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God is sovereign. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Psalm 33:10-11; 50:1; 66:7; 93:1; 103:19; Isaiah 40:15; Daniel 4:34-35; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 11:17) An attribute of His nature, His sovereignty is indicative of His supremacy of position and power.
Concordant with God’s sovereignty, He has absolute control over every aspect of His creation. He does whatever He pleases and no person or plan can alter His intent or obstruct His action. (Psalm 33:11; 115:3; 135:6; Isaiah 25:1; 43:13; 46:10; Daniel 4:35; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 4:3b) Therefore, whether by divine directive or permission, all that occurs within the created realm is in agreement with God's eternal plan. Kingdom of God The sovereign God possesses fullness of authority (the right to rule) in heaven and on earth, eternity and time. He is the King of Kings. Thus, there is no one else with comparable authority. (Psalm 5:2; 10:16; 29:10; 84:3; 145:1; Matthew 25:40; 27:11; Mark 15:2; 1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15; Revelation 15:3; 17:14) God, the King of kings, reigns over a kingdom. The primary word translated “kingdom” in the Old Testament is the Hebrew word malkuth (mal-kooth') (1 Chronicles 11:10; 14:2; Psalm 45:6; 103:19; 145:11-13; Daniel 10:13; etc.). In the New Testament, “kingdom” is translated from the Greek word basileia (bas-il-i'-ah) (John 3:3-5; Acts 1:3; Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 4:20). According to George Eldon Ladd, “The primary meaning of both the Hebrew word malkuth in the Old Testament and of the Greek word basileia in the New Testament is the rank, authority, and sovereignty exercised by a king.” He further clarified, “A basileia (kingdom) may indeed be a realm over which a sovereign exercises his authority; and it may be the people who belong to that realm and over whom authority is exercised; but these are secondary and derived meanings.”[1] To restate, the original languages of the Bible reveal that the “kingdom of God” is first and foremost indicative of the sovereign authority of God. Derived from this primary meaning, it only secondarily refers to a realm or people. Consequently, when Jesus said, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness,” He was not first suggesting that mankind should seek a realm or people but personal submission to divine authority. (Matthew 6:33) Although derived and secondary, the realm and people of the kingdom cannot be entirely ignored. Consequently, the “kingdom of God” can be defined as follows: |
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Manifested in eternity and time, the "kingdom of God" (realm of divine authority) is essential to the message of both Old and New Testaments. Although it is not addressed specifically as the "kingdom of God" in the Old Testament, the kingdom authority of God is communicated consistently throughout. In contrast, the "kingdom of God" is referenced directly in the New Testament (66x). It is discussed in more general terms at least another 145 times.
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Kingdom Attributes
The “kingdom of God” first and foremost refers to the sovereign authority of God. An attribute of the divine nature, the “kingdom of God” can refer to the living God Himself. (cf. Romans 14:17) Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that the divine kingdom shares all of the attributes of its King. Thus, among vast number of other attributes, the kingdom of God is characterized by: |
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Kingdom Citizenship
The kingdom of God was originally populated only with angelic beings. (Job 38:7; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:1-6) For purpose of compatibility, God created them in a state of holiness and immortality. Therefore, He made the angels to be morally and ethically perfect and provided them with life that would never end. Consequently, they were suited for essential roles within the kingdom. It is helpful to note that the English word “angel” is not a translation of the Greek word angelos. It is a transliteration. Therefore, its meaning was merely transferred between languages. The actual translation of the Greek word angelos is “messenger.” By implication, it refers to one who is sent to “announce or proclaim.” Therefore, angelos is descriptive of the significant role of the angelic beings within God’s kingdom. Referenced 186 times in the New Testament, the angels are representative of God. He sends them to proclaim His message and fulfill His will and work. (Psalm 103:20-21; Daniel 7:10; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 1:14; cf., Matthew 11:10; Luke 7:24; 9:52; Galatians 4:14; Hebrews 1:7, 14; 13:2; James 2:25) Thus, the angels were created to be messengers and ministers of God. (Matthew 1:20-21; Luke 1:11-20; 26-38; Acts 7:38, 53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2; Revelation 14:6-11) To satisfy their vital role in the kingdom, the angels of God were created holy, immortal, and spiritual. (Matthew 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 20:36; Hebrews 1:14) Additionally, they were provided with personal awareness and freedom of will. As a result, the angels were given the capability for thought, emotion and choice and the privilege of choosing whether to reciprocate the love of their King. (Matthew 8:29; Luke 2:13; 