WHAT IS THE GOSSPEL OF THE KINGDOM
THAT JESUS PREACHED
By W. G. Guy
Matthew 4:23 – And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
It appears that the old cliché,” You can’t see the forest for the trees” applies to Christianity and the church when it comes to the kingdom of God. Thus we need to take a step back so we can view the whole message of the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus preached everywhere He went.
Matthew 9:35 – And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
First we need to recognize that the word gospel means “good news”; thus Jesus’ message that He declared has great significance to mankind: greater than most of us realize. So let’s go deeper into what the kingdom of God is as it pertains to mankind. To do this we must go back into the history of man to see what it is that God intended for man to be and to have.
Genesis 1:26-28 – And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
What does have dominion mean? It means to have rule and reign over what one has been appointed over; thus a kingdom. God’s plan and purpose was for man to rule over this earth and everything that is in it: and everything that God remade was good – VERY GOOD.
Genesis 1:31 – And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
However, this was the earth as God repurposed it following the six day re-making of it for mankind to rule over as a son of God. We need to recognize that Adam was a son of God, and God put of himself into Adam when He breathed His Spirit in to him.
Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
It is the breath, the Spirit of God, that makes man a living soul, as a child or son of God. This is recorded in the family tree and lineage of Jesus going all the way back to Adam.
Luke 3:38 – which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
The soul of Adam, (and mankind), became separated from God (or died to God) due to sin. Note also that the earth was changed, or cursed, after sin came on the scene through the subtly of Satan.
Genesis 3:17-19 – And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
At this point it necessary to go further back in time to understand that Satan, named Lucifer in the past, and his reason to interfere with God’s purpose and plan for man. In eons past the earth was under the influence (rule) of Lucifer, “the anointed cherub that covereth” the original earth with all of its inhabitants.
Ezekiel 28:13-17 – Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyz, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thous art the anointed cherub that covereht; and I have set thee so: thou wast wupon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thous wast perfect in thy ways from the day that that thou waaast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from ffhe midst if the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thous hast corrupted thy wisdom by means of they brightness: I will cast thee ti the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Note that whatever kind of society that existed under Lucifer’s reign on earth may have looked humanoid, but was not actually man, because they were not made in the image and likeness of God, nor did they have the Spirit (breath) of God in them. This was the pre-adamic form of man, the “caveman”, and the like, with all the ancient monstrous animals that were destroyed when the earth became without form and void.
Genesis 1:1-3 – In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Verse two has a mistranslation. The word used for “was” is the word hayah, and elsewhere in the Old Testament is translated “became”, but the Bible translators did not understand this fact, so they used the past tense rather than the proper present tense of the word. This is further explained as follows:
Jeremiah 4:23-26 – I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountians, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the trees thereof were broken dosn at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said.
Notice that in the six day recreation that God did not create the earth but said, “let the earth bring forth…..:. In other words, God is saying “allow to come forth what is already made but was out of sight”.
Isaiah 45:18 – For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
The devil lost his position as the “anointed cherub that covered” due to his rebellion against God, (as stated in Ezekiel 28). All of earth’s lifeforms that were under Lucifer’s influence also were led in rebellion against God. Thus God had to eliminate it all and re-make the earth anew; which He did in six days; and provided new leadership that God made after His own image and likeness. Obviously the devil was jealous and sought a means to return to his former dominion. But the devil did not go after Adam, instead he went after his wife, who Adam named Eve.
1 Timothy 2:14 – And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Eve committed an act of lust which is sin, and she died instantly, as God said: but this death was spiritual, not physical; that came later. The temptation that Satan used was to be like a god; just as the devil claimed that he was. She failed to realize that she was already like God, being made in His image and likeness. Adam then ate of the fruit so that God could initiate His plan of redemption that was already formed before the world (human society) began,
2 Timothy 1:9 – who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
God knew what the devil would do and had made arrangements to redeem what would become lost. Everything that God has done, with and through Jesus, is done on purpose, and according to His plan. Noth was odne by accident or caught God by surprise.
Romans 8:28-29 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Jesus is the first fruits of the redeemed, and we who are born again of the Spirit of God and Christ are now Christ’s brethren and joint heirs to His kingdom: now back to the way it all began, but now restored through Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:16-18 – The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
God has something glorious waiting for us after we finish our journey in this life. Jesus also gives an example of His dominion that he has given to mankind through the power of His name - Jesus Christ, who is called the last Adam: the second man that came directly from God, and having the exact same Spirit of God in Him that was in Adam.
