Advent Words Day 9 ~ Kingdom

 

Day 9: Kingdom

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:32-33

 

"But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom." Hebrews 1:8

 

Throughout the pages of the Old Testament are woven the promise of a king who would come and rule in justice, righteousness and mercy. He would be a Redeemer King who would rescue God's people and bring them promised salvation. 

 

The promise of the coming king would first be made to David that the promised king would come from his descendants: 

"He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son...Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever." 2 Samuel 7:13-14, 16

 

The prophet Isaiah continued to proclaim God's promise of a king:

"For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

    and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this."

Isaiah 9:6-7

 

 

The arrival of the Messiah inaugurates the reign of the promised king. In the gospels, and especially Luke's Gospel, the use of the term the "kingdom of God" is frequent throughout. The kingdom of God is used to refer to God's rule and reign, and more specifically in the gospels, to God's reign in the hearts of men. 

 

John Piper says of the kingdom, “The kingdom of God is God’s reign — his sovereign action in the world to redeem and deliver a people and then at a future time finish it and renew his people and the universe completely.”

 

Let's take a brief look at what the Gospel of Luke tells us about the kingdom of God:

We are told in the very beginning, with the angel's proclamation of the arrival of God's Son, that the Son "will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:33

Jesus spent his life on earth preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom. Luke 4:43, 8:1, 9:11, 6:16.

To the poor He promised they would possess the kingdom. Luke 6:20

To the disciples He revealed the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom. Luke 8:10

He sent the Apostles out to preach the kingdom and show the kingdom's power with healing. Luke 9:2, 9:60.

Jesus proclaimed the kingdom was here now, yet was also coming in the future. Luke 10:11, 11:20, 17:20-21, 21:31.

He called His followers to seek God's kingdom first, before all else. Luke 12:31

He proclaimed that the kingdom belonged to children and to those who were childlike in receiving it: Sincere, open, fully trusting and completely dependent on God. Luke 18:16-17

Jesus proclaimed that God is pleased to give His followers the kingdom. Luke 12:32

 

Blessed are we, whose God is the Lord, for we have a righteous, just and merciful King, who has brought us into the kingdom of God!

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