What is the kingdom in its reality? After His resurrection the Lord Jesus spent forty days speaking to His disciples the things concerning the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). In the church life the saints sometimes complain that our conferences are too long because they always last seven or eight days and because each meeting is more than an hour long. They say that it would be best if each conference lasted only three or four days and each meeting were no longer than twenty or thirty minutes. However, when the Lord spoke to His disciples concerning the kingdom of God, He spent five consecutive eight-day periods, the equivalent of five consecutive conferences, speaking to them concerning the kingdom of God day after day. From this we see that the things concerning the kingdom of God cannot be fully covered in only a few days.
What the Lord Jesus spoke concerning the kingdom of God in those forty days is not clearly stated in the Bible. Usually, the things God wants us to know are clearly revealed in the Bible, but sometimes it seems that God wants to give us a difficult time. Unlike the outlines of our messages, which always give us several main points, in Acts 1:3 the Bible simply refers to “the things concerning the kingdom of God.” When I was young, every time I read this portion, I would ask myself, “What exactly did He speak about? The Lord Jesus spoke the things concerning the kingdom of God, but what are those things?” At that time I was always puzzled. I did not know what the things concerning the kingdom of God were. Even today I still dare not say that I know very much. I can only fellowship with you according to what I know.
The Bible clearly says that unless one is born anew, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 5). What is the kingdom of God, and what things are involved in the kingdom of God? We should not regard this matter as something insignificant. In the beginning of the New Testament the Lord Jesus proclaimed the gospel by saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (Matt. 4:17). Later, when He was teaching the disciples, He began by saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (5:3). From this we see that the gospel we have heard is the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel we believe in is not only the gospel of salvation but also the gospel of the kingdom. The goal of this gospel is the kingdom; this gospel is to save us into the kingdom. As for what this kingdom actually is, I am afraid that few are able to answer this question.
We pointed out at the beginning of this chapter that the kingdom is not merely a matter of place. For example, the Philippines is not only a place but also a country. A kingdom, a country, is not merely a place; it also includes some special items. I must point out two of these important items. Today there are generally three requirements for being a country. First, there must be citizens. Second, there must be the land, the territory. Third, there must be the sovereignty. Only when there are citizens, territory, and sovereignty can there be a country or nation. In this chapter we will pay attention to only two items: the matter of authority, that is, sovereignty, and the matter of place, or territory. However, regarding territory, what we will pay attention to is not a physical land but a realm, or a sphere.
What is the kingdom of God? Spiritually, the first characteristic of the kingdom of God is God’s sovereign authority. The kingdom of God is where God reigns, where God exercises His authority. For example, the Philippines is not merely a place but also a country, for in that place there is the authority of the Filipino government. Hence, when we go to the Philippines, we cannot enter the land freely. If the Philippines were not a country but merely a deserted island, it would be an ordinary place where people could freely enter and leave. However, the Philippines is a country, having the authority and sovereignty of the Filipino government. Hence, we cannot enter the country freely but must obtain permission from the government. Even after permission is obtained, we still cannot act freely but must be under the restriction of the law of the government there.
When I was in the Philippines, I frequently traveled by jeep. The brothers who drove the jeep often scared me because most of them were young people with a quick disposition. They drove the jeep at high speeds. One evening a brother was driving very fast. After we crossed a bridge, I reminded him, “Do not drive too fast, or the police will stop us.” As soon as I finished speaking, we saw a policeman. If anyone drives too fast, he may be stopped by the police. This is because the Philippines is a country with its independent authority, its sovereignty, based upon which laws were written, including traffic regulations. For those who drive in this country, there are many traffic signs along the way to regulate and restrict them. Why is this? It is because the Philippines is a country, not a vacant land or a deserted island, nor merely a place or a space. This country has its authority, its dominion, and its laws.
Hence, the kingdom of God is God’s sovereign rule, God’s authority. The kingdom of God is God’s dominion, God’s reign. Before we repented, believed in the Lord, and were saved, we did not have God’s authority in us and were therefore not under God’s ruling. God’s authority had no ground in us. In these past six thousand years there has not been the authority of God, the kingdom of God, in millions of Adam’s descendants on earth. Thus, the kingdom of God has had to remain in heaven; there God can rule and reign only over the angels. God has no authority on earth; He cannot rule over man or exercise His authority on earth.
Before we were saved, was the sovereignty of God in us? No. Young people would surely do wrong things if they could hide it from their parents. Citizens of a country would most likely do many evil things if there were no police stations or law courts. Students would surely misbehave if there were no teachers, principals, or offices of academic affairs. Before we were saved, we knew only the laws of the nation, the rules in our family, and the regulations of the school. If we worked in a company, we also knew the rules and regulations in the company. We did not have the authority of God in us. As long as we did not violate the laws of the nation, break the school’s regulations, or violate any rules, or as long as we were not caught by our parents, husbands, or wives, we could have our way and do whatever we wanted to do. We were not concerned, afraid, restricted, or restrained. This was the situation before our salvation. We did not have the authority of God, the ruling of God, in us, and we never allowed God to rule in us. We were altogether outside God’s kingdom.
God’s purpose, God’s plan, and God’s eternal goal are to bring His created ones, one by one, under His authority and ruling so that He may establish His kingdom in them. Hence, He came to preach the gospel to people, telling them to repent. The way for us to repent is to turn and submit ourselves to God’s authority. Thus, the gospel in the New Testament begins with the words, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (3:2; 4:17). The kingdom of the heavens is coming to rule, which means that God is coming to rule. The ruling of God has drawn near. As soon as we repent, we come under God’s authority, God’s ruling. This is God’s kingdom.
Therefore, the main point concerning the kingdom of God is not its physical form or its location. In Luke 17:20-21 the Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, Behold, here it is! or, There! For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” This shows that the kingdom of God is not earthly or physical but heavenly and spiritual. Because this kingdom is heavenly, it is called the kingdom of the heavens. In other words, it is the ruling of God’s kingdom among men.
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