The Kingdom of God - Part 1

Josheb

Well-known member
The Kingdom of God – Part 1

The first explicit mention by God of a kingdom He institutes is found in Exodus 19.

Exodus 19:1-6
In the third month after the sons of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. When they set out from Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and camped in the wilderness; and there Israel camped in front of the mountain. Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."



Prior to this, none of God’s people had a king other than God Himself. The only king related to the worship of the God of the Bible prior to Exodus is that of Melchizedek (and on this we will attend more in a separate thread). Melchizedek is a king AND a priest and he is a priest of God to whom Abraham pays tribute, not an idol-worshiping pagan priest having nothing to do with God.

Note that this kingdom God is going to make will be a kingdom of priests. At this time in history all nations had priests and priests, or the leaders of the religious order, in those nations invariably held significant authority and political power, often being advisors to monarchs. At this time in the history of the Hebrews there is no monarchy and no monarch (other than God Himself).

Note also that this is a promise made to the house of Jacob and the sons of Israel, neither of which is a nation-state or kingdom at this point.

Note also that this kingdom of priests is a prophetic promise, and it is a prophetic promise that occurs absent any mention of a king and absent any mention of a monarchy. At this point it is a kingdom without a king. This is how God first asserted His own kingdom. He will make a kingdom and the kingdom He will make will be one of priests. This was His promise, a promise stated as a matter of prophesy.

Note also that this promise of a kingdom of priests is conditional. It is predicated upon obeying God’s voice and keeping His covenant. The implication being there would be no kingdom of priests or holy nation if disobedience and covenant-breaking ensued.

Note also that at the time of this promise of a priestly kingdom God is their sole Ruler. While it is not a specific part of the Exodus 19 text the form of governance God established among the wandering Hebrews was a theocratic state in which Moses was the liaison between God and the Hebrews and he appointed godly men of virtue to govern lesser matters. These appointees were representatives of the people who would decide lesser matters based on the Law that had recently been given and bring only the most important matters to Moses for decision, who was ultimately responsible to either decide based on the same Law, or take the matter directly to God.





What I would like to do in this discussion is, first, stick to this passage, and consider it for itself regardless of what additions God adds to this promise of a kingdom and whatever else later scripture states about this kingdom of priests. Prior scripture can be applied because it would have been understood by the original audience receiving God’s word this day in Exodus 19.



The thesis for discussion is this: Based solely on God’s first promise of a kingdom, the kingdom God promised was a kingdom of priests not one having any monarch besides God Himself, and therefore future readings of any kingdom of God should begin with this in mind.
 
Are you wanting to go somewhere in particular with this? Because your closing statement isn't something most would have any disagreement with -- it's clearly put that way in Scripture; e.g., when Israel demanded a king they were rebuked for rejecting God as their king.
 
Are you wanting to go somewhere in particular with this?
I do intend to go someplace with this.
Because your closing statement isn't something most would have any disagreement with -- it's clearly put that way in Scripture; e.g., when Israel demanded a king they were rebuked for rejecting God as their king.
I disagree. There is in fact a major theology, one that claims eschatology as its core feature that asserts an entirely different understanding of God's promised kingdom. Your point relevant to 1 Samuel 8 is commendable and appreciated, but a little ahead of the op. However, since it was broached, I will note a couple of the specifics of that passage:

Not only did God explicitly state He did not want Israel to have a king like all the other nations He also explicitly stated He took the request as a rejection of Him as their king. Implicitly this means any human king and any monarchy like that of other nations is God-rejecting. If we put these things together with the promise of Exodus 19, His kingdom will NOT be a kingdom in which a human king reigns, a kingdom like any other human monarchy, but a kingdom in which God is King much as He was king when He spoke the words of 1 Sam. 8 and the kingdom will be one of priests.

Their wanting a human king, a monarchy like the other nations, and their rejection of God as king did not stop God from being King. There has never been a single fraction of a nanosecond when God/Christ has not been King. By definition the almighty and sovereign Creator is always king.



Whatever else we understand, the promised kingdom will be one of priests. The next prophetic mention of God's kingdom is as follows...

Numbers 24:1-9
When Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not go as at other times to seek omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him. He took up his discourse and said, "The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, And the oracle of the man whose eye is opened; The oracle of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered, How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel! Like valleys that stretch out, Like gardens beside the river, Like aloes planted by the LORD, Like cedars beside the waters. Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will be by many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brings him out of Egypt, He is for him like the horns of the wild ox. He will devour the nations who are his adversaries, And will crush their bones in pieces, And shatter them with his arrows. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him? Blessed is everyone who blesses you, And cursed is everyone who curses you."

This kingdom of priests that is a holy nation will be vast, a seed by many waters, and exalted.
 
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