What is the Kingdom of God from the Old Testament perspective?
When Jesus arrived in Matthew 2:2, he was called “King of the Jews” and in 3:2 his initial message was “repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand”, but the people seemed to know what he was talking about. They thought that Jesus was the promised king who would establish a promised kingdom, and nobody stopped him and said “hang on a second! What in the world are you talking about? Kingdom? What kingdom?”. In the gospel of Matthew, the “gospel” that Jesus proclaimed was the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matt. 4:23, 9:35, 24:14). That was the “good news” that Jesus brought to his listeners.
What was the kingdom promises in the OT? Do we treat the New Testament separately from the specific kingdom parables in the gospels?
The “kingdom” in the Bible isn’t a comprehensive explanation of the concept, but rather simply the term “kingdom”. This would only be one step in producing a properly and comprehensively biblical understanding of “kingdom”, but it’s a decent start. I list the usages of the word “kingdom” according to their meaning, and I’ve written some notes about certain references that are either important or may be slightly confusing:
The Kingdom: OT Usage -
1. Human empires & reign.
Gen. 10:10, 20:9; Ex. 19:6; Num. 24:7, 32:33; Deut. 3:4, 10, 13, 21, 17:18, 20, 28:25; Josh. 11:10, 13:12, 21, 27, 30, 31; 1 Sam. 10:16, 18, 11:14, 13:13-14, 15:28, 18:8, 20:31, 24:20, 28:17; 2 Sam. 3:10, 28, 5:12, 16:3, 8; 1 Ki. 2:12, 15, 2:22, 46, 4:21, 10:20, 11:11, 13, 31, 34-35, 12:21, 26, 14:8, 18:10, 2 Ki. 19:19; 1 Chron.10:14, 11:10, 12:23, 14:2, 16:20, 28:5, 7; 29:11, 30; 2 Chron. 1:1, 9:19, 11:1, 17, 12:8, 14:5, 17:5, 10, 20:29, 21:3, 22:9, 29:21, 32:15, 33:13, 36:20, 22; Ezra 1:1-2,7:13; Neh. 9:22, 35; Esther 1:14, 20, 2:3, 3:6, 8, 4:14, 5:3, 6, 7:2, 9:30, Ps. 46:6, 68:32, 79:6, 102:22, 105:13, 135:11; Ecc. 4:14; Is. 10:10, 13:4, 13:19, 14:16, 17:3, 19:2, 23:11, 7, 34:12, 37:20, 47:5, 60:12; Jer. 1:10, 15, 15:4, 18:7, 9, 24:9, 25:26, 27:8, 28:8, 29:18, 34:1, 34:17, 49:28, 51:20, 27; Lam. 2:2; Ez. 17:14, 29:14-15, 37:22; Dan. 1:20, 2:37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 4:17-18, 25-26, 31, 36, 5:7, 11, 16, 5:21, 26, 28-29, 31, 6:1, 3-4, 7, 26, 7:23-24, 8:22-23, 10:13, 11:2, 17, 20-21; Hos. 1:4; Amos 6:2, 7:13, 9:8; Ob. 1:21; Nah. 3:5; Zeph. 3:8; Hag. 2:22
a. In Ex. 19:6, the phrase “kingdom of priests” pictures a human kingdom where every subject of the kingdom is a priest (notice that the promise is conditional upon obedience in Ex. 19:5, and the promise is a future promise, with no explanation about the required length of obedience for the promise to come to pass). This is nottalking about something esoteric or metaphorical, and Ex. 19:5 isn’t something that has ever happened in the history of Israel…at least for more than a few hours or days (notice Ex. 19:8, 24:3, 32:1-10).
2. God’s universal empire and rule.
2 Ki. 19:15; 1 Chron. 29:11; 2 Chron. 13:8, 20:6, 36:23; Ps. 45:6, 103:19, 145:11-13; 37:16; Jer. 10:7; Dan. 2:37-44, 4:3, 17, 25-26, 32, 34, 5:21
a. In 1 Chron. 29:11, David recognizes that “all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours” (God’s universal reign), and thereby “yours is the kingdom” refers to David’s kingdom in Israel; a sub-kingdom under God’s universal kingdom.
