Christ in the great salvation day.
The Kingdom Of God.
Frequent reference is made throughout the New Testament to the "kingdom of
God" and the "kingdom of heaven." When the "God which is in heaven" was
"revealing the deep and secret things" unto Daniel concerning
Nebuchadnezzar's dream, he also revealed unto him that in the days of
those kings he would set up a kingdom which should never be destroyed,
consequently would stand forever. Dan. 2:44.
When John, the swift herald of the gospel day, came preaching, he said:
"Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Mat. 3:2. The first
words in the ministry of the Son of God were, "Repent: for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand." Mat. 4:17. The kingdom which Daniel saw was to be set
up. Great was the speculation throughout Jewry concerning the kingdom of
God in John's days. They were expecting a kingdom to excel in temporal
pomp and glory the grandeur of the kingdom of the Caesars. The Savior in
conversation with some Pharisees on one occasion astonished them by
saying, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall
they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within
you." Luke 17:20, 21.
Jesus one night explained to a ruler of the Jews how to enter this
kingdom. He said, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can
not enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5. Again he says, "Verily I say
unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall
not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Mat. 18:3. The inspired apostle in
Rom. 14:17 explains the nature of this kingdom: "For the kingdom of God is
not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost." In the process of the mysterious birth of the Spirit the soul
experiences a translation from a "power of darkness" into the kingdom of
God's dear Son. Col. 1:13.
It certainly must have dawned upon your understanding ere this that the
church of God and the kingdom of heaven are the same spiritual structure.
In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews several terms are used to denote the
church of God. In the twenty-second verse it is designated by "mount
Zion," the "city of the living God," the "heavenly Jerusalem," and an
"innumerable company of angels." In verse twenty-three it is denominated
"general assembly," "the church of the first-born," etc. In the
twenty-eighth verse it is called the "kingdom." By this we are made to
understa
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