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THE KINGDOM
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THE KINGDOM: THE EMERGING RULE OF CHRIST AMONG MEN
THE ORIGINAL CLASSIC BY GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN
COMPILED BY BOB MUMFORD AND JACK TAYLOR
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© Copyright 2008 – Robert Mumford and Jack Taylor All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request. Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the King James Version and other versions and sources that the original author referenced. Please note that Destiny Image’s publishing style capitalizes certain pronouns in Scripture that refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may differ from some publishers’ styles. Take note that the name satan and related names are not capitalized. We choose not to acknowledge him, even to the point of violating grammatical rules. DESTINY IMAGE® PUBLISHERS, INC. P.O. Box 310, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0310 “Speaking to the Purposes of God for this Generation and for the Generations to Come.” This book and all other Destiny Image, Revival Press, Mercy Place, Fresh Bread, Destiny Image Fiction, and Treasure House books are available at Christian bookstores and distributors worldwide. For a U.S. bookstore nearest you, call 1-800-722-6774. For more information on foreign distributors, call 717-532-3040. Reach us on the Internet: www.destinyimage.com. ISBN 10: 0-7684-2658-8 ISBN 13: 978-0-7684-2658-8 For Worldwide Distribution, Printed in the U.S.A. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 / 12 11 10 09 08 Copyright 1899 by Charles Scribner’s Sons Norwood Press, J.B. Cushing & Co, Bemick C. Smith, Norwood, MA.
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TO THE LORD OF THE BASILEIA THESE STUDIES IN HIS KINGDOM ARE REVERENTLY OFFERED
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PREFATORY NOTE he purpose of this book is not to argue, but to inquire; not to destroy, but to upbuild; not to dispraise creeds, but to exalt Christ; not to foster doubts about the Kingdom of God, but to strengthen loyalty to the King Himself; not to lead the reader to any ecclesiastical river or to any theological lake, but to The Divine Fountain itself; in brief, the purpose of this book is not polemic, but irenic. May grace be given the writer to steer his little craft between the Scylla of Rationalism and the Charybdis of Traditionalism.
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The method of this book is not ecclesiastical; nor is it historical; nor is it syllogistic; the method is strictly exegetical The citations are mainly from the more recent translations While fully recognizing the value of modern researches in textual criticism, the author does not feel competent to discuss these critical questions, and therefore adheres to Westcott and Hort’s Greek Text. Of course there must be limitations of treatment on a theme so vast Accordingly, the author mainly confines himself to those Scriptures in which the term “Basileia” (Kingdom) occurs. As this book is the result of many years of study, the author takes the liberty of indulging somewhat in a personal anthology, regrouping some of his publications, especially his Studies in the Mountain Instruction May the King bless this book to the service of His own Basileia! —PHILADEI PHIA, G D B January 1, 1899
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CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Meet the Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Introductory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 CHAPTER I
Foregleams of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
CHAPTER II
Arrival of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
CHAPTER III
Misconceptions Foregleams of the Kingdom . . . . . .37
CHAPTER IV
Rectifications of Misconceptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
CHAPTER V
Definition of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
CHAPTER VI
Constituents of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
CHAPTER VII
Laws of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
CHAPTER VIII
Method of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
CHAPTER IX
Symbols of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .285
CHAPTER X
Church of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .307
CHAPTER XI
Growth of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317
CHAPTER XII
Consumation of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .377
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APPENDIX A
List of Passages in Which the Word “Basileia” (Meaning God’s “Kingdom”) Occurs . . . . . . . . . . . .385
APPENDIX B
List of Passages in Which the Word “Basileus” (Meaning Christ”) Occurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .397
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INTRODUCTION
ou are holding in your hand a book that has touched three centuries, the fading years of the nineteenth, the entirety of the 20th and the early years of the 21st. We fully expect it to be a standard for the study of the Kingdom of God for the remainder of this century and beyond.
