The Lord's Prayer continues:
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven."
In church and Christian conversations, the expression, "God's kingdom" is often mentioned. We talk about it, we sing about it, we pray about it. But what is God's kingdom? What is God's will?
The Oxford Languages Dictionary offers two definitions online: it first defines a kingdom as "a country, state, or territory ruled by a king or queen," basically, a domain ruled by a king/queen. The dictionary secondly defines it as "the spiritual reign (i.e., the period during which a Sovereign rules) or authority of God."
Let us turn to scripture to explore further. In Genesis chapters 1 and 2, we see hints and prefiguration of God's kingdom. God creates the visible, material heavens and earth over which He is supreme Sovereign. The Bible informs us that God created His own domain over which He rules. He did not go on a long hike or pilgrimage to stumble onto a place or region that He could claim as discovered by Him. He did not travel from some distant world and stumble on our universe and stake His claim. No - the Lord created from nothing (referred to by Bible scholars as "ex nihilo" - out of nothing) all that is seen and unseen. He owns and has authority over all that is seen and unseen. (see Colossians 1:16; Psalm 104; Psalm 47; Psalm 24:1-2) The "unseen" also includes angels who serve Him day and night and some of whom He appoints as messengers and armies (Psalm 78:49; Isaiah 6:1-3; 2 Kings 6:11-17; Matthew 13:41).
In the Genesis account, God appoints Adam and Eve as stewards or managers of this earthly domain of God's kingdom (Genesis 1:26-31). That was His overall will for mankind that would entail more than tending animals, the soil, and procreation. He desired a close relationship with His human creation, made in His own image, an intimacy akin to a father and child. God had placed them in a beautiful paradise called the Garden of Eden, which was to have been the "launching off point" as described in Genesis 1:26-31 for expansion of the mission of stewardship throughout God's earth, honoring and reflecting the character and personhood of God. However, they failed to carry out God's directions; their lawbreaking resulted in a paradise lost, and a skewed mission that would cause the creation to "groan." God foretold of a time - after condemning the devil (removing him from his heavenly life with God and sentencing him to eternal punishment) when He would rectify what had been lost due to Adam and Eve's failures, which would include utter destruction of the devil by the One called to redeem all things (Genesis 3:15).
It must be noted that God's will for us as described here and which is the focus of this study on the Lord's Prayer as it pertains to His kingdom reign is only a small aspect of what is the full will of God. God gives us many clues about the scope of His Sovereign will, yet even that pales in comparison. It is not a simple answer that can zip up the meaning nice and tidy. Thus, a full exploration of God's diverse and complex will in ALL things would take a separate and comprehensive study. For the curious, I recommend a couple of sources: this excerpt from theologian Dr. R.C. Sproul's book, "Can I Know God's Will?". Another source may be "Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Will of God" article, as posted on Bible Study Tools website.
God's will for restoration of the earthly kingdom would come through a Divine Plan that only the Sovereign over all things could accomplish. The part of the Bible we call the Old Testament steps us through the plan as introduced in Genesis 3:15, in which a Savior and Redeemer would be given to accomplish the reconciliation of all things, and who would serve as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God's call of Abraham, recorded in Genesis 12 to 23, the one through whom God would create a covenant nation that would "birth" this Savior - the special "seed" or descendent of Abraham through whom all the world would be blessed (Genesis 22:16-18). From Abraham's descendents there would be born Isaac, then his son Jacob - who God renamed Israel (the Triumph of God), who would sire 12 sons who would sire twelve tribes that would become the national of Israel. This covenant people would receive a covenant of law and instructions on how to serve Abraham's God, and He would reveal Himself to Israel as Yahweh - the I AM THAT I AM - a testimony to His eternal Sovereignty and Lordship. Yahweh's covenant would serve to prefigure the One whom Moses foretold, and who would be the promised Deliverer and Redeemer, the "woman's seed" that would crush the serpent satan. He would be born by miraculous means of the tribe of Judah, as a descendent of King David, and come first to His people Israel as the Messiah, as the king representing God's eternal kingdom (Isaiah 9:1-7; Matthew 22:41-46).
