying–that he is God and is to be worshipped. This is why Jesus warned the assemblies in Revelation 2-3 to overcome–to endure to the end.

       Reply ↓
38. Michael Robinson October 14, 2017 at 1:30 pm

    What about. Matthew 4:17
    Didn’t Jesus preach kingdom of God to gentiles

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 14, 2017 at 2:21 pm

       Michael,
       Jesus had no ministry to Gentiles. See Matthew 10.5-6; 15.21-28. He made a few exceptions but His ministry was to Israel. Israel was to be the light to the Gentiles and every Jew was to serve as a priest to bring Gentiles to the Lord (Exodus 19.6; 1 Peter 2.9; Zechariah 8.20-23). See also Acts 1.8, 8.1.

       Reply ↓
39. Isaac October 29, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    Paul is talking about the Kingdom og God in many of his letters. Also in Ephesians 5 he writes about it. Why do you think there is a difference between the Kingdom og God in the gospels and in Paul’s epistles?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorOctober 29, 2017 at 8:36 pm

       Isaac,
       The Gospels concern Israel. The kingdom God promised to Israel was earthly. Hundreds of verses are in the OT about this. Jesus came to fulfill those promises (Romans 15.8). Paul wrote to the Church whose blessings and inheritance are heavenly, not earthly. When Paul wrote of the kingdom he meant the whole realm of God’s rule.

       Reply ↓
40. bmariez November 17, 2017 at 7:50 am

    Don,
    under your heading What the kingdom is not, #4, you state, “After His return at the battle of Armageddon He will occupy the throne of David in Jerusalem and establish His earthly kingdom. This kingdom will be the prelude to His kingdom in eternity after God creates a new heaven and new earth” but did not give any Scriptural proof.

    In matthew 28:18 after his resurrection, Jesus said all power was given to him in heaven and earth. 1 Tim 6:15 Paul calls Jesus King of kings. Just because Paul refers to satan being the god of this world, it does not change the truth that Jesus is reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords. Just like every king in the OT, there are always enemies to conquer, but they are still king. Paul says in 1Co 8:5 6 For though there be that are called gods, WHETHER IN HEAVEN OR IN EARTH, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. According to this passage, unbelievers have their god who blinds their minds, but to believers there is only one God who has shined the light of his glorious gospel in our hearts.

    Jesus said in John 18:36 ….My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
    This was in response to Pilate’s question, Are you king of the Jews? Interestingly, He says if his kingdom were of this world his servants would fight that he should not be delivered TO the Jews. This whole passage is very powerful regarding insight into His kingdom.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 17, 2017 at 1:02 pm

       Bmariez,
       Ultimately, God is sovereign and is in control of everything. But the Scriptures reveal God’s authority has been challenged and a war is waging. At the present time, Satan rules the world and will continue until his defeat at Amargeddon. In the kingdom which follows, Christ will finally occupy the throne of David and reign as King as promised in Psalm 2. We must understand that at the present time Christ is not reigning as King. If He were He would be in Jerusalem. He is presently seated as the right hand of the Father. In other words, Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords, but does not occupy or exercise this role yet. I discuss some of this in my article, Hermeneutics.

       Reply ↓
41. Bmariez November 24, 2017 at 5:28 am

    Don,
    The Father has put all things under Jesus’ feet.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 24, 2017 at 9:22 am

       Bmariez,
       True, but this has not yet been realized. See 1 Corinthians 15.25; Hebrews 2.8; Psalm 110.1.

       Reply ↓
42. bmariez November 30, 2017 at 12:06 pm

    Don,
    It doesn’t say this has not been realized. It says “HATH put all.” 1 Cor 15:25 must be read in context. V.24 says then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. Also, V.27 says “all things” which includes more than his enemies; v.25 is referring to “all enemies.” He is the King right now. He is fighting the battle right now. Just because his enemies are fighting him, does not mean he is not the King.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 30, 2017 at 12:23 pm

       Bmariez,
       Psalm 110.1 makes it clear that Jesus is not on His throne but at His Father’s right hand. He is not King until He sits on His own throne, the throne of David. That will not occur until the Kingdom after the Tribulation. Christ’s enemies are not yet put under His feet. To say otherwise is why people some teach the Church is the Kingdom and that there is no future kingdom or that all prophecy was fulfilled at 70 A.D., etc. What Paul wrote was prophetic reality. If it were now realized, Jesus would be in Jerusalem reigning.

