God’s Kingdom Work

Building the Kingdom

God's primary work is Kingdom work. It's what He's been doing since the creation of the world. Starting with Adam and Eve, then through the Jewish people, now through the Church, and then during the next age, God has been, is, and will be building His kingdom.

To understand the history of God's most important work, we must go back to the Old Testament, where we find many prophecies and promises God gave to the Jewish people regarding the coming King and His Kingdom.

Zechariah 14:9: And the LORD shall be king over all the earth.

2 Samuel 7:17: … thy [David] throne shall be established for ever.

Daniel 7:27: … the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

Isaiah 9:7: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

Psalm 2:6: Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Psalm 47:7-8 For God is the King of all the earth … God reigneth over the heathen.

Psalm 98:6: … make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.

God also promised the Jewish people: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (Exodus 19:6). God wanted the Jewish people to be part of His Kingdom, and part of the process in establishing this Kingdom, both spiritually and physically. Presently, a small portion of the Jewish people have come to faith in the Lord Jesus and are serving Him, but for the most part, the Jewish people have not accepted Christ, and hence are not living in faith, and are not a part of His Kingdom.

The Coming Kingdom

God's Kingdom work continued, wonderfully and dramatically so, when His Son, the King, came to Earth. It was about 2,000 years ago that Jesus entered this world as a baby, and then grew up and became a man. Jesus was perfect, the most loving person, an incredible teacher, and a healer of diseases, but the Jewish people still rejected Him. They didn't see their need for Jesus to save them from their sins.

Their rejection of Him as their Savior led to their rejection of Him as their King. Yet, Jesus assured His disciples He would come back and set up His Kingdom on Earth. In fact, just before He ascended into Heaven, He spoke to His disciples, … being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). The disciples were excited about the coming physical Kingdom, but they knew it had to be spiritual at its core, for Jesus first needed to be King in their hearts. He had already told them, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21).

Since that time, Christ has been building His Church, and God's Kingdom is continuing to grow. Millions of people, if not billions, have been delivered from the domain of darkness and delivered into the kingdom of Christ (Colossians 1:13). 1 Peter 2:9 also speaks of this kingdom, teaching that the Church is a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, language reminding us of God's promises and plans for the Jewish people.

The Coming King!

During this Church Age, God has commanded us to work with Him, seek His Kingdom, preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, and pray, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). We know it won't be long before Jesus Christ returns to set up His kingdom on Earth. This is because the Jewish people are back in their land, a clear indicator from God that we are living in the end-times (Ezekiel 37; Daniel 12:4, 9).

This Church Age is drawing to a close, and Jesus Christ will soon be coming back. He will return as a Savior to rapture the believers, as a Judge to punish the unbelievers, as a Redeemer to save a Jewish remnant, and as a King to set up His Kingdom on Earth.

At the end of Daniel's 70th Week, it will be said, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ (Revelation 11:15). What a momentous time that will be, for Christ will take control of the world, and finally be her King! Then for the next 1,000 years, believers will be working with our King, helping Him rule and guiding the nations. Multitudes more will be saved, and God's Kingdom will continue to grow during the entirety of Christ's glorious reign on Earth.

It is during this time that God's Millennial (1,000-year) promise will be true for all believers: God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him. Our prayer will be, Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. … God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him (Psalm 67:5, 7).

People all over the world will be praising our King: O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth (Psalm 47:1-2).

Steven J. Hogan has been a pastor-teacher for the past 25 years and at Hope Bible Church of Tampa since 2003.