God's Coming Kingdom

God, in the pages of the Bible, often speaks about the coming kingdom of God on earth. This page is a continuing series of articles about this coming kingdom, as shown in the Bible.

Part 33      God's Coming Kingdom

It is unheard of that any nation whose state had been overthrown were able to preserve their national identity for 2,000 years, instead of being assimilated into the nations where thy fled, and then managed to resettle in their original territory, in a restoration of their ancient state.

The natural likelihood is so slim that it is safe to conclude it would be impossible. But this has occurred - miraculously - after the Jewish state was destroyed nearly 2,000 years ago, the Jews have survived as a nation and their state of modern Israel, miraculously restored in 1948.

A similar, but even greater miracle will soon occur when the Kingdom of God will be restored in that land which God had long ago promised to Abraham - Genesis 12:7. Jesus will return and take control of the government in the state of Israel. The angel informed Mary,

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” - Luke 1:31-33.

When will this occur? The apostles asked Jesus this same question just before his ascension - “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” - Acts 1:6. The reply of Jesus was that it would be some time after they had fulfilled their commission to preach the gospel everywhere - but no date.

Not long after the ascension, the apostles received the promised power of the Holy Spirit and began their preaching work in a spectacular way. On that remarkable day of Pentecost, when crowds of expatriate Jews were visiting Jerusalem for worship at the temple -

“Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

It was the sound and sight of an energy, not only of fast moving air, but of fiery tongues, imparting to the twelve apostles not only the power to speak in multiple tongues or languages, but to deliver a message so hot that I would ignite a spiritual conflagration -

“And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying ‘... how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? ... Whatever could this mean?’ ” - Acts 2:2-6

And so began this opening day of preaching the gospel, in which “about three thousand souls were added to them” - v. 41. Not long afterward Peter again spoke in the temple, appealing to the people, and informing them when Jesus would “restore the kingdom to Israel” -

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you - even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets” - Acts 3:19-21. What did the prophets say?