       Reply ↓
43. bmariez December 3, 2017 at 5:25 pm

    You state, “Psalm 110.1 makes it clear that Jesus is not on His throne but at His Father’s right hand.” You also state “He is not King until He sits on His own throne.” Paul never said that Jesus is not yet King of kings.  In fact, this verse clearly states he has a throne:

    Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

    This is also a very interesting verse:
    Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

    When did the throne of God also become the throne of the Lamb?  Go through Revelation and see how often the Lamb is mentioned in connection with the throne.

    And even though you deny that Christ is reigning, it is written again, The LORD reigneth, the LORD God reigneth, He reigneth among the heathen, etc.  So even if what you say is true, that Christ is not reigning and is simply only “sitting” at the right hand of the Father, it is written that God is reigning. There is no way around it.

    To address the following verses again:
    1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 
    1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
    1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
    1Co 15:27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

    John 5:27 says the Father has given the Son ALL authority to execute judgment. This is basically what 1Co 15:27 is addressing, Jesus’ authority. And 1 Cor 15:25 is reiterating V.24. 

    Also, “he hath put” in V.25 is a different Greek word than “he hath put” in V. 27.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 3, 2017 at 7:02 pm

       Bmariez,
       The verses you quote are future. I’m not going to argue with you. The reign of Christ was always viewed as Him reigning on earth as King. If you think Psalm 2.6 and Zechariah 14.9 are fulfilled there’s nothing more I can say.

       Reply ↓
       1. Bobbi December 3, 2017 at 11:00 pm

          It might be helpful if one believes we are in the dispensation of Grace today. This period is unknown to the OT . What the Lord Jesus is doing today is building his body, the body of Christ for the heavenly places. Rom. 8:2,9-10, 1 Cor. 5:4, Gal. 3:14, 6:18,
          Eph. 1:3,4, Phl. 1:9, 2:1.
          He is not yet ruling with a rod of iron…

          There are two realms in the Kingdom of God. Gen. 1:1, heaven and earth.

          1 Cor.15:24-27 is speaking of the future time. When is death destroyed?… Rev. 20:4…after the 1000 year reign.

          I would say God’s throne becomes the Lambs throne after Christ Jesus has put down all rule, authority and power …and it is manifested. Which it is not yet.
          Blessings to all believers.

          Reply ↓
44. Vanessa December 4, 2017 at 11:01 pm

    Hello Don, Hope you are well and fighting fit. Excuse the pun. I wish to encourgae you as you are always the one encourgaing others. Paul endured much trouble in preaching the mystery of the gospel committed unto him by the Lord (1 Tim 1:11; 1 Cor 9:17; Eph 6:19-20).
    By the grace of God he persisted to see all men profit from eternal life and the riches of God’s grace according to his gospel. It was only through Paul’s gospel that men could now obtain this profit in Christ. So I say thank you for all your many replies and diligence you have shown amongst the Brethren. Vernon and I do apprecaite your commitment and Thank God for you. At times I bet you wish to give up but don’t as this world needs men like you. Take care. V and V

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 5, 2017 at 9:22 am

       Vanessa,
       Thanks for your encouragement. Lots of false teachers who oppose the gospel of God’s grace–salvation by faith alone in Christ’s work on the cross and His glorious resurrection. Give my best to Vernon.

       Reply ↓
       1. Craig November 24, 2018 at 5:44 am

          Don, many pastors in Christian churches teach errors and many of the same errors. Can a man truly be called by God to preach His word if he seems incapable of rightly dividing the word of truth? I’m sure some are self proclaimed and really not called by God.

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorNovember 24, 2018 at 8:40 am

             Craig,
             Many pastors are clearly unbelievers. Those who are believers may just be ignorant of the Scriptures. They may teaching salvation by faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. The real question is when a believing pastor is confronted with the truth of Paul’s unique apostleship if he will accept it and teach truth or reject it and continue to teach error. This is a matter for the Lord and to some degree for a local church if it recognizes the truth.

