The Kingdom of God on Earth and Our Kingdom with God on Heaven
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Many theologians teach that at the time of Jesus return, He will establish a “Millennial Kingdom,” in
Israel, and will reign from the Temple of Jerusalem for 1000 years. However, Jesus specifically said to
Pilate that His kingdom was not from this world, for if His kingdom were from this world, His servants the
angels would fight so that He would not be delivered to death by the Jews, then clarified by saying from
that moment on His kingdom would no longer be from the world (John 18:36).
Jesus further explained that in His Father’s House were many mansions, where He would go to prepare
a place for his followers, then He said that if He went to heaven were His Father was, He would come
again, to receive His followers to Him self, so that in the place were Jesus is (heaven) His followers
would also be (John 14:2-3).
You will find that the bible gives ample evidence showing, not only that the Kingdom of Christ was
already established on earth, but also that at the time of Jesus return He will not establish a Millennial
Kingdom on earth, but He will gather us to the Kingdom of His Father in heaven, and we will live in the
house of God forever.
My greatest concern is not that there is disagreement in the church regarding the above, but that Jesus
specifically warned us before hand saying that there would come one that will sit in Jerusalem claiming
to be the Jewish Messiah, the king of Israel. This impostor will be none other than the Man of Sin (the
Antichrist), and for that reason Jesus warned us saying that is some one were to tell us that Christ or
the Messiah was in the dessert, or in the inner rooms of the Temple we should not go to follow him.
Jesus then demonstrated that the time of His return would not be a hidden event or a secret rapture, but
it would be as visible as lightning that can be seen from the east unto the west and every eye will see
him, even those who nailed Him to the cross (Matthew 24:24-27, Revelation 1:7).
The Kingdom of God on Earth Was Established When Jesus Ascended To Heaven
Both our Lord Jesus Christ as well as John the Baptist started their ministry stating that the Kingdom of
God was near or at hand (Matthew 3:3, 4:17). Prior to the crucifixion of Jesus, He said to his disciples
“Now is the judgment of this world: now the ruler of this world is cast out. And if I am lifted up I will draw
all peoples to myself (John 12:31-32).” The ruler that Jesus referred to was Satan whom Jesus
removed as ruler of the world at the time of His crucifixion. Jesus ascended to Heaven where He sits at
the right hand of His Father. Along with the name that is higher than every other name, He was given
dominion and power in heaven, on earth and under the earth and was crowned King of kings and Lord.
Daniel foresaw this in a vision, when he saw the Son of Man arrived with the clouds into heaven, where
God His Father crowned gave Jesus dominion, glory and an everlasting kingdom so that all peoples,
nations and languages should serve Him (Daniel 7:13-14). The vision of Daniel was fulfilled at the time
when Jesus was taken up on a cloud into heaven (Acts 1:9-11). The scriptures say that the angels who
were present at the time of Jesus’ ascension told the disciples that Jesus would return in the very same
manner as Jesus ascended to heaven, meaning that the return of Christ Jesus will not be an isolated
event as many are falsely teaching. The Apostle John said that every eye would see the appearance of
Jesus, even those who crucified Him (Revelation 1: 7). Since those who crucified Him are now dead,
they will have to come back to life in order to see the return of Jesus. In other words, Jesus will not
return until the time of the resurrection of the dead, which according to Paul happens at the time when
the Seventh and last Trumpet is sounded (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).
Another scripture that support that the Kingdom of Christ was established nearly 2000 years ago comes
from Daniel, chapter 2. Daniel interpreted the mystery of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image
made of gold, silver, bronze, clay and iron, that was demolished by a stone that later became a large
mountain that covered all of the earth. The gold represented the Empire of Babylon, the silver
represented the Empire formed through the alliance of the Medes and the Persians; the bronze
represented the Empire of Greece and the feet of clay and iron represented the Empire of Rome.
Daniel told the king that the stone would strike the image’s feet causing that the gold, the silver, the
bronze, clay and the iron to become like chaff from grain that the wind would carry throughout the earth
and not trace of them would be found anymore (Daniel 2:32-44). The stone that became a great
mountain and filled the whole earth represents Jesus the Chief Corner Stone of Israel; the mountain
represents the true kingdom of Israel that is compose by those who have truly accepted Jesus as their
Savior and as their Lord (Master) and Messiah. That is why Jesus sent us to preach the gospel of His
kingdom throughout the world. Every person that comes into the kingdom, causes the mountain to grow
bigger and bigger.
The stone was not cut out by hands of men, meaning that Jesus was not created nor appointed by man,
but begotten and appointed by God His Father. The fact that the stone (Jesus) struck the image on its
feet means that the Kingdom of God on Earth was established while the Empire of Rome was still in
power. This is the very reason why Jesus and John both preached that the kingdom of God was near.
If we pay particular attention to what Daniel said in Daniel 2:43, we will notice that the Empire of Rome
will never rise again, contrary to the teachings of many eschatologists who insist that the next world
order and the Antichrist will come from Europe or from Rome. Daniel said that the fourth kingdom,
referring to the Empire of Rome would never adhere (come together) again, just as clay does not
adhere with iron (Daniel 2:43).