Luke 9:1 – Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
What God had initially set up for man on earth through Jesus is to be restored back to the way God had originally intended. This is what redemption means: to restore to the original state. This is the message of the kingdom that Jesus preached, and ordaianed His disciples, and us to preach.
Luke 12:31-32 - But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it
is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Jesus came to restore man back to a personal and intimate relationship and fellowship with God as our Heavenly Father. Then to rule and reign over all the earth with Christ as kings and lords with Him, in His kingdom on earth for the next thousand years, the seventh millennium – the Sabbath millennium; when He is King and Lord of all, and we rule with Him.
Consider what a Landlord is: he is the ruler of the domain given to him by the supreme ruler so that he has dominion. Jesus calls us to be lords with Him under His leadership. This is His kingdom message that He proclaimed as the good news that God has prepared and sent His redemption for mankind. Then after that thousand years, the seventh millennium, comes eternity with Him. God’s original plan for man is being carried out to completion. As it began, so shall it be finished!
The gospel of the Kingdom is so important that it needs to be summarized again. God has plan for man to rule and reign with God in His kingdom, and this is forever. This rule began on earth as His children, but Satan subverted His plan, but God had already prepared for that in His plan of redemption. That plan was accomplished through Jesus Christ, the last Adam, the second man form God as His Son. That plan is still a work in progress and is being carried out, and is almost complete. His plan will be finished when the seventh and last trumpet sounds, and the seventh vile is poured out.
Revelation 11:15 – And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 16:17 – And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Jesus spoke this to His followers, and the message carries unto us who believe in Him.
Luke 22:28-30 – Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
We, as believers in Christ have an assignment to do as Jesus declared in the form of a parable illustrating the coming of the His kingdom.
Luke 19:11-13 – And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
The gospel of the kingdom is so much more than the message of salvation through Jesus Christ; it is about the full restoration of God’s love for His beloved creation, man and His eternal position and relationship for man as His children, sons and daughters of God to be with Him forever.
So let us be diligent to seek first the Kingdom of God, and to faithfully represent Jesus, His Son, and God own children.
Matthew 24:14 – And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
WHAT IS THE GOSSPEL OF THE KINGDOM
THAT JESUS PREACHED
By W. G. Guy
Matthew 4:23 – And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
It appears that the old cliché,” You can’t see the forest for the trees” applies to Christianity and the church when it comes to the kingdom of God. Thus we need to take a step back so we can view the whole message of the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus preached everywhere He went.
Matthew 9:35 – And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
First we need to recognize that the word gospel means “good news”; thus Jesus’ message that He declared has great significance to mankind: greater than most of us realize. So let’s go deeper into what the kingdom of God is as it pertains to mankind. To do this we must go back into the history of man to see what it is that God intended for man to be and to have.
Genesis 1:26-28 – And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
What does have dominion mean? It means to have rule and reign over what one has been appointed over; thus a kingdom. God’s plan and purpose was for man to rule over this earth and everything that is in it: and everything that God remade was good – VERY GOOD.
Genesis 1:31 – And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
However, this was the earth as God repurposed it following the six day re-making of it for mankind to rule over as a son of God. We need to recognize that Adam was a son of God, and God put of himself into Adam when He breathed His Spirit in to him.
Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
It is the breath, the Spirit of God, that makes man a living soul, as a child or son of God. This is recorded in the family tree and lineage of Jesus going all the way back to Adam.
Luke 3:38 – which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
The soul of Adam, (and mankind), became separated from God (or died to God) due to sin. Note also that the earth was changed, or cursed, after sin came on the scene through the subtly of Satan.
Genesis 3:17-19 – And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
At this point it necessary to go further back in time to understand that Satan, named Lucifer in the past, and his reason to interfere with God’s purpose and plan for man. In eons past the earth was under the influence (rule) of Lucifer, “the anointed cherub that covereth” the original earth with all of its inhabitants.
Ezekiel 28:13-17 – Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyz, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thous art the anointed cherub that covereht; and I have set thee so: thou wast wupon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thous wast perfect in thy ways from the day that that thou waaast created, till iniquity was found in thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from ffhe midst if the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thous hast corrupted thy wisdom by means of they brightness: I will cast thee ti the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Note that whatever kind of society that existed under Lucifer’s reign on earth may have looked humanoid, but was not actually man, because they were not made in the image and likeness of God, nor did they have the Spirit (breath) of God in them. This was the pre-adamic form of man, the “caveman”, and the like, with all the ancient monstrous animals that were destroyed when the earth became without form and void.