             Reply ↓
45. Joe December 5, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Below is something I Googled but it is a literal description of some of the Kingdom:

    Note verse 9: “And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.” Right now, only a minority of the earth’s population worships God as the only true God, and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Vast segments of the world are under false religions and beliefs. Most of the world’s Jews reject Jesus as their Messiah. Even in Christendom, millions of people wrongly think that they will get into heaven based on their good works, rather than through faith alone in Jesus Christ and His shed blood. But in that day, when Jesus returns, the whole earth will bow before Him as Lord and King. Satan and his demons will be bound, so as not to deceive the nations (Rev. 20:2-3). Righteousness will prevail on earth.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 5, 2017 at 11:42 am

       Joe,
       Yes. That is the kingdom the Jews looked for and was the message of John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Twelve. It will be a golden age.

       Reply ↓
46. bmariez December 6, 2017 at 6:41 am

    Don,
    So when was the kingdom taken from the Jews?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 6, 2017 at 7:35 am

       Bmariez,
       The kingdom has been delayed, not taken from the Jews. The kingdom depends upon the Jew’s acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah. See Matthew 23.37-39. When national Israel repents, the Lord will return and establish His kingdom on earth.

       Reply ↓
47. bmariez December 6, 2017 at 10:10 am

    Don,
    Your article is titled The Kingdom of God. Matthew 21:43 states Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. When did this happen or when will this happen? I came across this verse yesterday so I looked through this study before i contacted you to make sure you didn’t already address this but I didn’t find this verse. Thanks.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 6, 2017 at 10:27 am

       Bmariez,
       Jesus’ statement referred to the future generation of Jews who will repent and believe He is the Messiah–the generation of Matthew 23.37-39. They will constitute the nation that will enjoy the kingdom of God.

       Reply ↓
48. bmariez December 6, 2017 at 10:43 am

    Don,
    So there had to be a kingdom that existed at that time (or at some other future time?) in order for it to be taken from them, correct?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 6, 2017 at 1:14 pm

       Bmariez,
       What Jesus was speaking of was the opportunity for the kingdom. John the Baptist began preaching the kingdom. Jesus proclaimed it. The Twelve proclaimed it. The Jews could have had it. But it required repentance and acceptance of the King. They refused and crucified Him. So they lost the opportunity of the kingdom.

       Reply ↓
49. Joe December 6, 2017 at 11:17 am

    There appears to me to be a deep human yearning for a perfect place (Kingdom) in time and space on earth. Plato’s “Republic”, Augustine’s “City of God” all the way up through today’s far left zealotry expressed for things such as ‘deep’ ecology to the extreme solution to elimination of evil mankind to save mother earth. Agnostic, materialist, atheistic mankind unknowingly desires to make a carbon copy (revealing my age) of God’s coming Kingdom. It’s been the case since the Garden of Eden. (Nimrod to socialism/Communism). The godless are desperately looking for a leader to get them there. To me, it’s less confusing if one can see the parallels of what believers look forward to and what nonbelievers yearn/work for. The battle boils down to the means through which Utopia will be achieved. Divine or mankind??

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 6, 2017 at 1:18 pm

       Joe,
       Yes, innate in humanity is the desire for a utopia. But most of mankind wants the place without God. That is because we are fallen. The chief element of sin is the desire to be independent of God. But utopia rightly means “no place.” It cannot exist without God, even though men dream of it. It is a total deception, a Satanic deceit.

       Reply ↓
50. bmariez December 6, 2017 at 2:17 pm

    Don,
    Reading the context of the parable prior to this verse, it is clear that they are already in possession and it will be taken from them: The vineyard was given to and then taken from the husbandmen and given to other husbandmen. The parable doesn’t even hint at “opportunity.” The householder did not offer an opportunity, he gave them the responsibility. Please, where do you see “opportunity” in this parable?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 6, 2017 at 3:31 pm

       Bmariez,
       All of Jesus’ parables are about Israel’s earthly kingdom. The householder is God. The vineyard is Israel’s land and the husbandmen were the Jewish people. The servants were the prophets. The son is, of course, Christ. The husbandmen killed Him. This was a prophetic parable of Jesus’ death. For this reason, the Jews could not have their kingdom. There is no kingdom without the King. This is what all 4 gospels are about—the King present, the King rejected, the kingdom that could not come. The gospels are all Old Testament and have to do with God’s promised kingdom to Israel.

