FUNCTIONAL GOD'S PRESENT KINGDOM

In my quest or deep desire to search for God's Kingdom reality function on earth now; google helped me trace a website on the topic. I do not always want to quote other people's ideas, inspirations, visions or revelations; except by the Spirit's direction. That is why I confidently take the insight God had given to David Grabbe in this article; and simply picked a slice of  it to share with my internet fans!

"Many first-century Jews could identify with the phrase “kingdom of God.” They eagerly wanted God to send them a leader who would throw off Roman rule and make Judea an independent nation again—a nation of righteousness, glory and blessings, a nation everyone would be attracted to. There was a variety of speculations about how this would be done. The concept was attractive, although it was not very well defined.

In this cultural longing for national restoration, John and Jesus preached the nearness of God’s kingdom. Mid-way through Jesus’ earthly ministry, the message continued. He told his disciples to preach “The kingdom of heaven has come near” and to heal the sick (Matt. 10:7; cf. Luke 10:9, 11).

But the kingdom most people hoped for did not happen. The Jewish nation was not restored. Even worse, the temple was destroyed and the Jews were scattered. Even now, 2000 years later, the Jewish hopes are still unfulfilled. Was Jesus wrong in his prediction, or was he not predicting a national kingdom?

Well, we do not believe that Jesus was wrong. Rather, the popular hopes and speculations were wrong. Jesus’ kingdom was not like the popular expectation—as we might guess from the fact that many Jews wanted to kill him. His kingdom was “not of this world” (John 18:36). When he talked about the “kingdom of God,” Jesus used a phrase the people knew, but he was giving it a different meaning. John 3:3)—to understand it or experience it, a person must be renewed by God’s Spirit (verse 6). The kingdom of God was a spiritual kingdom, not a civil and physical organization."

Let me comment here, God's Kingdom terminology sounds like those of the world, it is very familiar to people, but the Spiritual interpretation and principles for practical operation is what had held many people in much dellusion. However, God Himself who instituted or established it is making it known to His faith people now than ever before; it must be accomplished in His own best time now. Walk in the Spirit and find out how elaborate it stands out!