TEACHING NOTES Introduction Now that the election is over, we can move on from all the drama and focus on what really matters. As Americans, we tend to get caught up in nationalism. If we’re not careful, we can begin to fuse Americanism into the Gospel of the kingdom of God. In other words, we can assume that God is most interested in saving America and making it the kingdom of God. What we need is a biblical understanding of the kingdom of God. ‌ Exodus 19:5–6 “5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” ‌ If you will obey = Notice that the promises in this passage are conditional. The people of God remain the people of God IF they remain obedient and faithful. This does not mean that they must be perfect, but that they live in obedience and repentance. ‌ My treasured possession among all peoples = God created the people of Israel from Abraham in order to bless all nations. ‌ A kingdom of priests, holy nation = God wanted all of His people to function as priests to all people around them. Why? Because Israel was supposed to be a light to the nations living in spiritual darkness. They other nations were enslaved to the other gods. Israel was intended to lead the nations back to the true Creator. However, when Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai they decided that they did not want to be priests. So they tell Moses to do all the talking and listening with God. ‌ God’s Intention: God wanted His people to be His kingdom of priests and He would be their King. God’s people wanted human kings and did not want to be priests. ‌ The Promise of God’s Kingdom ‌ Psalm 145:13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works. ‌ Explanation: God will always exist, even when the people of His kingdom are disobedient. The people of Israel were called to be God’s kingdom, but the majority of the people were unfaithful. However, a remnant remained faithful and carried on the plans of God. God’s plan has not failed because continues to be faithful and kind. ‌ Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news of joy, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” ‌ Upon the mountains = Or “in the wilderness”. This good news will come from those who are outside the city elite and from place considered to be desolate or undesirable to the wealthy. ‌ Good news = Heb. basar - This singular participle (verbal noun) refers to the announcement of a specific event. The Greek Septuagint (translation from 250 BC) uses the word euangelizo, which is the same word used in the New Testament for “the Gospel”. This is not a religious word, but was a common term for someone announcing the victory and rule of a new king. However, this term was usually used in the plural (euangelia), but the Bible uses the singular form. This indicates that this Gospel is unique. ‌ Peace = Heb. shalom - what is healthy, favorable, complete. Joy = Heb. tov - good, in order, desirable, the cause of joy. Salvation = Heb. yeshuah - deliverance, rescue, freedom from slavery. ‌ Your God reigns = Heb. at elohim malak - Your God is King. This is the core of the good news, that our God is taking back His creation from the powers of evil. The Greek Septuagint uses the verb basileusei, meaning “to rule or reign” from the root basileus (king) and basileias (kingdom). ‌ Matthew 3:1–2 1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ‌ Repent = Grk. metanoeite - Live a changed life of repentance. This Greek word is a compound of meta (change) and noeo or nous (mind, way of thinking). It is also in present tense and active voice, meaning that metanoeite is a continuous action. ‌ At hand = Grk. engiken (from the root engizo) - has come near/here. This verb is in present tense and active voice, meaning that the kingdom of heaven is now continually here and spreading. ‌ Mark 1:14–15 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” ‌ The time is fulfilled = Jesus is referring to a prophesy from Daniel 9. Daniel was sitting in exile in Babylon reading the prophesy of Jeremiah 29 that Israel would be in exile for 70 years. Those 70 years had come and gone and Daniel is asking God why Israel had not returned to their land (Dan. 9:1-19). God answers that Israel had remained unfaithful even in exile. So the exile would now be 70x7 or 490 years (Dan. 9:20-27). This 490 years would begin when a decree to rebuild Jerusalem was issued. This decree occured in the 450s BC. Jesus says “the time is fulfilled” around 27 AD, roughly 490 years after the decree to rebuild. ‌ Repent and believe in the gospel = The phrase “believe in the gospel” is better translated “be faithful to the gospel” or “give allegiance to the gospel”. True faith is being faithful. ‌ The Problem: Jesus’ audience thought of the kingdom of God in terms of politics, government, and military power. ‌ They thought of the kingdom of God as nationalism. ‌ When we think about a kingdom, we often think about government. ‌ Luke 17:20–21 20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” ‌ Asked by the Pharisees = The Pharisees want to know when God will overthrown the Romans and return Israel to national sovereignty. In their minds, the kingdom of God is about nationalism. The Pharisees also believed that God would not return to the temple and restore the kingdom of Israel until all the people were living in obedience to the Torah and traditions of the elders. ‌ The kingdom cannot be observed = Jesus clearly states that the kingdom of God is not coming ways that can be seen. Therefore, the kingdom is not a literal government. ‌ The kingdom of God is within you = Jesus saying that the kingdom of God is not an earthly government, but is something living within you that governs your life from the inside out. ‌ Matthew 12:28–29 “28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.” ‌ By the Spirit of God = In this context, Jesus had been accused by the Jewish leaders of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, which is another name for the prince of demons (the devil). Jesus responds with saying that it makes no sense for Satan to cast out Satan. Rather, if Jesus is ruling over demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has arrived. Jesus passes on this same Spirit to the apostles, who also have power over demons and the power to heal. The presence of the Spirit of God in His people is the presence of the kingdom of God on earth. ‌ Bind the strong man = Jesus is referring to Satan as the strong man who was “the ruler of this world”. Jesus came to overthrow Satan and “plunder his house” which is this world. This is the same language used in Rev. 20:1-10 where Satan is bound for “a thousand years” (very long time). The death, burial, and resurrection has bound/limited the devil’s power and work. This does not mean that evil ceases when Satan is bound. Satan is not the only spiritual rebel and humans can and do commit evil without the help or influence of demons. ‌ Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ‌ Not a matter of eating and drinking = The kingdom is not about physical things in this world. The kingdom is not about government, nor is the kingdom about wealth and possessions. ‌ Righteous, peace, joy = Notice that Paul is following Isaiah 52:7, that where God reigns/rules as King there is peace, joy, and salvation (righteousness). ‌ In the Holy Spirit = In the Old Testament, Israel was the kingdom of God only when the presence of God was dwelling in the tabernacle at the the center of the nation. The presence of God made them the kingdom of God. Likewise, but in a greater way, the presence of the Holy Spirit living and working in us is the evidence that we are the kingdom of God. ‌ The kingdom is not about God ruling a national government. ‌The kingdom is about God ruling you. ‌