       Reply ↓
51. Isaac December 8, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Les Feldick teaches;

    2 Cor 2:17

    “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: (it’s the new birth) old things are passed away; (the old lifestyle, the old habits, the old desires) behold, all things are become new.

    Why are you exluding “he is” from this verse?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 8, 2017 at 8:08 pm

       Isaac,
       “He is” was added by the translators—it’s not in the text. It is a misleading translation. While believers do become new creatures that was not what Paul had in mind. The context is the whole body of truth, the revelation of the Church, and the doctrines associated with it. They were new and this is why Paul wrote we no longer know Christ after the flesh—His earthly ministry. It is Christ’s heavenly ministry that concerns us and that is the source of all Church doctrine. Thus, Paul was talking about the Church, the body of Christ. That was the new creation. When one believes Paul’s gospel (part of the new revelation from the risen Christ—Galatians 1.11-13) he becomes a member of the Church and is no longer Jew or Gentile. He is “Church.” Thus, the translation should read, “Therefore if any man is in Christ—a new creation—old things passed away, all things have become new.”

       Reply ↓
       1. Bmariez December 9, 2017 at 7:14 am

          Isaac,
          To understand 2 Cor 5:16, “Christ after the flesh,” study these two verses, Rom 1:3; Rom 9:5.

          Reply ↓
52. Joe December 10, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    The Apostle Peter probably had a hard time understanding as well. 2 Peter 3:15-17.

    Reply ↓
53. Joe December 10, 2017 at 7:35 pm

    Paul introduces and identifies a handful of mysteries that where totally unknown prior to his writings. One mystery/secrete is the Body of Christ. The Kingdom, itself, is addressed, described, predicted, acknowledged, prayed for and looked forward to throughout the OT. IMHO if the Kingdom is the Body of Christ then TBofC wasn’t a mystery.

    Reply ↓
54. David December 12, 2017 at 12:29 am

    Good Day, Just trying to fully wrap my mind around what you believe doctrine as Ive read hours of the Comments and Articles on your site. I notice you say Faith + 0 for salvation, but another moment you seem to imply believers must be willing to or have forsaken all forms of sin to be saved at the same time. So If someone is a Believer in Jesus dying for thier sins and Rising again. (They wholly trust in this alone to merit their salvaion). Yet at the same time they are a drunk or homosexual or a continuous willing sinner do you believe they will be in Paradise when they die?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 12, 2017 at 8:02 am

       David,
       Salvation is by faith alone in Christ’s death for our sins, His burial, and resurrection. A person whole believes this will change. There will be some evidence of his faith for God the Holy Spirit now indwells him. This does not mean person A is better than person B. It means person A is a better person after having believed than he would be apart from believing. God deals with us as individuals. I do not believe a person who willingly and continuously commits sin without remorse has ever believed. The gospel is trust message. Salvation is trusting a person, Christ, for salvation. How can one trust someone when all his actions refute that trust?

       Reply ↓
55. Joe December 12, 2017 at 11:38 am

    Romans 5 and in particular Romans 5: 10 says (IMHO) that we have all been reconciled (sins forgiven past, present and future) by the death of Christ. Please note that the verse says ‘that while we were enemies we were reconciled’. ….to me that means as sinners we were cleaned up, set up straight and positioned for salvation if we just believed. Making sin is no longer the issue. Then the verse goes on to say ‘we are saved by his life’ if we believe it….(resurrection). If I’m not mistaken the great white throne judgment is all about the unsaved and they are judged by their WORKS (not sins). Probably levels of conditions in the Lake of Fire……maybe I’m all wrong.

    Mr. Doctrine please straighten me out. thank you .

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorDecember 12, 2017 at 4:57 pm

       Joe,
       Dead on target. The work of the Holy Spirit is sanctification. We are declared righteous (justification) and being made righteous (sanctification). Final removal of sin is glorification—receipt of resurrection bodies in which dwells not sin nature.

       Reply ↓
56. Joe June 30, 2018 at 7:58 pm

    Satan is the great deceiver/counterfeiter. Do you believe there is anything to the thought that Satan is behind the current political movement toward globalization? Isn’t the Kingdom of God actually Divine globalization? Reading John Lennon’s lyrics I can’t help but think pop culture is falling head over heels for a secular world government.

