KINGDOM CONFLICT

Youth responses to fill in on last Sunday: what’s this word ti-th-ay?

Name a joke PB used: The Walking Dead; get it? Got it? Good; always question what people say unless it’s me; did you hear the one about the swimming pool;

What did you learn: there are big silica’s in Europe; change your stinkin’ thinkin’; we were arguing and missed the message; Jesus has already returned; Augustine’s mom was a deep believer in Jesus; adam is a reference to all humanity;

1) KINGDOM: APPROACHING THE NEW TESTAMENT

1) It is important to know the basic dualistic framework of the Bible (this age and the future age) to have a right understanding of what it is saying.

2) The Old Testament describes God’s dealings with Israel in this life with an ever increasing prophetic hope that a day will come when God, as King, will per­sonally pay His people a visit (“the day of the Lord” Malachi 4:1-6), and then a new age or a new expression of life will begin. The basic framework of two ages begins to emerge: this present age and the age to come.

3) From the time of Daniel, through the Inter-Testamental times, to the New Testament, the terms “Kingdom” and “Kingdom of God” became more and more prolific having derived its meaning from the monarchy (having Kings). Thus Daniel, for example, sees the two ages in terms of kingdoms when interpreting Nebuchad­nezzar’s dream: “… in the time of the kings the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever (Daniel 2:31-45).”

4) With the rise of the concept of God’s Kingdom ushering in a new age, there was also the rise of an awareness of the devil and his evil deeds; the cataclysmic clash between light and darkness: God’s interruption of history with His victory over satan and his hordes. This was especially prominent in the apocalyptic literature (Jewish writings between 200bc-100ad. having a particular revelatory character) which provided a development of thought for the New Testament setting And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of ⌈His⌉ holy ones to execute judgement upon all, and to destroy ⌈all⌉ the ungodly: and to convict all flesh of all the works ⌈of their ungodliness⌉ which they have ungodly committed, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners ⌈have spoken⌉ against Him  (Enoch 1:9 describes the solution to the problem of evil as when “the Lord comes with ten thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment upon all and to destroy all the ungodly.”) This is echoed in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰ when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

We can now define “The Kingdom of God” as: “the Dynamic Reign of God over His people;” and it is the assertion of God’s authority through His children over the evil one and his deeds.

In the New Testament the dualistic framework of “the present evil age:” who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father… (Galatians 1:4) and “the age to come:” far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.  (Ephesians 1:21) is established, but in a new way. The New Testament teaches that in the coming of Jesus Christ the future age has come into the present; the Kingdom of God has been fulfilled, but not yet consummated; thus it is both present and future. We are part of the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet.’ We therefore, are constantly living in “eschatological tension” caught between the old and the new!

6) Listen to these passages:

1. a) Mark 1:15: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
2. b) Matthew 12:28: But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
3. c) Luke 17:21: nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you (or among you).
4. d) 1 Corinthians 10:11: These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has com
5. e) Hebrews 6:5: (we) who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age.

 The New Testament was written from this viewpoint: an overlapping of two ages, God’s Kingdom had interrupted human history and is now spreading like leaven and growing like a seed. This approach helps us to have a correct understanding of healing in the New Testament (healing must be; inter­preted in the light of the Kingdom of God).

2) KINGDOM CONFLICT

The Kingdom carries within it a sense of conflict when you think about the three expressions. This is summarized perfectly in the Westminster Shorter Catechism when it states the purpose of Jesus as, “destroying the activity of satan in the world.” This conflict is primarily fought on the battlefield of the human soul, as that is the ultimate prize to be conquered. Salvation establishes Kingdom residents.

This battles engages areas like hunger (John 6), natural catastrophes (Mark 4:35), sickness (Luke 7:21), death (Luke 11-16), and truth.

It is a fight between two Kingdoms that is similar to the time between D Day (June 6^th, 1944), and V Day (May 4/5, 1945. It’s an overlapping Kingdom. George Ladd called it the already and the not yet. The Rule of God vs. the Reign of God, the passive and the active components of Heaven’s relationship with earth.

This tension is best seen in the dual framework that is found in Scripture, as alternate ideas live in tension, like predestination and free will, the church in authority vs. the enemies kingdom.

KINGDOM AUTHORITY

Authority has been transferred from the Father to the Son, from the Son to His Bride, the church. Christ rule is exercised through His people, as they walk out their identity and until all the hostilities have come to an end.

Luke 22:24-30 (29) addresses this transference, A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵ Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ²⁸ You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹ And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. This passage subtly refers to the battlefield of conflict, as satan’s purpose is countered by Jesus. The same Westminster Shorted Catechism that says satan’s purpose is to thwart the redemptive purposes of God says that Jesus purpose is to destroy the activities of satan.

Matthew 12:22-30 illustrates this. Kingdom theology is conflict theology. It is a holy call to arms. Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. ²³ All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” ²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” ²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

This battle is not a Civil War with two Kingdoms of approximately the same power. Satan isn’t almost as powerful as God. This is however, a conflict that is being fought over human souls for their ownership. A side note about the two kingdoms let’s understand that the metaphor of binding the enemy is that yes, satan has been bound (restricted in authority), but he is not powerless. This is an important thing to understand.

Relationship Between Kingdom (gracelet focus) and Authority

John 20:22 The Breath of God. Greek: Emphysao: “To Breath Upon”; Same as in Creation:

Genesis 2:7 Clay; Same as in Ezekiel 37:5, 14 dead bones.

Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land… Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord.’”

Breath of God: Imparted Authority. This can be seen as a Continuation of Binding & Loosing

This Authorization can be seen as: Giving the Right/Power to act (Exousia). Same concept as Apostolic authority

Authority means: “Having the right to perform an action.” Relates to ability and permission; it is a right of conference, which is legal permission.

Actions are allowed as long as nothing Higher prevents it from transpiring. Faith and legal issues relate to Ethical & Psychological Blockades

In the New Covenant: Mostly relates to God’s Will, Law or Demands: Basis of Authorization to Act

Active Authority: Relational Authorization. Birthed in relationship and communication

Speaks of Actions:”that are possible because there is an occasion for it & there is no obstacle set before it” A quality of relationship is vital and necessary

3) KINGDOM PROOF

The proof on the Kingdom’s presence is the expression of the miraculous. We conquer and expand the Kingdom of God when we as the church attack sickness, demonization, hunger (John 6), and death (Luke 7:11-16). This is how the reality of the Kingdom is demonstrated.

In Luke 9:1-11, authority was given to do the miraculous by the disciples. As they were authorized, they were sent out as deputized agents (apostolos). They message that they carried brought freedom, salvation (sodzo), as salvation was offered as a gift. And the gift is possessive (dorma), not expressed grace (charismata).

This giftedness has been offered to the poor in spirit, the spiritually hungry, the mournful, and sinners seeking salvation and forgiveness, in general (Mark 2:1-12). Matthew 4:23-25 lets us understand the dynamic of Kingdom as Jesus and us. Together we are the Kingdom. The Kingdom is ours to share with Christ because He is our Great High Priest, and He is the head of a holy priesthood.

Purpose of the Supernatural:

Gaining a hearing (Matthew 4:24, 25) Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. ²⁵ Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Relieve Distress (Matthew 14:14) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick

To Validate His Mission (Luke 4:16-21) So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; ¹⁹ to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” ²⁰ Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹ And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”