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It is part of a tandem release along with a volume by the same author simply entitled The Church. Both books were rediscovered by Bob Mumford and Jack Taylor in their passionate quest for a solidly biblical definition and implementation of the Eternal Kingdom of God. It is recommended that you read this one, The Kingdom, first. The reasons will be obvious before you finish it. Both Bob and Jack believe a viable and balanced understanding of the Church will come only when there is a workable understanding of the Kingdom of God. Bob and Jack strongly believe that most of the glaring weaknesses of the western Church exist because of a loss of Kingdom mentality among believers everywhere. The church’s authentic identity, central message, total mission and, especially it’s authority and power to change the culture in which it has been planted are all derived from it’s relationship to the Kingdom. Not until the Gospel of the Kingdom is clarified, believed and declared will the church understand and fulfill her role in God’s redemptive plan.
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T HE K INGDOM
The struggle to make the Church relevant to today’s culture seems already to be falling short of its intended goals as vain attempts are made to redefine and reshape it to fit its complex and demanding culture. The relevance of the Church has never been discovered in its surrounding culture and never will be. Jesus never sought to be relevant, He just lived, taught and expressed in both life and work the government of God wherever He went. Reading this book will serve to strongly whet your appetite for its fraternal twin, The Church. In fact you may be unable to resist the temptation to steal a look at the book on the church before you finish this one. Go ahead as it may serve to enrich your reading of both. So buy them both now, if you haven’t already. The book, The Kingdom, had been casually read by Bob but not closely examined. He felt led of the Lord to give his copy to Jack. Jack began to devour it with the awareness that he has been given a masterpiece in exegetical study and an ingenious result of powerful anointing on the author. Jack, aware of Bob’s evaluation of the book, returned it to him upon finding one himself. This book was published in 1899 with the author promising that if God gave him the time he would write its sequel on the church. For more than a year we were afraid that the author had died before the volume on the Church could be written. We were overjoyed when we found we were wrong and were able to find a copy of The Church. Soon there was the conviction that the work on the Church was as remarkable as the first work on the Kingdom. These two books are seen by Bob and Jack as the most splendid exegetical works on both subjects, the Kingdom and the Church, ever written. They believe that the readers will be virtually overwhelmed with the culturally uncluttered and biblically accurate insights into the King, His Kingdom and His Church.
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Introduction
We are grateful to Destiny Image for their rapid agreement to offer these two works for release in 2008 and for joining us in the prayer that they will have a long and fruitful life. —Bob Mumford —Jack Taylor
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THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR: GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN
eorge Dana Boardman, called “the younger” was born in Burma in 1828 to George and Sarah Boardman. The elder Boardman, an associate of Adoniram Judson, died in 1831, leaving Sarah Boardman a widow and young George fatherless. Ann Judson’s death in 1826 left Adoniram Judson a widower. In 1834, when young George Boardman was six years of age, Adoniram Judson married Sarah Boardman making Boardman his step-son.
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Young George returned to America as a boy and later attended Brown University. He pastured the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1864 to 1894. He was president of the American Baptist Missionary Union and Christian Arbitration and Peace Society. His most important production is a monograph, Titles of Wednesday Evening Lectures delivered between 1865 and 1880 and comprises a complete exegesis of the Bible. These books, simply entitled The Kingdom, published in 1899 and The Church, 1901, are being newly released in 2008 with the anticipation of wide readership.
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T HE K INGDOM
It is felt that they are without equal in exegetical quality and brilliant writing style. It will be noticed that some words are used that are no longer common in modern usage. The reader will surely acknowledge that, despite some variation in how the author perceives certain issues that are discussed rather heatedly today, he deals with the subjects fairly and without rancor. Though surprisingly little is known about George Dana Boardman, his pastoral record along with his faithfulness to biblical exegesis and his writing skills revealed in these two volumes on the subjects of the Church and the Kingdom, set him apart as a quite remarkable figure in the nineteenth century. We are satisfyingly certain that these two volumes on the Church and the Kingdom could and should identify George Dana Boardman as an equally remarkable figure in the 21st century.
