The Kingdom of God upon the Earth

There are many prophecies that speak of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, but first consider the clear Bible teaching that Jesus is soon to return to this earth from heaven and then at that time he will establish this Kingdom upon the earth.

Immediately after Jesus’ ascension the Angels taught that Jesus was to return:
Acts 1:9-11 (KJV): 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
The portion underlined above shows the emphasis and detail concerning Jesus’ return. But note the additional detail teaching that the return is literal and sure. The angels say that it is this same Jesus, who was taken up from the Apostles into heaven, who shall so come and that this shall be in like manner as ye (the Apostles) have seen him go into heaven.

Shortly after the ascension and this message by the Angels, Peter in his speech takes hold of this concept when he speaks about the return of Jesus from heaven:
Acts 3:19-21 (KJV): 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution (or restoration) of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
The above clearly teaches that Jesus is now in heaven, that at a future time “times of refreshing” will come from the presence of the Lord. This is also stated as that Jesus will remain in heaven until the times of restoration of all things. And Peter also claims that these future events have been prophesied by all of God’s holy prophets.

Thus Peter encourages us to consider the prophets so that we can understand what Jesus will accomplish when he returns and restores all things.

David was a prophet and he wrote of this kingdom in Psalm 72. Please refer to the thread: “Psalm 72 - The Coming New World Order”. Please note that there is also a strong link between Acts 3:19 “times of refreshing” and Psalm 72:6 “He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.”

Daniel 2 speaks of four successive world empires, then speaks of the destruction of these kingdoms of men and the establishment of the Kingdom of God:
Daniel 2:44 (KJV): And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
This speaks clearly of the establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the earth at the beginning of the 1000 years at the same time as the destruction of the Kingdoms of men.

Isaiah speaks of the establishment of the throne of David and the religious worship at Jerusalem and the coming worldwide peace at the beginning of the 1000 years:
Isaiah 2:1-4 (KJV): 1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Kind regards
Trevor

 

Greetings Gerhard,

How do you understand Acts 3:19-21, Daniel 2:35,44, Isaiah 2:1-4, Micah 4:1-8, Zechariah 14 and many other passages that speak of the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God upon the earth?

Kind regards
Trevor

 

Greetings again Gerhard,

I can agree with your comments in part except you do not seem to teach that when Jesus returns that he will establish his kingdom upon the earth for 1000 years. Only at the end of the 1000 years will the kingdom be complete and death fully subdued as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. To some extent you seem to replace the prophecies of the kingdom by applying them to the Gentile Church.

Kind regards
Trevor