8:28-31; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Timothy 2:26; James 2:19; 1 Peter 1:12; Jude 6; Revelation 12:17) The Bible indicates that God created distinct types of angelic beings. Along with the angels they included the cherubim and seraphim. (Psalm 148:2; Isaiah 6:1-7; 37:16; Ezekiel 1; 10; John 1:51; 1 Corinthians 13:1; Hebrews 9:5) The angels, cherubim, and seraphim were created to be equal in status before God but ordered by authority. According to their ordered equality, they were anointed to serve in a variety of important roles. The cherubim and seraphim were nearest to God. They have essential roles near the throne of God. (Isaiah 6:1-7; Ezekiel 1:26-28; 9:3; 10:1-22) The cherubim magnified God through worship and praise. In addition, as evidenced by their symbolic inclusion in the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, they represented God and guarded the attributes of His nature. (Exodus 25:18-22; 26:1; 1 Kings 6:23, 27; Ezekiel 10:1-14) The cherubim were also known to fulfill important tasks for God on earth. (Genesis 3:24) The Bible references the seraphim only once. (Isaiah 6:1-7) Sent by God, they served as the agency through which Isaiah was purified. It is clear from the passage that they also worshiped God, proclaimed His holiness, and declared His sovereignty over the earth. After the rebellion of the devil and his angels, the eternal plan of God allowed for the repopulation of His kingdom with another type of being, spatiotemporal human beings. Like the angels, their citizenship in the kingdom required holiness and immortality. Thus, the kingdom of God is populated with holy and immortal citizens who are both angelic and human. Kingdom Governance The Bible reveals two fundamental types of governance; law and life (zoe). Separated from God and dead to Him, unholy angelic and human beings outside of the kingdom of God are governed by His law. Therefore, it is the law of the dead. Joined to God and alive to Him, holy angelic and human beings in the kingdom are governed by His life (zoe). Thus, it is the law of the living (zoe). In heaven or on earth, the governance of created beings only occurs by law or life (zoe). Law of Sin In the New Testament epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul described the law of the dead, for benefit of those outside of the kingdom, as the “law of sin.” Elsewhere he described it as the “law of sin and of death,” the “ministry of death,” and the “ministry of condemnation.” (Romans 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:7, 9) The “law of sin” was manifested for the governance of unholy human beings who exist in a state of separation from God outside of His kingdom. Therefore, the “domain of darkness” (the realm of sin and death; the temporary realm of satanic authority; the fallen world) is governed according to the "law of sin." The Apostle Paul plainly stated, “…[the] law [of sin] is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.” (1 Timothy 1:8-11) During the Israelite Age, the “law of sin” was specifically manifested on earth through the Mosaic Law. It was divinely provided for benefit of the Jewish people and their nation. Their failure to obey the “law of sin” was ultimately intended to lead them to faith in the coming Messiah, the source of eternal life (zoe). In the Gentile Age, the “law of sin” was adapted to suit the nations of the world. Consequently, it was no longer identified as the Mosaic Law or “law of Moses.” Adapted for a broader Gentile populous, it was simply referred to in the New Testament era as “law.” For benefit of the unholy, the “law of sin” was established on earth for the primary purpose of revealing sin. (Romans 3:20; 7:7) By its revelation of sin, it was intended to unveil the hopelessness of sin and death, produce accountability to God, and reveal to the unholy their desperate need for the Savior. As a result, the “law of sin” was meant to lead the unholy to faith in the Messiah or Christ. (Galatians 3:23-24) Law of God In Romans, Paul described the law of the living (zoe), for benefit of those in the kingdom of God, as the “law of God.” (Romans 7:22-23, 25, 8:2; 7) In the New Testament, it is further described as the “law of Christ,” the “law of faith,” the “law of the Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus,” the “perfect law,” and the “law of liberty.” (Romans 3:27; 8:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2; James 1:25; 2:12) The “law of God” was manifested for the governance of holy human beings who are joined to God through an intimate union of shared law and life. They exist in the Light in the kingdom of God (the eternal realm of divine authority; the realm of the Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus). It is governed according to the “law of God.” The “law of God” is the gracious rule of His indwelling life (zoe). (cf. John 14:6; Acts 3:15; 5:20; Romans 5:10, 17, 21; 7:4-6; 7:10; 8:2; 2 Corinthians 3:6;; 4:10-11; Colossians 3:3-4; 1 John 5:20) Therefore, it is only for those who have been transformed by God through spiritual birth. Consequently, they have been made righteous, obedient from the heart, lawful, godly, holy, and spiritual. Thus, the “law of God” is the law of the living (zoe). For benefit of the holy, the “law of God” does not reveal sin. It only reveals the Savior. Kingdom Summary |
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© 2025 James Hiatt
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