The
Earthly Kingdom
The Earthly Kingdom model is an extension of rule of God
from a physical location as in the Old Testament. The Israelite people
experienced the daily presence of God in a physical form as early as the exodus
from Egypt. God also dwelt among them in the tabernacle and the temple before
the Babylonian exile. Their basic understanding of God was closely related if
not parallel to their understanding of what a king would be.[1] The thought becomes, if there is a king then
there is a kingdom.
The
Kingdom of God took on localization in the land that became the nation of
Israel which has existed in several phases throughout history. The Bible
concludes with the restoration of a new physical rule of God in the New
Jerusalem which was the capital of the Israelite nation (Rev. 21:1). The study
of the Kingdom of God has often been divided with the physical reality being
called the Kingdom of Heaven especially by dispensationalists who present that
God has established two kingdoms.[2]
The Earthly Kingdom often is related to God’s sovereignty
over all things He has created.[3]
This view is called the Universal Kingdom and removes the Kingship aspects or
rule over the chosen people of God from the earthy model. This view was made
popular by John Walvoord, who separated the Kingdom of God into several kingdoms
that encompass all the different moves and actions of God. However, in this study
the understanding is that the Earthly Kingdom of God has been God’s
relationship in a physical presence toward His people more than just His
creation acts. This incorporating of the physical presence of God will play a
part throughout the Bible and church age as well. The physical presence of God
may be a reality in the future depending on which millennial view is presented.
The prophecy from Ezekiel presents a future temple for God
which according to most theologians has not been realized yet. The views posed
by Dispensational Premillennialism and Historical Premillennialism expect a
physical temple to be built in Jerusalem.[4]
This new temple would establish the Kingdom of God on earth for all time. There
are other views of Ezekiel’s prophecy but they do not promote a physical
temple.
A
Spiritual Kingdom
The Spiritual
Kingdom of God is less defined and potentially much harder to detail. Depending
on the views that are held the nation of Israel, as covered earlier, can fall
in to this category. The Spiritual Kingdom though usually is defined in the realm
of the unseen. Luther when discussing the Lord’s Prayer explains the kingdom in
the light of the work of the Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
“Nothing else than what we learned in
the Creed, that God sent His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, into the world to
redeem and deliver us from the power of the devil, and to bring us to Himself,
and to govern us as a King of righteousness, life and salvation against sin
death, and an evil conscience, for which end He has also bestowed His Holy
Ghost, who is to bring these things home to us by His holy Word, and to
illumine and strengthen us in the faith by His power.” [5]
Luther was not the only proponent of a redemption aspect
of the Kingdom of God. Schofield believed that the Kingdom of God was the moral
rule of God in the hearts of those subject to Him.[6]
The movements that have bought into a propitiation kingdom are many. The Social
Gospel movements of the 19th an 20th centuries basically
hold to that understanding. God has joined with man and so the moral guidelines
will create methodology for how Christians live in the world that will improve
the existence of all humanity. The Blumhardt brothers argued that the kingdom
of God “comes to restore the real physical and social needs of as much as to
deal with issues that would more generally be considered spiritual, such as
guilt, shame and forgiveness.”[7]
The quote by the Blumhardts simply proves that there is an understanding that
the Kingdom of God can encompass everything that God would want to manifest in the
world. The spiritual kingdom, with all of the various aspects, is a staple
conversation in eschatology.
Every millennial view attempts to decipher the nature of
the Kingdom of God in the present and future times. The Spiritual Kingdom view
is presented as a currently existing entity that is ever expanding by
Postmillennialism.[8]
The kingdom does not have a physical presence on earth at this time but is
present through the church and the Gospel. Postmillennial and Amillennialism
supporters believe that Jesus is reigning as King from Heaven currently which
would mean that the Kingdom of God exists. The Kingdom of God has existed in
physical forms and is presented as a spiritual kingdom but how does a kingdom
exist in multiple places in different times. The Bible actually presents a
clear understanding of how God has set up His kingdom.
Thanks for reading this post and stay tuned for the next post "Biblical evidences for the Kingdom"
[1] Mr. G.R. Beasley-Murray, Jesus
and the Kingdom of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1988), 18.
[3]
Blaising and Bock, 43.
[5] Martin Luther, The Large
Catechism of Martin Luther, (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921),
WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "The Second Petition".
the witness of the Blumhardts." Journal
Of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care 6, no. 1 (March 1, 2013):
56-75. 69.
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