In Matthew 6:33, Jesus tells His disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. What is the Kingdom of God? Some say the Kingdom of God is Heaven, others say the Kingdom of God will be established when Jesus returns to set up an earthly throne, etc. Does the Bible give a definitive answer as to what the Kingdom of God is? Let us see…
Old Testament Predictions of the Kingdom
I. Read Isaiah 2:1-3
1. When will God establish His Mountain? _______________.
2. Who will stream to His Mountain? ______________.
3. According to verse 3, from what city will all this take place? __________________.
II. Read Daniel 2:25-45
The prophet Daniel interprets king Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon.
1. According to verse 38, who is the head of gold? ________________.
Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon. He represented the gold head of the statue. According to verses 39-40, the other elements (silver, etc.) were other kingdoms that were to come after his kingdom. According to history, after Babylon, came the Medo-Persian Kingdom, followed by the Grecian kingdom, followed by the Roman Kingdom. The breakdown is as follows:
- Head of gold = Babylonian Kingdom (Nebuchadnezzar)
- Arms and chest of silver = Medo-Persian Kingdom (Darius and Cyrus)
- Thighs of bronze (brass) = Grecian Kingdom (Alexander the Great)
- Legs of iron = Roman Kingdom (Caesars)
- Feet and toes of iron and clay = The divided Roman Kingdom
2. According to verses 35 and 44, the rock that became a huge mountain represents the __________ of God.
3. Therefore, the mountain spoken in Isaiah 2:2 was referring to the _____________ of God.
4. According to verses 40-44, during the days of which kings will God set up His kingdom: Babylon (gold), Medo-Persia (silver), Greece (bronze/brass) or Rome (iron)? ________. (Hint: Where did the rock strike?)
III. Read Daniel 7:18
1. Who will possess the kingdom of God? _________.
New Testament Predictions of the Kingdom
IV. Read Matthew 4:17
1. According to Jesus, what was at hand, in other words, what was near? ________________.
Note: Jesus was preaching during the time when the kingdom of Rome (Iron) was in power. Daniel predicted that God would set up His Kingdom during the days of the “iron” or “Roman” kings.
V. Read Mark 9:1
1. According to Jesus, how was the kingdom going to come? ____________.
2. Jesus said some of those standing there with Him (including His apostles) will not taste death until they see the kindgom come with power. In other words, the kingdom was going to come during the lifetime of His apostles. Do you see that from this passage? ____.
VI. Read John 3:3-5
1. According to verse 5, how is the kingdom to be entered? _________ and _____________.
VII. Read Matthew 16:16-19
1. According to verse 19, what did Jesus give to Peter? ______________.
2. What are keys for? _________________________.
3. Therefore, the “keys of the kingdom” allows a person to enter into the ___________________.
The Fulfillment: The Kingdom Comes
VIII. Read Acts 2:1-4
1. The day of Pentecost had come. In Mark 9:1, Jesus said the kingdom was to come with power. Do you see a powerful event happening here in Acts 2:1-4? _____.
IX. Read Acts 2:5
1. Isaiah 2:2 spoke of all nations streaming to God’s Mountain. According to Acts 2:5, who were present: devout men from where? ________________.
2. Isaiah 2:3 spoke of God’s Mountain (or Kingdom) originating from Jerusalem. According to Acts 2:5, from what city was this powerful event taking place? _____________.
X. Read Acts 2:14-17
1. Jesus said in Mark 9:1 that some standing in His presence would see the kingdom come with power. We see here Peter and the 11 other apostles present during this powerful event. Do you see that from this passage? _____.
2. Isaiah 2:2 said God was going to establish His Mountain during the last days. According to verse 17, was this powerful event taking place in the last days? ______.
Note: The term “last days” is simply referring to the days of the New Testament. We have been in the last days since the start of the New Testament. This explains why passages like Hebrews 1:1-2 and James 5:1-3 refer to the current time as the “last days.” XI. Read Acts 2:36-38
In John 3:5, Jesus said a man must be born of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom and in Matthew 16:16-19, Jesus gave Peter the keys of the Kingdom.
1. Peter, the man given the “keys of the kingdom” tells the people to repent and be _______________ (born of water), and they will receive the gift of the ___________ (born of Spirit).
XII. Read Colossians 1:13-14
1. Paul told the Colossian church that they had been rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the __________________________.
2. Therefore, those in the church are in presently in the ______________.
3. Therefore, the church is the _________________.
XIII. Read Romans 1:7, Ephesians 1:1 & Philippians 1:1
1. Daniel 7:18 says the saints will possess the kingdom of God. The letters of Romans, Ephesians and Philippians were written to churches. What were these church members addressed as? ____________.
XIV. Read Acts 2:42
1. Those in the Kingdom devote themselves to:
a. ____________________________,
b. ____________________________,
c. ____________________________,
d. ____________________________.
XV. Read Matthew 6:33
1. What must a true disciple of Jesus seek first? _______________________________________.
The Kingdom of God is the Church. Those who are born of water and Spirit have entered into the Kingdom (John 3:5; Acts 2:38). The Kingdom of God is not a physical, man-made kingdom like that of Babylon or Rome; it is a spiritual kingdom (John 18:36) where Jesus is King, Christians are His subjects, and the Word of God is the governing law. Those in Christ are called “saints” (Romans 1:7) and the Kingdom belongs to them (Daniel 7:18).
What has the Lord taught you in this Bible lesson?
