The coming kingdom of God: when will it be?

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the knowledge of God and Christ our Savior. Christians today pray the Lord’s Prayer and in it is the phrase “thy kingdom come” and “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Indeed it is right to pray this way for this is our Lord’s Prayer himself as written in Matt 6:9-13 and this is a perfect way to pray, yet still, many believers do not fully understand why our Lord prayed this way and commanded us that in this manner we should pray. It is also written in Rev 1:5-6 “ And…Jesus Christ…hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen .” This also is a scripture that is used by many believers today without the depth of understanding of why this is so. Thanks be to God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who has made all these things known to us that we may share them with His people, that all may remain in Him unto the end.

In Matt 6:9-13 mentioned above, we are commanded to pray “they kingdom come” and “thy will be done on the earth”. Is the will of God being done on the whole earth today? The will of God is being done by some believers while the greater number of men on the earth today are doing the will of the devil, living in all forms of sin and wickedness. Is it not written in 2 Pet 3:9 that the will of God is that none should perish but that all should come unto repentance? So then, if men would refuse to repent but abound in sin, they do not the will of God. Is it not also written in Ezek 18:32 and 33:11 that it is God’s desire that none should perish? But yet many continue to perish as we speak because they continually reject God’s will and truth which he has sent to them by His prophets. They choose to go their own wicked ways and it is the way of death. So then, when will the will of God be done on the whole earth as stated in our Lord’s Prayer? For in the days that our Lord Jesus Christ walked on the earth at His first coming to die for the sins of the world, he professed and preached the message “repent! For the kingdom of Heaven is at hand” as written in Matt 4:17, but yet the literal kingdom did not come then. How do we know? Because at the time of His ascension, his disciples asked him if He was going to set up His literal kingdom on the earth in Israel at that time. By this question, we know that the kingdom was not yet set up and indeed Christ did not set it up but ascended into Heaven and commanded them to tarry till they receive the Holy Spirit. Are these things not also written in Acts 1:6-8?

Also, believers profess that we are kings and priests unto the Lord. Because of this word, many believers pursue riches, fame, power, and glory of this world tenaciously, and by this, many have fallen away and are now asleep and tormented in hell (1 Tim 6:6-11). That we are kings and priests unto the Lord is indeed true as the scriptures hath said, but when will our literal priesthood and kingship be revealed to all men? Many unbelievers do view the gospel as foolishness today and they think they are right. But who has seen a king or a priest and will not know that he is one? Will his garments not reveal a king? Much more a priest? Do priests not literally wear priestly robes so that all men, whether believers or unbelievers, recognize them? Do you need to be a Christian to know a priest or a king? No. So you’ll agree that all unbelievers should recognize a true priest and king. So then, why don’t they recognize Christians that claim to be kings and priests unto God as the scriptures hath said? Though the scriptures do say we are kings and priests unto God as written in Rev 1:6 and Eph 2:6, like it was in the profession of “thy kingdom come” in the days of Christ first coming but yet the literal kingdom is not yet come, likewise at this present time our literal kingship and priesthood is still in the realm of profession. For if this is not, then where is your priestly robe? Why can’t all men see it though you wear it as a symbolic robe of righteousness in the spirit? Presently, kings and priests is what we are by profession in the spirit but we will become literal kings and priests on the earth during the millennium. We shall literally wear kingly and priestly robes on the earth so that all men and all unbelievers will see us at our coming with Christ and know that indeed these are priests and kings. They will not need to be told for they shall see it with their eyes and know. Are these things not clearly written in Rev 20:4-6?

That we are called kings means that we must have a kingdom. This is the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God which we are commanded in our Lord’s Prayer to pray in the manner “thy kingdom come”. Our Lord Jesus Christ will be the king of this kingdom. Because we reign with Him, we will also be his kings. So then, when exactly will the literal kingdom come? When will the will of God be done on the whole earth as it being done in Heaven? When will His literal kingdom be set up? When shall we become literal priests and kings unto God putting on literal robes which all men will see which represents righteousness? According to the Word of the Lord, we know that these things shall be at the following:

1. At the return of the King from glory at His second coming (Matt 25:31-46, Isa 9:6-7, Dan 2:44-45, 7:13-14, 7:18-22, Zech 14, 2 Thess 1:7, Jude 14, Rev 17:14, 19:11-20:7)

2. When Jerusalem is surrounded by armies (Zech 14)

3. After the rapture of the church (1 Cor 15:51-58, 1 Thess 4:13-17), for the church comes back to the earth with Christ to set up His kingdom and reign over all the nations (Zech 14:1-5, Jude 14, Rev 5:10, 17:14, 19:11-21). It is not until after the days of the church that Christ comes to build again the house of David (Acts 15:13-18, Isa 9:6-7, 11:11, Hos 3:4-5, Luke 1:32-35). The church is raptured before the coming of the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:7-8) and Antichrist makes his appearance before Christ’s second coming (2 Thess 2:1-6). So the literal kingdom of God cannot be set up until these events takes place.

