I vividly remember nervously staring out into the crowded auditorium as my fifth-grade class began to recite the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Almost 40 years later, I can still recite those words in the rhythm in which we learned them for our school’s presentation. I’ve often thought back on the words I memorized, truly understanding and appreciating them as I’ve grown older. Here in the United States, we are preparing to celebrate 250 years since the founding of our country. The Founding Fathers strategically built a system of government called a constitutional republic. Knowing the limits of sinful men, the framers of the Constitution established checks and balances by creating three branches of our government.
Perhaps this thinking is why we sometimes struggle to understand the Kingdom of God: We instinctively think first like equal citizens rather than subjects to our perfect, sovereign King.
Most Americans can’t imagine living under a system where one man rules and representatives of the people don’t govern, where we citizens are subjects of a royal throne. Yet, for most of history, men and women have lived under such a kingdom rule in which one man ruled a nation. Perhaps this thinking is why we sometimes struggle to understand the Kingdom of God: We instinctively think first like equal citizens rather than subjects to our perfect, sovereign King. Dr. Renald Showers’ book What on Earth Is God Doing? helped me grasp this concept more than any other book I’ve read (besides the Bible).
Living in a Theocracy
God chose to establish a theocracy as His means of ruling the earth He created. We were designed to be governed by divine guidance. God is King; His realm is creation; His subjects, angels and humans, are both earthly and heavenly. And from the beginning of creation, God chose Adam to be His representative on Earth governing on God’s behalf.
This concept is foreign to modern democratic thinking. In a republic, citizens choose leaders. In a biblical theocracy, the King appoints representatives.
Scripture points again and again to God’s authority over all. Job explained it best: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know” (Job 42:2–3).
Whether in heaven or on Earth, no one is higher than God. Understanding this hierarchy changes the way we read and interpret His Word, from Genesis to Revelation.
The Great Rebellion
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve were tempted by the serpent and chose to eat the fruit God had forbidden. We often view the fall primarily through the lens of salvation—and rightly so! Because of Adam’s sin, mankind was separated from God and is in need of a Savior. Praise God that, through Jesus’ death on the cross, sinners can be reconciled to their Creator. But the fall of man was more than the beginning of his need for redemption. It was also an act of rebellion against the sovereign, perfect King.
The fall of man was more than the beginning of his need for redemption. It was also an act of rebellion against the sovereign, perfect King.
God had placed Adam in His creation as His representative, charged with exercising dominion under His authority. When Adam disobeyed, he attempted to cast off God’s rule and govern on his own terms, believing Satan’s lie that he could be “like God” (Genesis 3:5–6).
Yet instead of gaining autonomy, Adam exchanged allegiance to his Creator for allegiance to another ruler. In rejecting God’s authority, he surrendered himself and the world that was entrusted to him to the dominion of Satan. God has temporarily given power in this world over to Satan (John 12:31; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19), but He has also provided a means of transfer out of the Devil’s rule through salvation: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13–14).
Throughout history, according to Dr. Showers, Satan has had two lines of attack: (1) trying to destroy those who get saved and are transferred into the Kingdom of the Son so that they cannot tell others this Good News, and (2) pervert sound teaching from God’s Word.
Israel and the Kingdom
After Adam and Eve’s sin, God made a beautiful promise of redemption: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15). This promise to bring a Redeemer through a woman was fulfilled in the nation of Israel.
Why Israel? Why did God choose through one man, Abraham, to make a nation that would bless the entire world? Moses explained,
For you are a holy people to the Lᴏʀᴅ your God; the Lᴏʀᴅ your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The Lᴏʀᴅ did not set His love on your nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lᴏʀᴅ loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lᴏʀᴅ has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:6–8).
It was not because Israel had great potential; it was simply because God sovereignly chose the nation. Jesus is the Redeemer that came through the promise to Israel.
Throughout history, Satan has tried to destroy Israel through corruption and defeat. Over and over again, God called out Israel’s apostasy and unbelief through the prophets. Then Israel was kicked out of the land. Then they repented, and God allowed them back. During each time Satan was actively trying to destroy Israel. No Israel would mean no coming Redeemer. But despite Satan’s zealous commitment to its demise, Israel has prevailed.
But what now? Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died a death He did not deserve, and rose again—satisfying the wrath of God, just as Scripture said. Why then is Israel still the center of controversy today?
Because God’s plan for the full restoration of the world comes through Jesus restoring the theocratic Kingdom. He will rule and reign from Israel for 1,000 years in His Second Coming, ending Satan’s reign over the earth forever. The Jewish people were looking for a kingdom during Jesus’ First Coming. They missed His purpose—dealing with the rebellion in their own hearts. They will not miss the Kingdom in His Second Coming!
What We Still Get Wrong
We often reduce Christianity to a personal salvation experience: If we accept Jesus, we are saved from an eternity in hell separated from God forever. None of this is minor. We are rebellious, sinful people in need of a Savior. He offers us all eternal life. The apostle John encouraged believers, saying, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).
Eternal life is real and genuine, active, vigorous, blessed, and everlasting. It is nothing short of glorious. But the scope of Scripture is much bigger than our personal salvation.
Eternal life is real and genuine, active, vigorous, blessed, and everlasting. It is nothing short of glorious. But the scope of Scripture is much bigger than our personal salvation. The King of all creation is actively working to save His subjects. He promised us a Redeemer, and He delivered through His Son, Jesus. But even though the work of salvation was finished at Calvary, a glorious future will come once Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom.
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, we can be thankful that America’s constitutional republic was designed by our Founding Fathers, who understood that sinful people cannot be trusted with unlimited power. We can thank God for our country. But Scripture points to an even greater truth: One day the world will be ruled by a King who can be trusted with unlimited power. The Kingdom of God is not a democracy, a republic, or even a constitutional monarchy. It is the righteous reign of the One who declares, “I am the Lᴏʀᴅ, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me” (Isaiah 45:5).
The Bible is ultimately better than a story of man searching for God. It is the story of a King reclaiming His Kingdom for His own glory. And very soon, we will see our Redeemer and King seated on His throne as we never tire of singing with the angels, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (6:1–3).
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Comments 4
Fabulous article – maybe the best I’ve ever read on this subject matter!
“Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” – Jesus
I’ve found that there are at least three key perspectives the saints must develop correctly if we are to properly interpret Scripture. The one that has the greatest impact is what we believe about Israel, the Church and eschatology. To get prophecy and Scripture right we must embrace God’s unique distinctions for ethnic national Israel and for the Church. No allegorizing, no spiritualizing, no replacement or fulfillment theology.
That was a greart summary of God’s plan for man. Can you recommend any books on the subject that give more meat to it.
Austin from Baltimore MD
Excellent article Sarah! Thank you for it…