The Kingdom Economy: These Last Days (6)
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever. Isaiah 9.6, 7
The Rule of King Jesus
The Word of God came to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ to accomplish the redemptive plan of God and inaugurate the Kingdom economy.
Jesus did this by proclaiming and demonstrating the Kingdom of God. He calls all those who would follow Him to seek the Kingdom and righteousness of God as the defining priority for their lives (Matt. 6.33). Making disciples and building the Church grow local churches so that they become Kingdom signs and outposts in communities all over the world.
The Kingdom of God is the rule of King Jesus, in the power of His Spirit, by which He is restoring the world He has reconciled to the Father. He is replacing the darkness of sin and fear with righteousness and peace and joy in the Spirit, and bringing the knowledge of the glory of God to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (1 Jn. 2.8; Rom. 14.17, 18; Hab. 2.14).
And He is doing this through Kingdom-seeking followers in every land. God has called us to His Kingdom and glory (1 Thess. 2.12). He has transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son (Col. 1.13). Jesus has commanded us to seek first His Kingdom and righteousness. This much is no secret, but is plainly revealed in God’s Word for all to see.
Kingdom and glory
The realization of the Kingdom of God is the objective of the Kingdom economy. God is glorified as His Kingdom advances, affecting all areas of life, everything which in these last days is in the thrall and power of an economy other than that which God is working to establish. For as the Kingdom of God grows, by the Word and Spirit of God in and through the Church, its presence becomes known in households, neighborhoods, communities, cultures, and to every human being. As believers seek the Kingdom of God, everything is exposed to a reality infused with transforming power not of this world.
Over the past 2,000 years of Christian history, the Church has been the healthiest and has contributed the most good to the world when this vision of the Kingdom of God has been the motive force in all her endeavors.
In our day, when we have turned the faith of Jesus Christ into, as David Wells has noted, a shrunken and personal thing, this vision of the Kingdom of God is all but nonexistent. Of course, every Christian knows about the Kingdom and believes in it, at least to an extent. But while many claim some affinity with or identity in the Kingdom of God, how many have truly made the Kingdom turn and are striving with all their strength to lay hold on that glorious domain? The evidence of this world-transforming power is sparse in our world today, suggesting that churches have lost their focus and are seeking something other than the Kingdom of God.
Seeking the Kingdom
But what does it mean to seek this Kingdom?
First, it means to understand the Kingdom and its peculiar nature. In the Kingdom of God, righteousness, peace, and joy proliferate in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14.17, 18). True spiritual power is at work to make us witnesses for Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 4.20; Acts 1.8). Holy virtues spread out from the churches to touch, affect, and infuse all aspects of life and culture with the life of Christ and the glory of God (Gal. 5.16-23), and good works of all kinds proliferate to all people (Gal. 6.10). Above all, an atmosphere of love pervades wherever the Kingdom of God has taken root and is beginning to bear fruit (Matt. 22.34-40).
Christians should have some sense of, and be taught to consider and reflect on, what that might look like in their own lives, churches, and communities; and pastors should preach and work toward that vision fervently, tirelessly, and with full conviction.
Second, seeking the Kingdom requires that each believer take up the challenge of growing in Kingdom virtues and skills as a part of our everyday walk with the Lord (2 Pet. 1.5-11). Here our calling to be and make disciples intersects with Christ’s command to seek the Kingdom, and our prayer that this Kingdom might come on earth as it is in heaven makes us understand that this can only happen through our obedience. The Kingdom of God is at work within believers and their churches, and among and through them in the larger communities in which they live.
Third, we need to proclaim the Kingdom, just as Jesus and the apostles did. We need to tell our neighbors, with great joy, that a new power has broken into human history, a new hope is held out to us, a new economy is unfolding all around us, new promises can light our paths through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and new and unflappable hope can suffuse everything we do. We must proclaim this message without compromise and with great joy, and we must back up our proclamation with works that bring the newness and glory of the rule of Jesus into all of life and culture.
Finally, we must pray fervently for the coming of the Kingdom. The progress of God’s Kingdom in these last days is the work of our Lord Jesus, and He will be pleased to do this great work through us if we will turn consistently to Him in prayer.
The Kingdom of God has come, and with it the Kingdom is straining toward the realization of God’s will and His glory. We must ask ourselves daily: Are we?
For reflection or discussion
1. What do you understand by “the Kingdom of God”?
2. Meditate on Daniel 2.44, 45 and Isaiah 9.6, 7. How did these two prophets regard the Kingdom of God?
3. Suggest some practical, ongoing ways for seeking the Kingdom of God. How will you know when you are making progress in the Kingdom?
Next steps–Demonstration: The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. How will you demonstrate the reality of this Kingdom today?
T. M. Moore
Give thanks
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
It’s in all the small stuff we do each day that the Kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven. Our book, Small Stuff, can help you in your daily work of seeking the Kingdom and righteousness of God. Order your copy in book form by clicking here or as a free PDF by clicking here.
Other columns of interest this week: This week in our Read Moore we begin selections from our book, Understanding the Times. This book will be a valuable companion to our study of “The Kingdom Economy.” In our Crosfigell column we’re following Brendan, a 6th century Irish saint, as he pursues the Kingdom economy in his extraordinary adventures. Our daily Scriptoriumcolumn takes up the Gospel of John this week in our continuing series, “Jesus throughout the Scriptures.”
Thank you.
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