God's Sovereign plan would not limit reconciliation and restoration to Israel only, but, as originally willed, to ALL of Abraham's seed who would come into relationship with God through Christ. God's earthly kingdom - unlike the prefigurement seen in ancient Israel, does not have a fixed geographic location. You can't Uber to it, ride the friendly skies to it; or even sail the QE2 to it. That is why scripture at Hebrews 12:18-24 tells us we cannot go to some fixed location on earth and enter the "palace" where Christ is enthroned. We cannot "touch" a singular building or country that is the singular location of the kingdom. The heavenly kingdom where Christ's throne is located is invisible to the human eye. But look: When Christ went to the cross in victory to satisfy the only means of redemption of mankind, He was raised the ultimate Victor, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, defying all evil and opening a path to reconciliation. The condemnation of Adam's sin absorbed into the entire human race that came after him, and which damaged and condemned the whole earthly creation; it awaits a "new earth" where all are restored to Paradise. Yet even before that reality will occur, Christ has and continues to restore individuals to become citizens of His kingdom here on earth in the flesh - God's will done on earth. Citizens serve God's kingdom all throughout this planet earth. The Divine Plan calls for faithful followers of Christ to go into all the world to make disciples, to teach them the good news that they, too, can come to a saving relationship with God and enter into His kingdom. Again, God's will being done. This kingdom, this reign of God in Christ the King, is "visible" in the sense that its citizens serve as ambassadors of Christ's kingdom - Christ's rule from heaven. Because they reside in Christ's domain - the place of obedience and of following the rule of Christ the King - by the work and direction of the Holy Spirit and His Spirit-written Word of God, these kingdom citizens do the bidding of their King. The "new earth" begins here visibly, yet spiritually, as faithful followers unite to work for God's kingdom, and "seek His kingdom", i.e., with all their heart and soul they seek the One who reigns from heaven above and His commandments. These faithful are being transformed into the image of their King and reflecting in their day-to-day lives what His kingdom rule is all about. They endeavor to live lives worthy of their King and His kingdom so that they reflect the glory of Christ's perfect kingdom where His throne is - His seat of authority and rule. Those heavenly members of God's kingdom serve Him day and night in perfect submission, doing His bidding, and praising Him constantly. (Psalm 103:20; Mark 1:13; Isaiah 6:1-7; Revelation 7:11-12; Revelation 5:11-12). Since the first century A.D. this kingdom has been steadily growing and will continue to do so until, as Romans 11:25 tells us, the full number of those predestined to become kingdom citizens - those whom God has designated to live within the kingdom of Christ, are brought into that kingdom. This is the "salvation" message of the Gospel (Romans 10:4,9-18).
When we pray for God's kingdom to come on earth, this is what we are praying for: God's will, a will that reflects His sovereignty and desire for a humankind to be restored to Him in close relationship. We are praying for God to empower those who become faithful followers to continue obedient to the Holy Spirit's work of gathering those who are to live within God's kingdom, which reign emanates from the throne of heaven where Christ sits. That these faithful followers will remain faithful, will worthily live as kingdom citizens under the rule of Christ the King, following Him, obeying Him in all things. We are praying for a perfect earth filled with perfect beings joined to a perfect heaven and perfect beings - all who serve God continually. God's will is eternally connected to His kingdom reign. Putting His kingdom first in our lives - our whole allegiance to Christ the King first in our lives - which prepares us for eternity with Him. In so doing, we begin to glimpse the promise of Revelation 21 and 22 of God's heavenly kingdom being united once more with an earth restored to Paradise and filled with eagerly awaiting faithful followers of Christ the King. Do we, like Abraham, long for this new place of Paradise restored, the 'eternal' city of God?
EXPLORE
1. Why might the concept of "kingdom" in the western democracy of the U.S. and similar be a challenge to understand?
2. If you have lived in a political kingdom on this earth, how does it compare to Christ's kingdom as revealed in scripture in your experience? How is God's will different from the will of human kings and queens?
3. Christians are dual citizens - citizens of a country somewhere on earth in which they were born, and citizens of God's kingdom to which we were reborn. As a person who is living in this dual citizenship, what conflicts have you encountered? What other challenges might you experience? What benefits might one receive?
4. Very few of us have an opportunity to personally meet the ruler of a country - be it king, queen, president, prime minister, etc. For those who have, how does God's kingdom and His will compare to that?
5. Lastly, considering what God's kingdom means and what the requirements of living as a citizen in this kingdom means, do you really want to be a citizen? Why do you answer as you do?
Write a prayer to God about His kingdom.
Christian music about God's kingdom: Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God (Maranatha); We Declare that the Kingdom of God is Here (Ron Kenoly); Kingdom, feat. Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore with Kirk Franklin (recorded with the inmates at the Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami-Dade, Florida in early March of 2022)
Go to the title page for a link to "Give us this day our daily bread"
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