The Kingdom Of God Is Like

1 Running head: THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE…

The Kingdom Of God Is Like… Marcus Dyson Grand Canyon University BIB 123 New Testament History September 19, 2009

2 The Kingdom Of God Is Like… Many people are unable to explain what the Kingdom of God is or what Jesus’ came to Earth for. Most people in today’s society can’t relate to some terms used in the bible like a strong tower and as Tame puts it (2005), “we can guess that it's an image of security, but if we want to say that our relationship with God makes us feel safe, we would probably put it another way.” In reference to Jesus coming to earth, author and teacher Brian McLaren notes that he typically gets answers to this question from his students like, “Jesus came to seek and save the lost, reveal God to us, provide us with a model for being fully human, and defeat the demonic spirits of this world” (McLaren, 2006). A better understanding of this concept of the Kingdom of God and the Messiah may be obtained through one’s own personal experiences and further research. Luke 1:31-33 mirrors what was predicted in Isaiah 9:6-7 concerning the Messiah’s true purpose for coming here to earth. His main purpose was to establish his kingdom as the scripture Luke 1:33 points out, “And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom will never end.” When I was coming up my understanding of the Kingdom of God was that it meant the heaven we are going to when we die or when he returns. Through study, I understand now as it is told through Jesus’ teachings. When Jesus described the kingdom, he did not describe the world after his return. No, he described the world in this age, the age in which we hear the gospel, choose to respond, and choose to be faithful (Morrison, 2000). Much of his teaching was devoted to setting forth the nature of the kingdom which He came to establish (Hodge, 1982). In Jesus’ teachings he taught about the Kingdom in terms other than referring to heaven. Jesus taught about the importance of “loving your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:19) and other lessons like allowing little children to come to him, “for such is the kingdom of heaven”

3 (Matthew 19:14). Jesus’ teachings were about a way of life that expresses or establishes the Kingdom of God here on earth. Jesus never condoned a political kingdom, though he did teach that in the final days, God would rule over everything (Niswonger, 1992). God’s Kingdom is a new society that Jesus wants to create in this world-within human history, not after the Second Coming or a future apocalypse or anything else (McLaren, 2006). In reading Tame’s article, two metaphors about the kingdom stand out to me. The first one that stands out is the music teacher who teaches children to work together to present a final harmonious performance. You get many different children from all walks of life and backgrounds to come together and learn to sing as one. This is no easy task. It takes plenty of sacrifice, discipline, and hard work. The end result however is one that is so rewarding. The other metaphor that stands out to me is the midwife who explained how a kitchen table is a place of nurturing a growing family. The family comes to this table to be fed and what is put before them determines their physical, mental and emotional state of being. Even though Jesus’ teachings through parables may be profound and powerful, there still may be a need to better explain the Kingdom of God. Contemporary metaphors can coincide with those parables for a better understanding of this concept. Still and all, for me, metaphors only can’t completely give one an understanding. It will take some study and personal life experience to truly understand what the true meaning of the Kingdom of God is all about.

4 References Niswonger, Richard L. 1992. New Testament History. Zondervan: Grand Rapids. Tame, Kim. 2005. “And finally…The Kingdom of God is like this…” The Expository Times,

Vol. 116, No. 7, 252. Sage Publications: London, Thousand Oaks, CA,

and New Dehli. The NIV Study Bible. 1985. Zondervan: Grand Rapids. Morrison, Michael. 2000. Parables of the Kingdom: a study of Matthew 13. www.wcg.org/lit/bible/gospels/matt13.htm Hodge, Charles. 1982. Systematic Theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: Grand Rapids, Michigan. McLaren, Brian. 2006. Adventures in Missing the Point. Zondervan: Grand Rapids.