    The lyrics of “Imagine”:

    Imagine there’s no heaven
    It’s easy if you try
    No hell below us
    Above us only sky
    Imagine all the people living for today

    Imagine there’s no countries
    It isn’t hard to do
    Nothing to kill or die for
    And no religion too
    Imagine all the people living life in peace

    You may say I’m a dreamer
    But I’m not the only one
    I hope someday you’ll join us
    And the world will be as one

    Imagine no possessions
    I wonder if you can
    No need for greed or hunger
    A brotherhood of man
    Imagine all the people sharing all the world

    You may say I’m a dreamer
    But I’m not the only one
    I hope someday you’ll join us
    And the world will live as one

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJuly 1, 2018 at 7:49 am

       Joe,
       God established nation-states to curb evil. This began at Babel with God’s confusion of the language. The world will be united under Christ in the kingdom. Satan will try to unite the world during the reign of the Beast. All attempts towards world government are evil. Lennon did not understand these things and that either Satan will rule or God will rule. The only way “the world will live as one” in truth and righteousness is under Christ.

       Reply ↓
    2. NewsView April 11, 2020 at 8:41 pm

       John Lennon’s song has always sounded “beautifully insidious” to me too — and likely has spawned may Utopist ideologies that will backfire upon humanity. People tend to become very preoccupied with the promise of their ideals as opposed to the pragmatic reality of human nature — i.e. what system can we mere mortals create that isn’t A) inevitably corrupt, or B) a bumbling bureaucratic mess even in the best of times?

       Knowing what we know as Christians about the nature of human nature — infallible in only a singular respect and that is that we “miss the mark” (sin) — it is absurd on the face of it to embrace any system of government that centralizes power. One size does not fit all — and those who deem themselves oppressed by such concentrations of power will rise up and fight with or without nationalism or sectarianism to blame. As such, even the claim that “world federalism” will abolish wars is a naive, if not willfully cynical, misnomer.

       Suffice it to say, I’m glad I’m not the only one who picked up on on the insidiousness of Lennon’s lyrics.

       Reply ↓
57. Craig January 12, 2019 at 8:50 am

    Don, I don’t know if you received my previous comment, but I would like to ask about Luke 17:21. The KJV has it: “the kingdom of God is within you.” Is this a poor translation? I am having a discussion with a friend who insists that the KJV is without error and that Jesus meant that he was within this group of Pharisees.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 12, 2019 at 9:12 am

       Craig,
       Please see my article, The Kingdom of God, in particular beginning with the section, “A Problem Passage.” I don’t know what to say to those who believe the KJV is without error. There are many translation errors in the KJV as in all translations.

       Reply ↓
       1. Joe February 1, 2022 at 10:53 am

          I believe the KJV only do not appreciate the ‘V” part of KJV. To them it’s the “King James Bible. I’d like to have a source where the translation errors in the KJV are listed. I’ve recently read that the NKJV is really bad. example. “faith in Christ” rather than “faith of Christ”. NKJV.

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 1, 2022 at 10:59 am

             Joe,
             Yes, there are a number of errors in the KJV but that is also true in other translations, which is why I did my own. I do not claim it is error-free, only that I have done the best job I can to be faithful to the text.

             Reply ↓
    2. Brad Nitzsche January 31, 2022 at 4:38 pm

       I had heard (maybe from Les Feldick) that the proper translation from the Greek, in context, and since Luke means gospel of the kingdom; is “in your midst”. The king was there in Israel physically in truth the kingdom was in their midst if they would accept it.

       Reply ↓
58. Craig February 17, 2019 at 4:38 am

    Don, sometimes when I read a blog by a Christian, they end a post with: “For the King and the kingdom” I know that Jesus is not our king. So is this wrong for them to say this?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 17, 2019 at 8:02 am

       Craig,
       It depends upon what is meant. Jesus is the King of kings, Lord of all creation and Paul speaks of the kingdom of God, God’s rule over all. We are not promised an earthly kingdom, the kingdom found in the prophets and gospel, and it is not for this kingdom that we labor. We work that men and women might be brought into the Church, the body of Christ, and grow in grace.

