Body: | The Kingdom Of Prophecy Has Arrived!
Here is a more detailed study that the Kingdom is the church.
The Bible is a book of fantastic prophecy! One of the major themes of the
Old Testament is the prophecy of God's kingdom. Isaiah 2:1-4 is a key
prophecy regarding God's kingdom, "Now it will come about that in the last
days, the mountain (kingdom) of the house of the Jehovah will be
established as the chief of the mountains (kingdoms), and will be raised
above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it." This prophecy was
fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. First, the time of fulfillment was "in
the last days". Acts 2:17, Hebrews 1:2, 1 Peter 1:20 all identify the day
of Pentecost as being within "the last days". Second, both Jew and Gentile
will be within the kingdom. That is exactly what Peter said on Pentecost in
the first recorded sermon ever preached in the church. He said in Acts
2:39, "The promise is for you (Jews), your children, and for all who are
far off (Far off = Gentiles: see Eph 2:13f)". God's kingdom that was
prophesied in the Old Testament was established on the day of Pentecost!
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Another Prophecy is in Daniel 2 where a great image of a statue was seen by
the King of Babylon. Daniel interpreted the vision with God's help and told
him that there would be a series of four kingdoms that would rise and fall.
Daniel identified the head of gold on the statue as being the Babylonian
kingdom (606-539 BC) The chest of silver was the Medo-Persia kingdom
(539-331 BC) The thighs of bronze represented the kingdom of Greece
(331-30BC). The fourth and final kingdom of Rome was represented by the
legs and feet of iron and clay (30BC-397AD) Then Daniel made that fantastic
prophecy about God's kingdom, Dan 2:44, "And in the days of those kings the
God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that
kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end
to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever." This is a
crystal clear time prophecy that God's kingdom would be established
sometime during the Roman empire! Is it just random chance that Pentecost
in Acts 2 was during the Roman empire? (Luke 2:1) No way! God is able to
bring his will to pass! God established the kingdom on the day of
Pentecost! If the kingdom is not yet established, then the prophecy fails
and God is a liar, for Rome has been gone for over 1500 years!
At the very beginning of Jesus' ministry our Divine Savior said, "The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the
gospel." Mark 1:15 Yet, there are those who say that Jesus didn't mean what
he said about the kingdom being "at hand". For them "at hand" has been 2000
years and still counting! Again Pentecost is a prefect fulfillment.
In the middle of Jesus' ministry He said, "Truly I say to you, there are
some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death (die
physically) until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with
power." Mark 9:1 What could be more clear? Jesus promised that the kingdom
prophesied in the Old Testament would come during the lifetime of those
standing before Him. But Jesus even gave us an additional detail by saying
that the "kingdom would come with power" Amazingly, Jesus told the
disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for this power. Jesus said, "And
behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are
to stay in the city (Jerusalem) until you are clothed with power from on
high." Luke 24:49. Again Pentecost is a perfect fulfillment since it was
only about 2 years later when God, the Father, sent the miraculous power of
God, the Holy Spirit upon them. (Acts 2:1-4)
Text
Prophecy
Fulfillment Time
Isa 2; Dan 2:28
last Days
Pentecost onward
Joel 2:28ff; Acts 2:17f; Heb 1:2; 1 Pe 1:20
Dan 2
Within days of Roman Empire
30BC- 396 AD
Lk 2:1
Mark 9:1
Within hearers lifetime
30AD-100AD
Mk 1:15
Kingdom at hand
Very soon!
Not 2000 yrs!
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The final proof that God fulfilled all Old Testament kingdom prophecies on
the day of Pentecost is found in Col 1:13, "For He has rescued us from the
dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves"
Christians are in the Kingdom of God right now! It is not a physical
kingdom but a spiritual kingdom where Jesus is the king, Christians are His
subjects, the New Testament is the law. (Galatians 6:2) Jesus confirmed
this when he said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of
this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be
delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm."
John 18:36. In the light of such scriptural proof, the conclusion that God
established His kingdom on Pentecost is not debatable! Yes the Bible is a
book of divine inspiration filled with prophecy. Although skeptics may
attack the Bible, it stands as a monument for the world to admire!
Conclusion:
1. The kingdom of Old Testament prophecy came on Pentecost
exactly like the New Testament records.
2. Here is a more detailed study that the Kingdom is the church.
Steve Rudd
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