3. A singular global everlasting empire promised to a descendant of David.
Ex. 19:6; 1 Sam 13:13-14; 2 Sam. 7:12-16, 1 Chron. 17:11-14, 28: 5-7; Is 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44-45, 7:14, 18, 22, 27
a.I would suggest Ex. 19:6 is the first (possible) mention of the Millennial Kingdom in the Old Testament. Ex. 19:6 doesn’t mention The Millennium (obviously), but the phrases “kingdom of priests” and “holy nation” are promises to national Israel regarding a post-obedience-to-the-law kingdom that have never been realized in Israel.
The Kingdom: OT Usage -
1. Human empires & reign.
Gen. 10:10, 20:9; Ex. 19:6; Num. 24:7, 32:33; Deut. 3:4, 10, 13, 21, 17:18, 20, 28:25; Josh. 11:10, 13:12, 21, 27, 30, 31; 1 Sam. 10:16, 18, 11:14, 13:13-14, 15:28, 18:8, 20:31, 24:20, 28:17; 2 Sam. 3:10, 28, 5:12, 16:3, 8; 1 Ki. 2:12, 15, 2:22, 46, 4:21, 10:20, 11:11, 13, 31, 34-35, 12:21, 26, 14:8, 18:10, 2 Ki. 19:19; 1 Chron.10:14, 11:10, 12:23, 14:2, 16:20, 28:5, 7; 29:11, 30; 2 Chron. 1:1, 9:19, 11:1, 17, 12:8, 14:5, 17:5, 10, 20:29, 21:3, 22:9, 29:21, 32:15, 33:13, 36:20, 22; Ezra 1:1-2,7:13; Neh. 9:22, 35; Esther 1:14, 20, 2:3, 3:6, 8, 4:14, 5:3, 6, 7:2, 9:30, Ps. 46:6, 68:32, 79:6, 102:22, 105:13, 135:11; Ecc. 4:14; Is. 10:10, 13:4, 13:19, 14:16, 17:3, 19:2, 23:11, 7, 34:12, 37:20, 47:5, 60:12; Jer. 1:10, 15, 15:4, 18:7, 9, 24:9, 25:26, 27:8, 28:8, 29:18, 34:1, 34:17, 49:28, 51:20, 27; Lam. 2:2; Ez. 17:14, 29:14-15, 37:22; Dan. 1:20, 2:37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 4:17-18, 25-26, 31, 36, 5:7, 11, 16, 5:21, 26, 28-29, 31, 6:1, 3-4, 7, 26, 7:23-24, 8:22-23, 10:13, 11:2, 17, 20-21; Hos. 1:4; Amos 6:2, 7:13, 9:8; Ob. 1:21; Nah. 3:5; Zeph. 3:8; Hag. 2:22
a. In Ex. 19:6, the phrase “kingdom of priests” pictures a human kingdom where every subject of the kingdom is a priest (notice that the promise is conditional upon obedience in Ex. 19:5, and the promise is a future promise, with no explanation about the required length of obedience for the promise to come to pass). This is nottalking about something esoteric or metaphorical, and Ex. 19:5 isn’t something that has ever happened in the history of Israel…at least for more than a few hours or days (notice Ex. 19:8, 24:3, 32:1-10).
2. God’s universal empire and rule.
2 Ki. 19:15; 1 Chron. 29:11; 2 Chron. 13:8, 20:6, 36:23; Ps. 45:6, 103:19, 145:11-13; 37:16; Jer. 10:7; Dan. 2:37-44, 4:3, 17, 25-26, 32, 34, 5:21
a. In 1 Chron. 29:11, David recognizes that “all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours” (God’s universal reign), and thereby “yours is the kingdom” refers to David’s kingdom in Israel; a sub-kingdom under God’s universal kingdom.
3. A singular global everlasting empire promised to a descendant of David.
Ex. 19:6; 1 Sam 13:13-14; 2 Sam. 7:12-16, 1 Chron. 17:11-14, 28: 5-7; Is 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44-45, 7:14, 18, 22, 27
a.I would suggest Ex. 19:6 is the first (possible) mention of the Millennial Kingdom in the Old Testament. Ex. 19:6 doesn’t mention The Millennium (obviously), but the phrases “kingdom of priests” and “holy nation” are promises to national Israel regarding a post-obedience-to-the-law kingdom that have never been realized in Israel.