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THE KINGDOM (BASILEIA)
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INTRODUCTORY
wo words occur in the New Testament so frequently that they largely characterize it, and almost dominate it.
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“Basileia” The first of these two words is the word “Βασιλεια,” translated “Kingdom.” This word as a religious term occurs one hundred and forty times: one hundred and nine times in the Gospels; eight times in the Acts of the Apostles; fourteen times in the Letters of Paul; twice in the Letter to the Hebrews; once in the General Letter of James; once in the Second General Letter of Peter; five times in the Revelation “Ecclesia” The second of these two words is the word “’Εχχλησια,’’ translated “Church.” The word as a religious term occurs one hundred and eleven times: three times in the First Gospel; twenty times in the Acts of the Apostles; sixty-two times in the Letters of Paul; twice in the Letter to the Hebrews; once in the Letter of James; three times in the Third Letter of John; twenty times in the Revelation. The two words used Discriminatingly. Believing that when the sacred writers used these two words, “Basileia” or “Kingdom,” and “Ecclesia” or “Church,” they used them discriminatingly, a careful study of them in their chronological order and in their relative frequency yields lessons which are very suggestive For example, thus:
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T HE K INGDOM
Basileia the Christly word: Ecclesia the Apostolic word. The word “Basileia” or “Kingdom” is characteristic of the Gospels, occurring one hundred and nine times out of the one hundred and forty; the word “Ecclesia” or “Church” is characteristic of the Acts and the Letters, occurring one hundred and eight times out of the one hundred and eleven; or, to put it in another way, Basileia is the Christly word, Eccle’sia is the Apostolic word. Basileia Is Divine: Ecclesia Is Human. Again, in “Basileia” or “Kingdom” the Divine or Kingly element prevails—it is the Reign Of God; in “Ecclesia” or “Church” the human or social element prevails—it is a congregation of Christians Or to put it in another form: in Basileia Christianity appears as a spiritual organism—”Righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit”; in Ecclesia Christianity appears as an institutional organization-”The ecclesia which was in Jerusalem “ Basileia is God’s End: Ecclesia is God’s Means, Once more and in sum, Basikia or Kingdom is God’s end—the goal of Christianity; Ecclesia Or Church is God’s means—the method of Christianity. Thus the Kingdom descends in order that the Church may ascend. Outline of this Book, Accordingly, as “Kingdom” precedes “Church,” both chronologically and logically, our subject naturally cleaves into two parts—the Christian Kingdom and the Christian Church The theme of this volume is “The Christian Kingdom.” Should the author’s life be spared, he may add a second volume entitled “The Christian Church.”
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CHAPTER I
FOREGLEAMS OF THE KINGDOM
SUBLIME Ideal, at first dimly hinted, at last distinctly announced, pervades the Bible from beginning to end This Ideal is represented as a Divine Rasileia, or Kingdom of Heaven We will devote this chapter to recalling some of the foregleams of this divine basileia or heavenly kingdom For example:
A
In the Protevangelium. The Kingdom of God was adumbrated in the protogospel of Eden Jehovah God said to the serpent: I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15). In the Vocation of Abraham. The Kingdom of God was typified in the call of Abraham Jehovah said to Abram: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3).
