What Christadelphians believe about the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God is spoken of through the entire Bible. The fact that the plan of God is an everlasting Kingdom to be established on the earth by the Lord Jesus Christ at his return to the earth is seen in the following passages:
“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…” (Daniel 2:44)
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom…” (2 Timothy 4:1)
The Bible is the source document regarding God’s plan. This is because, the Bible states that God is the author of the Bible. It is true and it is right.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
From these quotations we can see that God does in fact have a plan for this earth and life upon it. The plan will be established when Jesus Christ returns to set up the Kingdom and reign as King over the entire earth. If we want to be part of that Kingdom we must believe in Jesus and be baptized into his saving name. We therefore become children of Abraham and inheritors of the promise for ever and ever.
In the Bible is a promise that there will come a time of permanent peace, when Jesus returns as king. If we believe in Jesus Christ and try to obey his commandments, we have hope of being saved from death, and being given eternal life.
“Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” How many times have you said these words, or heard them said by others? They are part of the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. You can read it in Luke 11:2-4. We know the words very well – but do we know just what they mean? Look at them again. They are a prayer that God’s Kingdom may come, and that His will may be done on this earth, as it is always done in heaven. So we see straight away that the Kingdom for which we are to pray is to be here on this earth. And when God’s Kingdom comes, then men and women will do His will.
A kingdom must be somewhere, and thousands of years ago God chose the land which is to be the centre of His Kingdom. It is the land of Israel. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and it will be the future world capital when Jesus Christ is reigning as King. Jesus himself said “But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great king” (Matthew 5:34-35).
First, there will be the rulers. These will be the men and women who have been disciples, followers of Jesus, from all ages, who have now been given eternal life by Jesus at his coming. They will be kings and priests, helping Jesus to rule the world. They will be immortal people (that is, people who will not die again).
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).
There will also be Jews who have accepted Jesus as their king. Jerusalem will become the capital city for the whole world. All nations will look to it, because God’s law will be based there.
“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart” (Jeremiah 3:17).
When Christ comes, God’s judgments will be severe, and many people will perish. But those who are left alive, throughout the world will, under the rule of Jesus, learn to do that which is pleasing to God – as it tells us in Isaiah 26:9, “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”
Christadelphians believe that he will return to the Earth in person to set up the Kingdom of God in fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and David. This includes the belief that the coming Kingdom will be the restoration of God’s first Kingdom of Israel, which was under David.
The Kingdom of God for which we must pray will be an earthly kingdom, the ancient Kingdom of Israel restored under the rule of the Lord Jesus Christ at his return. It will replace all existing kingdoms. The world will have a King who will be all-powerful, whom all the earth will obey, a king who will be able to bring peace at last to this troubled world.
Article by Sair, Photography by Milada Vigerova (pexels.com)