These promises will not be realized in Israel until all the living Israelites are regenerate; this will only occur after many get saved in the Tribulation and enter the Millennial Kingdom.
b. In 1 Sam. 13:13-14, when Saul loses the kingdom, it’s said that if he would have been faithful to the Lord his kingdom would have been everlasting. Saul clearly wasn’t faithful to the Lord (by any stretch), but that doesn’t negate the reality and legitimacy of the offer of an everlasting kingdom. This also suggests that an everlasting kingdom in Israel (with a Jew on the throne) was offered by God, before David’s reign (though 1 Sam. 13:14 suggests, before David’s reign had even begun, that David won’t be the righteous king either – notice how the “man after his own heart” is commanded to “be a prince” and not a king?).
b. In 1 Sam. 13:13-14, when Saul loses the kingdom, it’s said that if he would have been faithful to the Lord his kingdom would have been everlasting. Saul clearly wasn’t faithful to the Lord (by any stretch), but that doesn’t negate the reality and legitimacy of the offer of an everlasting kingdom. This also suggests that an everlasting kingdom in Israel (with a Jew on the throne) was offered by God, before David’s reign (though 1 Sam. 13:14 suggests, before David’s reign had even begun, that David won’t be the righteous king either – notice how the “man after his own heart” is commanded to “be a prince” and not a king?).
The king of that everlasting kingdom needed to be perfectly faithful to God. This isn’t a mention of the Millennial Kingdom, but it definitely seems reasonable when understood in the light of a millennial kingdom, established in Israel, where the king will possess perfect righteousness.
c. 2 Sam. 7:12-16 contains several promises:
d. 1 Chron. 28:5-7 gives further reason to suggest that Solomon is the king that David was promised. It mentions Solomon building a temple for Yahweh, how Yahweh says “I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father”, and how Yahweh promises that if Solomon remains obedient to his commandments and statutes, his kingdom will be established forever. David would have thought that Solomon was the promised seed, and Solomon could have been if he were faithful (the offer was legitimate, just like Saul’s offer), but Solomon’s kingdom was anything but everlasting. It is definitely worth noting that, just as Yahweh promised in 2 Sam. 7:12-16, Solomon was disciplined when he committed iniquity but his covenant faithfulness did not depart from Solomon; Solomon’s kingdom was split after he died and his royal line continued all throughout the Old Testament and continued all the way to a carpenter’s son from Nazareth whom you may have heard of…
e. Is. 9:6-7 (which occurs hundreds of years after Solomon) contains mention of the promised Davidic king who is still to come. Isaiah reminded Israel that Yahweh’s promises, though looking forgotten, are never forgotten or annulled. There still is a coming king, just like Yahweh promised, but this coming king will be called “Wonderful Counselor”, “Mighty God”, “Everlasting Father”, “Prince of Peace”. The 2nd and 3rd titles are bizarre ones to use of one of an descendant of David. Yet, it is promised that he will have unlimited rule and peace, and will sit upon the throne of David and rule David’s dominion (Israel) in everlasting justice and righteousness.
The phrase “Wonderful Counselor” in Isaiah 9:6 isn’t talking about “Counselor” in the sense of “a psychotherapist”; but a military/strategic counselor, in the sense of Ahithophel (see 2 Sam. 15-17) or Daniel (see Dan. 1:20, 5:14-16). Jesus will have the government on his shoulders because he will be the only person in history with shoulders big enough for the job. His first qualification for the job of running the world will be that he’s a “Wonderful Counselor”, meaning that he will be the dispenser of wisdom and won’t need to go to anyone for advice.
f. Dan. 2:44-45 (Actually Dan. 2:31-45) mentions a coming kingdom that will be established by God. That kingdom will destroy all other kingdoms that came before it and be a global kingdom (Dan. 2:35). Daniel explicitly names Babylon as the first kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision (Dan. 2:37-38), so it stands to reason that the following components of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision were also kingdoms like his (earthly, actual, physical kingdoms). The kingdom Daniel speaks of may not be the coming kingdom that was promised to David, but Daniel describes it as an everlasting kingdom that won’t ever be destroyed or given to anyone else (Dan. 2:44). That makes for some serious problems if the global and everlasting kingdom described by Daniel isn’t the Israelite and everlasting kingdom promised to David. Author: Cripplegate
c. 2 Sam. 7:12-16 contains several promises:
- When David dies, someone from his line will become king.
