PREMILLENNIALISM (11)

The Kingdom Is Here

Victor M. Eskew

 

          Premillennialism teaches that Jesus came to establish His earthly kingdom two thousand years ago.  However, because the Jews rejected Him, the kingdom was postponed.  Now, we are waiting for the Lord’s return at which time, we are told, He will establish His kingdom on earth.  We are told He will rule in the city of Jerusalem on the throne of David for one thousand years. 

          The concept of a literal earthly kingdom is foreign to the Scriptures.  Again, it was Jesus who said:  “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.”  Too, the New Testament plainly teaches us that the kingdom is a present reality.  The purpose of this article is to prove the kingdom is in existence.

          We will begin with a statement made by Jesus during His earthly ministry recorded in Mark 9:1.  “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.”  These words were spoken some 2,000 years ago.  Jesus referred to individuals who were living at that time.  He plainly stated that some of them would see the kingdom of God come with power.  This means the kingdom had to come into existence some 2,000 years ago.  If not, one of two things must be true.  First, Jesus lied.  We know this could not be so because Jesus is the truth (John 14:6).  Second, Jesus did not know the Jews would reject the kingdom.  This cannot be true either because Jesus was also God.  As God, He was omniscient, that is, all knowing (John 2:24-25). 

          In Mark 9:1, Jesus told His listeners that the kingdom of God would come with power.  In Acts 1:8, He revealed when the power was going to come.  He told His apostles:  “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:  and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  Th teaching is simple.  When the Holy Ghost came, the power would come.  When the power came, the kingdom would come.  Acts 2:1-4 notes the coming of the Holy Spirit and the power that filled the apostles on Pentecost Day.  “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”  Clearly, the Holy Ghost came that day.  The power of the Holy Spirit was manifested in the ability the apostles were given to speak in tongues.  The Spirit came.   The power came.  What does this mean?  If Jesus told the truth, the kingdom also came.  In Acts 2, we see Peter preaching the gospel of Christ (Acts 2:22ff).  The hearts of many were pricked, and they asked:  “Men and brethren, what shall we do? (Acts 2:37).  Peter commanded them to “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).  “They that gladly received his word were baptized” (Acts 2:41).  These individuals were saved on that day (Mark 16:16).  These saved individuals were added by the Lord to the church according to Acts 2:47.  Some might wonder:  “Where is the kingdom?”  The answer is:  “The church is the kingdom.”

          In a discussion that Jesus had with His disciples, Jesus used the words “church” and “kingdom” synonymously.  “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona:  for flesh and blood hat not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven:  and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:15-19).  It is interesting that Jesus said He would give Peter the keys of the kingdom.  Keys are used to open things.  Peter was given the responsibility of opening the doors of the kingdom God.  On Pentecost Day, Peter did that for the Jews when he informed them of what they needed to do to be saved.  Peter opened the doors of the kingdom, and the church was established. 

          Another passage that will help us to establish the case that the kingdom of God has been in existence since the first century is Colossians 1:13.  Paul, writing to the Colossian Christians about their conversion, said:  “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”  When the Colossians obeyed the gospel, they were removed from “the power of darkness.”  At the same time, they were transferred into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  Dear readers, if the kingdom was not established, if it did not exist, then it would have been impossible for anyone to have been translated into it.  The truth is the kingdom did exist.  It had existed since the day of Pentecost following the Lord’s ascension to the right hand of God.  All baptized believers had been added to it when they came forth from the watery grave of baptism.

          If a person is honest with the passages we have set forth, he must admit that the kingdom of God was established in the first century.  The first century church was not waiting for the kingdom to come.  They were the kingdom.  According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:22-26, Jesus will continue to reign over His kingdom until the resurrection of the dead at His coming.  At that time, He will “deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power.  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 14:24-26).  Paul teaching is exactly the opposite the teaching of premillennialism.  Surely, an apostle of Christ affirmed the truth revealed to him by the Holy Spirit (See John 16:13; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).