       Reply ↓
59. Percy February 17, 2019 at 8:53 am

    Good evening Don, i want to ask something.
    They is a different between World(2 cor 4:3-4) and Earth(Gen 1:28), Because they are people who are teaching now that God Own the earth and Satan own this world

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 17, 2019 at 11:41 am

       Percy,
       The word translated “world” in the KJV for 2 Corinthians 4.4 is αἰών, “age.” Satan is the god of this age but also has control over the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4). This will continue until his defeat at the battle of Armageddon. Then, the kingdoms of this world will become Christ’s (Psalm 2) and He will rule the earth (Zechariah 14.9).

       Reply ↓
60. Isaac July 1, 2019 at 12:58 am

    This thief on the cross told Jesus to remember him when He came to his kingdom. Luk 23:39-43. This is obviously not talk about the earthly kingdom, which you proclaim is the essence in the gospels. How do you explain this?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJuly 1, 2019 at 7:34 am

       Isaac,
       Why do you not think this was the earthly kingdom? The thief recognized who Jesus was, Israel’s King, the Son of God and because of this, asked Jesus to remember him when He established His kingdom on earth. Jesus replied that he would be with Him in Paradise. That is, He assured him that He would remember him in the earthly kingdom for he would be with Him in Paradise (the righteous abode of the dead, Abraham’s bosom) that day.

       Reply ↓
61. Anthony Serrao September 2, 2019 at 12:40 pm

    I thoroughly enjoyed your study on the Kingdom of God. Would you rightly divide Matt. 7:21-23 (“Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’“) Does this take place at the beginning or end of the Kingdom period?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 3, 2019 at 1:06 pm

       Anthony,
       Thank you. Jesus’ words here concern Jews of His generation and before. In Matthew 25.31-46, we find similar remarks but this is His judgment after the Tribulation.

       Reply ↓
       1. Craig September 3, 2019 at 1:47 pm

          Don, I’m a little confused here. Most of the Jews did not receive Jesus as their Messiah. So when did they cast out demons, perform miracles and prophesy in His name?

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 3, 2019 at 2:28 pm

             Craig,
             The were false prophets, Jewish exorcists, etc. who claimed to speak and heal in God’s name. See Acts 19.13-16.

             Reply ↓
62. Craig January 10, 2020 at 8:33 am

    Don, I have had Catholics tell me that their church is the kingdom. Was wondering if you had heard this before and can shed any light on why they would say this.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 10, 2020 at 8:48 am

       Craig,
       This is just the Roman Catholic version of the confusion that permeates most of Christendom. Most of Christendom proclaims the Church is the kingdom and the kingdom is the Church. There are two senses of the kingdom. Paul preached the kingdom but he meant that overall rule of God over creation. When Jesus John the B, Jesus, the Twelve preached the kingdom, they meant the earthly God promised Israel. But most of Christendom has dismissed this earthly kingdom for most of Christendom thinks the Church has replaced Israel.

       Reply ↓
63. Craig January 10, 2020 at 9:09 am

    Is it correct when someone says the kingdom is wherever Jesus is?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 10, 2020 at 1:03 pm

       Craig,
       Yes, He is the King.

       Reply ↓
       1. Joe January 11, 2020 at 2:07 pm

          Doctrine, Please differentiate “He is the King” (above) and “The Head of the Body”. Is Jesus the King of the Church? (I’ve been taught The Risen Lord is not our King but I asked for those who may wonder)

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorJanuary 11, 2020 at 2:44 pm

             Joe,
             The Scriptures never state Jesus is the “King of the Church.” He is the Lord and He is the Head of the Church, the body of Christ. He is the King of the Jews, the King of Israel, and the King of kings which refers to Israel and the nations. He is not King of the Church. The Church is not a kingdom. It is a body. We are in the kingdom, the realm of God’s rule, but not a kingdom.

             Reply ↓
64. NewsView April 11, 2020 at 8:31 pm

    “Jesus’ response to the Pharisees that ‘the kingdom of God is within you’ did not mean the kingdom was in their hearts. 2 They hated Him and wanted to kill Him. The last place the kingdom existed was in their hearts. Jesus’ reply to them was sarcastic and cryptic.”

