The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Colossians 1:13-14,
"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Paul tells his readers they have been rescued from a dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of his Son he loves. What do we know about this kingdom? Here are some passages that I find helpful:
1. "Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" James 2:5. God has promised his kingdom to those who may be poor in the eyes of the world but are rich due to their faith. And, God's promises are always, without fail, fulfilled!
2. "...if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10b-11. Our welcome into God's kingdom is a "rich welcome"! Not something he begrudgingly gives to ex-sinners! Additionally, this kingdom is an eternal kingdom as it will last forever populated by us forever.
3. "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever." Revelation 11:15. Whatever kingdoms, nations, etc. there may be on earth, they will all be subdued and supplanted by the kingdom of God. Further, Jesus Christ will have no term limit as the leader of this nation, this kingdom. He will rule it for eternity. How wonderful it will be to have Jesus Christ as head of this nation with his pristine character and nature. Nothing like we labor under today!
4. "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah." Revelation 12:10. This kingdom is coming! Like a freight train that has already left the station up the tracks and headed our way, unstoppable, impossible to turn another way, crushing anything whatsoever in its path that may impede its arrival, it will be here in perfect time!
5. "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Revelation 5:10. Some are confused about the purpose of life today. It is simply this: God is building his kingdom! He is populating his nation, his family! This life is all about making babies and providing them the opportunity of the gospel - that they might be born again!
6. "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" Hebrews 12:28-29. The kingdom of God is not one that can be "shaken"! It cannot be threatened by any cause, will not be vulnerable to any challenge or any concern whatsoever: unshakable! No concerns for economic collapse, no threats from foreign powers or terrorists, will not threatened from within as there will be no malevolent character within it. No crime, no blight, no vandalism, no harmful politics or influences!
7. "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom." Hebrews 1:8. Justice will rule in God's kingdom! Where in this life we often find ourselves being treated unfairly, or we witness that which grates against our ingrained sense of "fairness" and "what is right", exploitation and those who take advantage of others, God's kingdom will be marked by justice, fairness, what is right!
8. "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 2 Timothy 4:18. God's kingdom is the safe haven! It is where all who have embraced him in faith find their safety and security. God will bring us safely into it so there is no need for insecurity, apprehensiveness, worry or anxiety. I am reminded of what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:8-9, "He [Jesus Christ] will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." God has staked his faithfulness on our safe arrival into his kingdom following this life!
9. "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12. God "calls" us to his kingdom, he invites us through the gospel! Everyone is invited and those who respond to the invitation by faith will find themselves safely and securely heaven-bound!
10. "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Ephesians 5:5. We will live in God's kingdom with others we will love to have as neighbors! A wonderful people, absent a sinful nature, having a nature that emulates the pristine character and nature of our Lord! Folks like me will be transformed from the wretch I am to someone you will actually find wonderful to be with for an eternity! I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, "Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." How wonderful is that?!
Here are ten good things to know about the kingdom of God. I am certain you can find another ten to add to this list... and many more! How wonderful the kingdom we await! It is wonderful because our magnificent, many-splendored God has made it so!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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