- The future Davidic king will build a house for Yahweh’s name (temple).
- Yahweh will make his reign everlasting.
- Yahweh will be a father to him and he will be a son to Yahweh.
- He will be disciplined by God “when he commits iniquity” but Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness (hesed) will not depart from him as it did with Saul.
- David’s house, kingdom and throne will be everlasting.
- These promises are all also contained in 1 Chron. 7:11-14, without the line “when he commits iniquity”.
- These promises are specifically to David and deal with a kingdom that is like in manner to his kingdom. David’s throne is, and always has been, in Israel. David’s line refers to actual genealogical descent. There is nothing here other than the promise of an everlasting, earthly, physical, real kingdom in the same sense as every other tangible kingdom in David’s day. The “kingdom” promised to David wasn’t some sort of metaphor for anything, and that’s seen in 1 Chron. 22:6-13 where David explicitly states that Solomon is the king that the Lord spoke of (or so he thinks). If it is some sort of metaphor (which it may possibly be), I cannot find any reason in the text to think such is the case.
d. 1 Chron. 28:5-7 gives further reason to suggest that Solomon is the king that David was promised. It mentions Solomon building a temple for Yahweh, how Yahweh says “I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father”, and how Yahweh promises that if Solomon remains obedient to his commandments and statutes, his kingdom will be established forever. David would have thought that Solomon was the promised seed, and Solomon could have been if he were faithful (the offer was legitimate, just like Saul’s offer), but Solomon’s kingdom was anything but everlasting. It is definitely worth noting that, just as Yahweh promised in 2 Sam. 7:12-16, Solomon was disciplined when he committed iniquity but his covenant faithfulness did not depart from Solomon; Solomon’s kingdom was split after he died and his royal line continued all throughout the Old Testament and continued all the way to a carpenter’s son from Nazareth whom you may have heard of…
e. Is. 9:6-7 (which occurs hundreds of years after Solomon) contains mention of the promised Davidic king who is still to come. Isaiah reminded Israel that Yahweh’s promises, though looking forgotten, are never forgotten or annulled. There still is a coming king, just like Yahweh promised, but this coming king will be called “Wonderful Counselor”, “Mighty God”, “Everlasting Father”, “Prince of Peace”. The 2nd and 3rd titles are bizarre ones to use of one of an descendant of David. Yet, it is promised that he will have unlimited rule and peace, and will sit upon the throne of David and rule David’s dominion (Israel) in everlasting justice and righteousness.
The phrase “Wonderful Counselor” in Isaiah 9:6 isn’t talking about “Counselor” in the sense of “a psychotherapist”; but a military/strategic counselor, in the sense of Ahithophel (see 2 Sam. 15-17) or Daniel (see Dan. 1:20, 5:14-16). Jesus will have the government on his shoulders because he will be the only person in history with shoulders big enough for the job. His first qualification for the job of running the world will be that he’s a “Wonderful Counselor”, meaning that he will be the dispenser of wisdom and won’t need to go to anyone for advice.
f. Dan. 2:44-45 (Actually Dan. 2:31-45) mentions a coming kingdom that will be established by God. That kingdom will destroy all other kingdoms that came before it and be a global kingdom (Dan. 2:35). Daniel explicitly names Babylon as the first kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision (Dan. 2:37-38), so it stands to reason that the following components of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision were also kingdoms like his (earthly, actual, physical kingdoms). The kingdom Daniel speaks of may not be the coming kingdom that was promised to David, but Daniel describes it as an everlasting kingdom that won’t ever be destroyed or given to anyone else (Dan. 2:44). That makes for some serious problems if the global and everlasting kingdom described by Daniel isn’t the Israelite and everlasting kingdom promised to David. Author: Cripplegate