Genesis 1:1-3 – In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Verse two has a mistranslation. The word used for “was” is the word hayah, and elsewhere in the Old Testament is translated “became”, but the Bible translators did not understand this fact, so they used the past tense rather than the proper present tense of the word. This is further explained as follows:
Jeremiah 4:23-26 – I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountians, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the trees thereof were broken dosn at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said.
Notice that in the six day recreation that God did not create the earth but said, “let the earth bring forth…..:. In other words, God is saying “allow to come forth what is already made but was out of sight”.
Isaiah 45:18 – For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
The devil lost his position as the “anointed cherub that covered” due to his rebellion against God, (as stated in Ezekiel 28). All of earth’s lifeforms that were under Lucifer’s influence also were led in rebellion against God. Thus God had to eliminate it all and re-make the earth anew; which He did in six days; and provided new leadership that God made after His own image and likeness. Obviously the devil was jealous and sought a means to return to his former dominion. But the devil did not go after Adam, instead he went after his wife, who Adam named Eve.
1 Timothy 2:14 – And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Eve committed an act of lust which is sin, and she died instantly, as God said: but this death was spiritual, not physical; that came later. The temptation that Satan used was to be like a god; just as the devil claimed that he was. She failed to realize that she was already like God, being made in His image and likeness. Adam then ate of the fruit so that God could initiate His plan of redemption that was already formed before the world (human society) began,
2 Timothy 1:9 – who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
God knew what the devil would do and had made arrangements to redeem what would become lost. Everything that God has done, with and through Jesus, is done on purpose, and according to His plan. Noth was odne by accident or caught God by surprise.
Romans 8:28-29 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Jesus is the first fruits of the redeemed, and we who are born again of the Spirit of God and Christ are now Christ’s brethren and joint heirs to His kingdom: now back to the way it all began, but now restored through Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:16-18 – The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
God has something glorious waiting for us after we finish our journey in this life. Jesus also gives an example of His dominion that he has given to mankind through the power of His name - Jesus Christ, who is called the last Adam: the second man that came directly from God, and having the exact same Spirit of God in Him that was in Adam.
Luke 9:1 – Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
What God had initially set up for man on earth through Jesus is to be restored back to the way God had originally intended. This is what redemption means: to restore to the original state. This is the message of the kingdom that Jesus preached, and ordaianed His disciples, and us to preach.
Luke 12:31-32 - But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it
is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Jesus came to restore man back to a personal and intimate relationship and fellowship with God as our Heavenly Father. Then to rule and reign over all the earth with Christ as kings and lords with Him, in His kingdom on earth for the next thousand years, the seventh millennium – the Sabbath millennium; when He is King and Lord of all, and we rule with Him.
Consider what a Landlord is: he is the ruler of the domain given to him by the supreme ruler so that he has dominion. Jesus calls us to be lords with Him under His leadership. This is His kingdom message that He proclaimed as the good news that God has prepared and sent His redemption for mankind. Then after that thousand years, the seventh millennium, comes eternity with Him. God’s original plan for man is being carried out to completion. As it began, so shall it be finished!
The gospel of the Kingdom is so important that it needs to be summarized again. God has plan for man to rule and reign with God in His kingdom, and this is forever. This rule began on earth as His children, but Satan subverted His plan, but God had already prepared for that in His plan of redemption. That plan was accomplished through Jesus Christ, the last Adam, the second man form God as His Son. That plan is still a work in progress and is being carried out, and is almost complete. His plan will be finished when the seventh and last trumpet sounds, and the seventh vile is poured out.
Revelation 11:15 – And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Revelation 16:17 – And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Jesus spoke this to His followers, and the message carries unto us who believe in Him.
Luke 22:28-30 – Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
We, as believers in Christ have an assignment to do as Jesus declared in the form of a parable illustrating the coming of the His kingdom.
Luke 19:11-13 – And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
The gospel of the kingdom is so much more than the message of salvation through Jesus Christ; it is about the full restoration of God’s love for His beloved creation, man and His eternal position and relationship for man as His children, sons and daughters of God to be with Him forever.
So let us be diligent to seek first the Kingdom of God, and to faithfully represent Jesus, His Son, and God own children.
Matthew 24:14 – And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