Nevertheless, the Prophet Ezekiel in Chapters 38, 16 and 23 of Ezekiel specifically said that the nations
that will one day form an alliance to for the army of Gog and Magog will all come from the Middle East
and the continent of Africa. While many pastors and religious teachers spend their time preaching
about prosperity and things that do not relate to our salvation, Satan is gathering the nations that will
one-day attack the Nation of Israel.
What about the establishment of an Earthly Millennial Kingdom at the time of Jesus return?
The belief that Jesus will establish an Earthly Millennial Kingdom at the time of His return is a fairly new
doctrine in the history of the church. The concept of the Earthy Millennial Kingdom derives from
Revelation Chapter 20:1-6, which relate that John saw the vision of an angel from heaven that took a
hold of Satan and bound him for a thousand years in the bottomless pit or Abyss. In this vision John
saw persons who had received authority to judge who sat on various thrones as well as the souls of
people who had been beheaded for witnessing about Jesus who had not received the mark of the beast
on their foreheads or in their hands. These ones who were beheaded went to reign with Christ for a
thousand years.
Some eschatologists blindly claim that these verses refer to the rapture of the church. Although the
scripture specifically say that the persons who went to be with the Lord were all beheaded, many
eschatologists still claim that Christians will not be on earth at the time of the tribulation.
The bible teaches that John the Baptist was the first Christian who was beheaded for witnessing about
Jesus. It is believed that almost all of the apostles were killed as they gave testimony of Jesus. Stephen
a disciple of the apostles as we was stoned to death saw the heavens open and Jesus standing at the
right hand of God His Father (Acts 7:54-60).
As far as those who sat on thrones who received authority to judge (Revelation 20:4), Jesus specifically
said that His apostles would sit on twelve thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel (Mat 19:27-29). The
Beast that they rejected represented the terrible beast of the Empire of Rome that’s was exceedingly
strong, with the huge iron teeth that devoured, breaking in pieces every one of its opponents (Daniel 7:
7). Those who had the mark on the head are those who believe the ways and philosophies of Rome,
and those who had the mark of on their hand are those who accept raise their hands as oath or
affirmation, accepting the ways, traditions and philosophies of the Empire Rome.
But there has been more than a thousand years since the time when Jesus ascended to heaven, and
what about the thousand years that Satan is scheduled to be bound in the pit?
Revelation 12:1-9 states that Jesus the Son of the Woman (Israel) ascended to God and to His throne
in heaven. War broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against Satan and his angels. Satan
and his angels lost the war and were cast out from heaven to the earth as no place was found in
heaven any longer for them. According to Jesus, Satan the ruler of the world was cast out from heaven
at the time when Jesus was lifted up on the cross (John 12: 28-32).
The word “bottomless pit” which appears in Revelation 20:3, where Satan was cast out and
bound into is the Greek word “abussos,” meaning the abyss. “Abussos” is properly translated as “a
habitation of demons.” According to Revelation 12: 7-8, Satan was cast out into the earth, meaning that
he no longer has the ability to go before God as he did at the time of Job. The abyss or habitation of
demons is not a cell or a hole in the center of the earth, but a spiritual dimension here on earth. Satan
was already bound at the time of Paul, who stated that our battle is not against flesh and blood but
against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in the heavenly places
(spiritual places on earth not where God is) (Ephesians 6:12).
Paul told wrote to those in Thessalonica saying that Satan was already restrained or bound (2
Thessalonians 2:5-8). He further stated that the man of sin (Satan) would be revealed at the time when
the one who restrained him would let’s loose of him (2 Thessalonians 2:5-8). This verse shows that
Satan was already bound or restrained, not inside a hole in the center of the earth but on earth. The
word bound or restrained means that Satan’s power has be restricted or minimized. Jesus gave us an
example of this in Matthew 12: 29, when He stated that no one could enter a strong man’s house and
plunder his goods unless he first bound the strong man, then he could take away he strong man’s
possessions. Who do you think was the strong man that Jesus spoke about? Of course Satan who was
the ruler of the world. The strong man’s goods are the men and women who as a result of the fall of
Adam were sold to Satan under sin. Satan had to be bound or restricted so that the gospel of the
Kingdom of God would be preached throughout the nations. Jesus said specifically that the gospel of
the Kingdom would be preached throughout the world and then the end would come (Mathew 24:13). He
did not say that a thousand years would come, but that at the time when the Gospel would have
reached all of the nations of the world, the end will come. He also said that He would raise us up in the
last day (John 6:39). Paul said that is the time of our salvation and the time of God’s grace;
nevertheless, at the time when Satan is let lose from the spiritual shackles that now bind him, he will
gather all of the nations of the world to come against the children of God (Revelation 20:7-9).
We will reign with Jesus in Heaven, at the time of His return.
Jesus told His followers that in His Father’s house (heaven) there were many mansions. He then said to
them that He would go away to prepare a place for them, so that in the place where He was (heaven)
there his followers would also be (John 14:2-3). We are reigning with Jesus on earth for the Earthly
Kingdom of God has already come; however at the time of Jesus return, we will be gathered with Him on
the clouds of heaven an from that time we will be with Him and with God our Father, who said heaven is
His throne and the Earth is the footstool to His feet. For John saw that the present heaven and the earth
had disappeared and no place was found for them anymore.