Handout for Revelation 12 (2)

Matthew 3:1-3

Terminology of the Kingdom

The NT records 137 references to the “kingdom” and over 100 of these are during Jesus’ ministry, as His entire teaching and approach as Messiah – the Saviour King –

centre on this theme.  To what does “the kingdom” refer?  It refers to God’s sovereign rule in the universe – He is the King of the heavens (Gen 1:1).  But more specifically,

 here it refers to the entry of God’s long-anticipated Anointed One – the prophesied Messiah, the promised Son of David who would not only be the Saviour, Deliverer,

 and King of Israel, but of all mankind.  “The Gentiles” (or all nations) – all flesh – were promised recipients of this hope (Is 9:6-7, 11:10, 40:5).  Declaring the kingdom

 “at hand” that is “drawing near” John was announcing that the rule of God’s King was about to overthrow the power and rule of all evil – both human and hellish. 

The “kingdom" was near because the King was here.  And His presence, introducing the power of the “kingdom of God” meant a new world of potential hope to mankind. 

Man would no longer need to be held hostage to either the rule of death over mankind, resultant from human sin and sinning, or to the deadening rule of oppressive human

systems, political or otherwise.  Further, the kingdom of darkness would be confronted and the death, deprivation, disease, and destruction levied by satanic power would

begin to be overthrown.  As God’s King, Jesus offers the blessing of God’s rule, now available to bring life to every human experience, as well as deliverance from the

dominance of either flesh or the devil.

The Message of the Kingdom

The first call of the kingdom is to repentance.  The implications of biblical repentance are threefold:-

1.      Renunciation and reversal

2.      Submission and teachability

3.      Continual shapeability

There is no birth into  the kingdom without hearing the call to salvation, renouncing one’s

sin, and turning from sin toward Christ the Saviour (Acts 3:19)

There is no growth in the kingdom without obedience to Jesus’ commandments and a child-like responsiveness as a disciple of Jesus, yielding to the teaching of God’s

Word (James 1:2—25)

There is no lifelong increase of fruit as a citizen of the kingdom without a willingness to accept the Holy Spirit’s correction and guidance (Eph 4:30)