    To ascribe sarcasm to Jesus is too big of a leap. He frequently spoke in parables and it is no different in this case — hence, at best, it could be described as “cryptic”. Honest people can come to differing conclusions. The Kingdom of God is both spiritual and ephemeral — and ultimately associated with a new heaven and earth. Instead of subjecting it to a linear “either/or” fashion perhaps the Kingdom of God is “all of the above”.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorApril 12, 2020 at 7:46 am

       NewsView,
       The Bible never speaks of the kingdom of God being “in you.” That is a humanistic interpretation, like Lennon’s song you commented on. The only kingdom Jesus spoke of was the promised prophetic kingdom, the kingdom of God on earth. There are hundreds of passages about this kingdom in the Old Testament and Jesus came to fulfill those promises (Romans 15.8).

       Reply ↓
65. Annie August 5, 2020 at 12:39 am

    Hi Don
    as per usual all this has been super helpful.
    many thx again

    just to be clear – the Kingdom of Heaven = the Messianic Kingdom = the Millenial Kingdom?
    all terms are interchangeable?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorAugust 5, 2020 at 8:18 am

       Annie,
       Yes. The terms, Kingdom of God and Heaven are pretty much interchangeable. When Paul used it he generally used KoG for God’s overall rule. In all Jewish writing, Gospels, Acts, letters of Peter, James, John, Jude it is Israel’s earthly kingdom whose source is heaven.

       Reply ↓
       1. Bobbi Wendelin July 19, 2021 at 12:54 pm

          Don,

          What is the difference between greek word for “heavenly places” in Eph. 1:3, 20, 2:6, 3:10, 2 Tim.4:18, which are in the “dative case, and Heb.3:1, 6:4 which are in the genetive case?

          Doesn’t the dative mean something like ” IN” and the genetive “from”?

          Thank you… and PEACE👑

          Reply ↓
          1. doctrine Post authorJuly 20, 2021 at 8:27 am

             Bobbi,
             In each of these cases Paul used the adjective ἐπουράνιος. When Paul included the noun, e.g., “heavenly calling,” κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου, “heavenly gift,” τῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐπουρανίου, he used the genitive. When he did not include a noun, he used the dative, e.g., “in the heavenlies,” ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. The noun “places,” was supplied by the KJV translators.

             Reply ↓
66. Craig August 20, 2020 at 5:02 am

    Don, can you explain what Mark 9:1 means?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorAugust 20, 2020 at 8:26 am

       Craig,
       The problem with understanding this verse rests with the translators. So the KJV reads, “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.”
       This translation, and all I looked at, translate it so it seems that Jesus was stating a certainty that some would remain alive until the kingdom came. This verse is used by Preterists to claim that Christ returned and the kingdom came. Others explain it by stating it was fulfilled in the following verses when Jesus took Peter, James, John up the mountain and saw Moses and Elijah and Jesus’ glory. Both of these are wrong. The Greek text reads “τῶν ἑστηκότων οἵτινες οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐληλυθυῖαν ἐν δυνάμει.” Literally, “Some of the ones who stand here might never taste death until they might see the kingdom of the God has come with power.” The main point to see is the change in mood of “taste death” and “see.” Both verbs are in the subjunctive mood, the mood of contingency or potential. What Jesus was stating was that it was possible that some would see the kingdom come. That possibility rested upon the nation’s repentance. When the nation did not repent that possibility could not occur. Jesus also used the strongest negative in Greek, the double negative οὐ μὴ with the the subjunctive, which is why I translated it as “never.” Fulfillment of this statement depended on Jewish will. See Matthew 23.37-39. The translators have done a great disservice to clear meaning by their rendering, hence, why I am translating the NT.

       Reply ↓
       1. Craig August 21, 2020 at 8:39 am

          Don, this is such an eye opener. Thanks for explaining this. My kjv study bible says in the footnotes that Jesus was referring to the Transfiguration. That never sounded right in my spirit, but most of Christiandom believes this. I am now cautious with these footnotes .

          Reply ↓
67. Charlotte Snowden September 12, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    Could you address and put into context the many passages that refer to Jesus/Messiah “fighting/battling” in portions of OT prophets (and Revelation i.e. like the trampling of the grape harvest)? I have had a hard time understanding where those passages apply. I know that the 7 years of the Tribulation will demonstrate God’s wrath, however many passages I am referring to seemingly have Jesus Himself as the conqueror in literally “fighting” the nations and peoples. Thank you for your response in trying to sort out these future passages. I know in some passages we have God destroying the enemy (Ez. 38 Rev. 20 etc.) almost instantly.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorSeptember 12, 2020 at 5:07 pm

       Charlotte,
       The Lord will defeat his enemies at the battle of Armageddon at the end of the 7 year Tribulation. It is described as treading the wine press in Isaiah 63.1-6. In Revelation 14.14-20 is the same description. The slaughter is nothing like the world has ever seen, with blood flowing for 180 miles, deep as the horse’s bridle. This occurs as a result of massive, 100 pound hailstones, falling on these armies in Jerusalem, which have come to destroy the Jews (Revelation 16.21). When the Lord returns, He will be bloody from the battle (Revelation 19.11-21).