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T HE K INGDOM
In the Ecclesia of Sinai. The Kingdom of God was outlined in the church of the wilderness Jehovah said to Moses: Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me from among all peoples: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (Exodus 19:1-6). In the Trance of Balaarn. The Kingdom of God was fore glimpsed in the trance of the son of Beor: I see Him, but not now: I behold Him, but not nigh: There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, And a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite through the corners of Moab, And break down all the sons of tumult (Numbers 24:17). In the Throne of David. The Kingdom of God was foreshadowed in the throne of the son of Jesse Nathan the prophet said to David: When thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy loins, and I will establish His kingdom: he shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom for ever. (2 Samuel 7:12, 13). In the Song of the Anointed. The Kingdom of God was overtured in the Song of Jehovah’s Anointed Son:
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Foregleams of the Kingdom
Why do the nations rage, And the peoples imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, And cast away their cords from us He that sits in the heavens will laugh: Jehovah will have them in derision Then will He speak unto them in His wrath, And vex them in His sore displeasure: Yet have I set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel Now therefore be wise, O ye kings: Be instructed, ye judges of the earth Serve Jehovah with fear, And rejoice with trembling Kiss the son, lest He be angry, and ye perish in the way, For His wrath will soon be kindled Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him (Psalm 2:1-12). In the Song of the Enshrinement. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Song of the Divine Enshrinement:
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T HE K INGDOM
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors: And the King of glory shall come in Who is the King of glory? Jehovah strong and mighty, Jehovah mighty in battle Lift up your heads, O ye gates; Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors: And the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory? Jehovah of hosts— He is the King of glory (Psalm 24:7-10). In the Song of the Epithalamium. The Kingdom of God was preluded in the Song of the Royal Bridegroom and His Bride: My heart is overflowing with a goodly theme: I address my song to the king; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer Thou art fairer than the sons of men; Grace is poured into thy lips; Therefore God has blessed thee for ever Gird thy sword on thy thigh, O Mighty One, Thy glory and thy majesty; And in thy majesty ride on prosperously, Because of truth and meekness and righteousness: And thy right hand will teach thee terrible things Thine arrows are sharp In the hearts of the king’s enemies; Nations fall before thee Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: A sceptre of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom
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Foregleams of the Kingdom
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: Therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee With the oil of gladness above thy fellows All thy garments are myrrh, aloes, cassia; From ivory palaces stringed instruments delight thee Kings’ daughters are among thy honorable women: At thy right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir Listen, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; And forget thy people and thy father’s house; So will the king desire thy beauty: For He is thy lord; and offer thou Him thy homage And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; The rich among the people will court thy favor All glorious is the king’s daughter in the inner palace: Her apparel is inwrought with gold; In broidered garments will she be led to the king: Her virgin companions in her train Will be conducted to thee With gladness and rejoicing will they be led; They will be led into the king’s palace Instead of thy fathers will be thy children, Whom thou shalt make princes in all the earth I will make thy name memorable in all generations; Therefore will the peoples praise thee for ever and ever (Psalm 45 In the Royal Song of the King’s Son. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Song of the Theocratic King: Give the king thy judgments, O God, And thy righteousness to the king’s son He will judge thy people with righteousness, And thy poor with equity
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T HE K INGDOM
The mountains will bring peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness He will judge the poor of the people, He will save the children of the needy; He will break in pieces the oppressor They will fear thee while the sun endures, And so long as the moon, throughout all generations He will come down like rain upon the mown grass; As showers that refresh the earth In His days will the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace, till the moon be no more And He will have dominion from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth They that dwell in the desert will bow before Him; And His enemies will lick the dust Kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; Kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts Yea, all kings will fall down before Him; All nations will serve Him For He will deliver the needy when He cries; The poor, and Him that has no helper He will have pity on the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence; And precious will their blood be in His sight He will live; and they will give Him of the gold of Sheba; And men will pray for him continually; They will bless Him all the day long There will be abundance of corn in the land; On the top of the mountains its fruit will wave like Lebanon And they of the city will flourish like grass of the earth His name will endure for ever;
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Foregleams of the Kingdom