4. After the future tribulation, for Christ does not come to the earth with the saints until then (Matt 24:15-31, Zech 14:1-21, Dan 12:1-13, Rev 19:11-21).

5. After the great apostasy and the revelation of the Antichrist, who is destroyed at Christ’s second coming to the earth. This means he (Antichrist) must be here when Christ comes (2 Thess 2:1-12, Dan 7:8-27)

6. At the time the Antichrist is destroyed and Satan is bound for 1,000 years ( Rev 5:10, 20:1-7). During the church age which we currently are and is about to end, and the future tribulation period, Satan is loose (1 Pet 5:8, Rev 12:12-17, 13:1-8, 20:1-7). The devil is still loose today but will be bound at Christ’s coming.

7. After the first resurrection, for the saints reign with Christ on the earth for 1,000 years (Rev 5:9, 20:1-6). Therefore, the saints must first be resurrected before they can reign with Christ on earth.

8. After Israel is gathered back from all countries (Ezek 20:33-36, 36:17-38, 37:1-28, Hos 3:4-5, Dan 9:27).

9. When Israel as a nation is repentant (Zech 12:10-14, 13:1-9, 14:1-21, Matt 23:37-39, 24:15-31, 25:31-46, Rom 11:25-29)

10. When the Jews are delivered from the armies of the nations and become a blessing to all the families of the earth (Gen 12:1-3, Psa 2:6-8, Isa 25:6-9, Zech 9:9-11, 14:1-21, Acts 15:13-18, Luke 1:32-35).

11. In the days of the 10 kings that shall arise shortly from the old Roman Empire territories about the Mediterranean Sea (Dan 2:40-45, 7:18-28, Rev 17:8-18).

12. At the end of the times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:20-24, Rom 11:25-29, Acts 15:13-17).

13. After all of Rev 4-19 is fulfilled, for Christ comes in Rev 19-20 to set up His literal kingdom on the earth.

According to all these scriptures, the literal kingdom of God, when His will be done by all men on the face of the earth will follow after all the events mentioned above. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught that the literal kingdom set up would follow His second coming (Matt 16:21-27, 19:28, 20:20-23, 23:37-39, 24:3-31, 25:31-46, 26:29, 64, Acts 1:6-7, 3:19-21, John 14:3, Luke 9:26, 19:11-27, Rev 5:9-10, 11:15, 20:1-7). The Apostles of our Lord also taught that the literal kingdom would be set up at Christ’s second coming (1 Pet 1:7, 5:4, 2 Pet 1:16, 3:3-4, James 5:7, 1 John 2:28, Jude 14, 1 Tim 6:14-15). It is at this time that all true saints of God become literal kings and priests unto God and wear priestly garments that all men can literally see. What a glory that shall be revealed in us! Even the glory which the Son of God has bestowed upon us!

Therefore brethren, strive to partake of His kingdom which shall have no end but shall be from everlasting to everlasting. You do not partake by just confessing that we are kings and priests unto Him. You partake by confessing and doing His will everyday, as revealed in His words. You must live and walk according to all His commandments and fear Him not to sin against Him, for as it is written, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of the wisdom (Job 28:28, Psa 111:10, Pro 9:10). Sin is a deadly thing. It damns the soul. GodHimself has sworn that the soul that sinneth shall die except he repents. It does not matter if you confess the name of the Lord or not, if you sin, you must die for your sin except you repent. Then your sins are forgiven by God through washing away by the blood of the lamb. Are these things not written in Ezek 18? And the whole chapter reiterates this again and again? You must lean on the Holy Spirit always to help you to keep all the commandments of God. Serving God is always at a cost. It will always cost you. It will cost you forsaking the ways of the world, and not living like them. It will cost you persecutions (2 Tim 3:12). There are only very few leisurely things that are pure in the world today. Sin is hidden in most of them so every believer must be discerning always in the power of the Spirit to decide what and what not to engage in. This we do by the knowledge of the word of God and by the Holy Spirit. But in all these things, we have a true reward in Heaven which the Father will give to us when we see Him. Therefore brethren, we beseech you all to labor unto the end that no man take thy crown. Be steadfast and remain pure and holy in all things. T he Lord cometh shortly. Prepare, Watch, and Be Ready. Grace be unto you all. Amen .