Week 4 – Relation
Day 25 – Kingdom
Long before Jesus was born, when the nation of Israel was gathered on Mt. Sinai, the people accepted this Covenant from God their King.
"Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (Exodus 19:6)
His palace was a tabernacle in the wilderness, and his presence was with them in the cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When he moved, they moved and when he stopped, they stopped. They followed their King, as he instructed them through Moses.
But the people grew discontent.
"We want a king over us," they cried. "Then we will be like all other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles" (1 Samuel 8:19-20).God’s people had rejected Him as their king, but be gave them what they desired and appointed a king over them. Saul was the first king but he proved unfit, so he anointed David from the tribe of Judah, born in Bethlehem - all part of his plan to establish a kingdom - not a human kingdom but the Kingdom of God.
"Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever," and one of your sons will always sit upon it (2 Samuel 7:16).
Jesus was that Son of David who had come to re-establish the reign of God once more and restore this kingdom - a kingdom not of human glory like David's or Solomon's, but one with spiritual glory like the Kingdom in the wilderness, where the King himself dwelt in the midst of his people.
So when Jesus came preaching, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near" he was speaking of himself. The kingdom was near – the kingdom was here because he was in their midst.
"The kingdom of God is in the midst of you." (Luke 17:21)
This kingdom is available for every heart that acknowledges his kingship - for every life that desires to follow him.
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