His name will flourish as long as the sun And men will be blessed in Him; All nations will call Him happy (Psalm 72:1-17). In the War Song of the Priest-King. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the martial Song of the Priest-King: Jehovah saith to my lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Till I make thy enemies thy footstool The rod of thy strength will Jehovah stretch forth from Zion; Rule thou in the midst of thy enemies Thy people offer themselves freely in the day of thy war, In the beauties of holiness (holy splendor); From the womb of the morning thou hast thy dew of youth Jehovah has sworn, and He will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, After the order of Melchizedek The Lord is at thy right hand; He will smite kings in the day of His wrath He will judge among the nations; He will fill the places with dead bodies; He will crush the heads of His enemies over many lands He will drink of the brook in the way; Therefore will He lift up His head (Psalm 110:1-7). In the Song of the Latter Days. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Song of the Latter Days: It shall come to pass in the latter days, That the mountain of Jehovah’s house will be Established on the top of the mountains, And will be exalted above the hills;
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And all nations will flow to it And many peoples will go and say, Come, let us go up to ‘the mountain of Jehovah, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us of His ways, And that we may walk in His paths: For out of Zion will go forth the law, And the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem And He will judge among the nations, And decide between many kingdoms: And they will beat their swords into ploughshares, And their spears into pruning hooks: Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Neither will they learn war any more But they will sit every man under His vine And under His fig tree; And none will make them afraid: For the mouth of Jehovah of hosts has spoken it. (Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-4). In the Evangel of the Wonderful Child. The Kingdom of God was portrayed in the Evangel of the Wonderful Child: 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, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, To
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Foregleams of the Kingdom
establish it, and to uphold it, With justice and righteousness from henceforth even for ever The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6-7). In the Song of the Golden Age. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Song of the Golden Age: There will spring forth a shoot from the trunk of Jesse, And a sprout from his roots will bear fruit The spirit of Jehovah will rest upon Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah He will not judge after the sight of His eyes, Neither decide by the hearing of His ears: But with righteousness will He judge the poor, And decide with equity the meek of the earth: He will smite the earth with the sceptre of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips will He slay the wicked And righteousness will be the girdle of His loins, And faithfulness the girdle of His waist And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the kid; The calf, the young lion, the fatling together; And a little child will lead them The cow and the bear will graze together; Together will their young lie down: And the lion will eat straw like the ox A suckling child will play over the hole of the asp, A weaned child will place his hand on the adder’s den They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: For
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the earth will be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, As the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:1-19). In the Evangel of Jeremiah. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Evangel of the Sorrowful Prophet: Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will perform that good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah In those days and at that time will I cause to sprout for David a righteous Branch; and He will execute justice and equity in the earth In those Days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely: and this is the name whereby He will be called, Jehovah–is–our–Righteousness (Jeremiah 33:14-16). In the Evangel of Ezekiel. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Evangel of the Prophet of Captivity: I will set up one shepherd over them, and He will feed them, even my servant David; I Jehovah will be their God, and my servant David prince among them; I Jehovah have spoken it (Ezekiel 34:23-24). In the Evangel of Daniel. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Evangel of the Babylonian Statesman: I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a Son of man, and He came even to the ancient of days, and they brought Him near before him And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away, and His kingdom that which will not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).
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Foregleams of the Kingdom
In the Evangel of Micah. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Evangel of the Morashite: Thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Little to be among the thousands of Judah, Out of thee will come forth for me One who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth are from of old, From the days of Eternity (Micah 5:2). In the Evangel of Zechariah. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Evangel of the Priestly Prophet: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy king comes to thee: He is just and victorious; Lowly, and riding upon ass, Even upon a colt, the foal of an ass And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, And the horse from Jerusalem, And the battle bow will be cut off; And He will speak to the nations; And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth (Zechariah 9:9-10). In the Evangel of Malachi. The Kingdom of God was heralded in the Evangel of the last prophet of the Old Covenant: Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and
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the angel of the covenant, whom ye delight in, behold, He comes, saith Jehovah of hosts (Malachi 3:1). In the Evangel to Mary. The Kingdom of God was distinctly announced in Gabriel’s Evangel to the Virgin of Nazareth: Hail, highly favored one! the Lord is with thee! And, behold, thou wilt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of David His father: and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there will be no end (Luke 1:28-34). Summary. Thus patriarchs, psalmists, prophets, righteous men, seeing the promises from afar, and greeting them, have, from the beginning, looked for the city which has the foundations, whose architect and builder is God, even the Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
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