       Reply ↓
68. Jerry Shaw November 18, 2020 at 7:39 pm

    The 144,000 will evangelize during the Tribulation. Please clarify which Gospel they will be preaching: the Gospel of the Kingdom, or the Gospel of the Grace of God.We don’tevangel aking, but it would seem that during the trib it will be again the pronouncement that the King is here.
    Love all your books and devoted to your site for many years.
    God bless

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 19, 2020 at 8:16 am

       Jerry,
       Thank you. Jesus declared the gospel of the kingdom would be proclaimed before He returned (Matthew 24.14).

       Reply ↓
69. Juancho Amon February 26, 2021 at 11:04 pm

    Hello, I frequently read the phrase, “God’s ‘PROGRAM’ for…”, in your articles. Is it a Biblical terminology, I mean, Can you sight a particular Bible verse with this particular word? In good faith I am asking this question. Thank you for enlightenment.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 27, 2021 at 10:20 am

       Juancho Amon,
       No, “God’s program” is not found in the Bible but this does not make such terminology illegitimate. Many conceptual terms are not found in the Bible: sovereignty, trinity, triune, theology, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, etc.

       Reply ↓
70. Craig June 30, 2021 at 6:56 am

    Don, some are teaching that the battle of armageddon is not a literal battle but a battle of the mind. What do you say to such people?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJuly 2, 2021 at 10:05 am

       Craig,
       They are wrong. Revelation is a literal prophecy revealed in symbols. When 100 pound hailstones hit, its quite literal.

       Reply ↓
71. Craig July 26, 2023 at 4:50 am

    Don, I hear Christians say we must invest in the kingdom of God. What do they mean? Surely they dont mean the earthly kingdom which is for Israel. So are they mistaken since we are not kingdom people?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorJuly 26, 2023 at 1:16 pm

       Craig,
       These people do not believe in an earthly kingdom. They mean a spiritual or heavenly kingdom.

       Reply ↓
72. Jow November 8, 2023 at 2:03 pm

    Don,

    To me the Kingdom of God is earthly. Why does Jonh make it sound as if it’s a heavenly location ? The New Jerusalem?

    John 14:1–3
    The New International Version
    Jesus Comforts His Disciples

    14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.t You believe in God believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.y

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 9, 2023 at 8:14 am

       Joe,
       The kingdom’s source is heaven. It is being prepared in heaven to be enjoyed on earth. That is why Jesus instructed the Jews to lay up treasures in heaven.

       Reply ↓
73. cigmd November 11, 2023 at 5:25 pm

    Are we still to be laying up treasures in heaven as Jesus commanded?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorNovember 16, 2023 at 8:20 am

       Cigmd,
       All lasting treasures, rewards are kept in heaven for all believers.

       Reply ↓
74. Mike February 5, 2024 at 7:40 pm

    I am having a debate with an elder in my church and he says that Matthew 8:11 “I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven” includes gentiles as well as Jews since Jesus was addressing a gentile. Would that be true? Thank you for your work on Doctrine.

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorFebruary 6, 2024 at 8:45 am

       Mike,
       If you look at the verse closely, Jesus is not addressing the centurion but those following—Jews (verses 10-12). He gives them a lesson on faith. In verse 13, He then turns back to the centurion and speaks. I suspect this elder believes Jesus ministered to Gentiles throughout His ministry, the view of tradition, of the vast majority. The Scriptures teach otherwise.

       Reply ↓
75. Robert April 8, 2024 at 2:23 pm

    Does Matthew 11:12 indicate that the Kingdom of Heaven is a physical, earthly kingdom?

    Reply ↓
    1. doctrine Post authorApril 9, 2024 at 1:41 pm

       Robert,
       Yes.

       Reply ↓

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.