Introduction to -The Kingdom of God?

Let's turn together to the scriptures and we read firstly in the book of the Psalms. We'll take a reference in Psalm number 74. I should say just to put on public record that it's my privilege to be here again in Mount Stirling and again not only a privilege to be amongst the the Saints here and the Saints who will gather over the days of conference but a privilege again to share with my beloved brethren and so nice to be with the Saints.

We appreciate the warm welcome that has already been extended. Psalm 74 please. And it is quite a dark Psalm.

Many of us know this. Look at verse number 7. Verse number 6. But now they break down the current work thereof at once with axes and hammers. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary.

They have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. Look down with me to verse number 10. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy name forever? Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? Pluck it out of thy bosom.

For God is my King of all, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Look over with me to Psalm 93. We pick up an expression.

There's a little group of Psalms actually that are worthy of consideration. Look at Psalm 93 with me and verse number 1. And it says the Lord reigneth. He is clothed with majesty.

The Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself. The world also is established that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old, thou art from everlasting.

Into Psalm 76. I wasn't going to read this, but just we pick up. I won't read all the expressions in the enthronement Psalms, but look at verse number 10 of Psalm 96.

Apologies, I think I said 76. We're not going backwards, we're going forwards. Psalm 96 and verse number 10.

Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth. The world also shall be established that it shall not be moved. Now we could read that in Psalm 97 verse 1 and Psalm 99 verse 1, but look with me at Psalm 103.

Psalm 103. And I'm only reading these scriptures to show us how vast this subject is. Psalm 103 verse number 19.

The Lord hath prepared. Many of you within Newberry Bible are a good reference margin. You will notice that that word prepared is the word established.

The Lord hath prepared or established his throne in the heavens, that his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments. Heartening unto the voice of his word.

Bless ye the Lord all his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

And I'll show you for one last reference in 1st Timothy. We read one of the doxologies of Paul in 1st Timothy and in chapter 1. Many will know that there's two doxologies in this epistle, but look with me at 1st Timothy 1 and for connection we read verse 15. We preach this in the gospel, but it's always wonderful just to know the context.

1st Timothy 1 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

And Paul having given that remarkable statement concerning the truth of the gospel, concerning everlasting life, you might wonder and I might wonder what will be his response? And his response is given in verse number 17. Now unto the King eternal, now unto the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, the honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

God bless to us those readings from the sacred text and grant to us the help of his spirit as we move through the moments of the ministry. I had the privilege actually just one Lord's Day past was Nineveh, Nova Scotia and just I happened to take up a theme not exactly what I'm going to speak about tonight but and in introducing that theme I simply mentioned to them that I was looking forward to coming to a conference here in Mount Sterling. I did mention that one of the problems we were facing at the conference was that the subject of the conference I wished that the brethren had decided on a subject that was more expansive because I told the Saints that morning I mentioned to them that the Bible reading that I would share in the first Bible reading would have the subject of the kingdom of God from the from the book of Genesis Eden to Exodus.

And then I mentioned that our brother Brody Thibodeau would be taking up from Exodus 19 essentially right through until about Matthew 1. The third Bible reading by our brother Donald would be ranging approximately from Matthew 1 to the boundary of the millennial reign of the Lord Jesus. And then I envied our brother Mark because he's really only a thousand years to deal with. But one of the things we have to acknowledge stepping into the weekend that is ahead of us is just how vast a subject that is before us that we will consider.

It is a privilege to be here and of course beloved Saints it is a privilege to consider a subject such as we are going to consider. This wonderful subject of the kingdom and particularly the kingdom of God. One of the things that we should mention having mentioned the vastness of the subject is that there are not many subjects in Scripture just as vast as this.

Possibly maybe we could suggest that theology if we were considering theology in its narrowest and in its proper bound it might just be a subject that is beyond what we're considering tonight and Lord willing Saturday and Sunday. That is the subject of the nature of God and considering God and studying God that might in a sense be wider in its scope and majesty than what we're considering presently. But there are not many subjects in Scripture that really have the vastness of what is before us.

One of the things that I am trying to do I will try to do it in my Bible reading I try to do it tonight and particularly in the Bible reading tomorrow and I know our brethren are going to do the same. I would suggest that what we will have to do is keep the big picture in mind. It will be very easy particularly in the Bible reading sessions.

It will be very easy just wanting to pick up tangents that crop into our minds and come into play as we consider the kingdom of God. And so I will try to keep it in mind. I know my brethren will do the same.

I'm sure that most who will contribute will have it in their mind that we will keep the big picture before us. The kingdom. The kingdom of God and what is revealed in Scripture.

Now as we consider the subject then. Stepping into what I want to deal with tonight in the moments that are available to me. I'm going to lift a few strands.

And the few strands with relation to the kingdom. What we will find is this. That they not only come up tonight but they will actually come up again tomorrow morning.

And we will find them tomorrow afternoon and then tomorrow evening in our brother Donald's reading and then to our brother Mark's reading on Sunday. So just a few strands of kingdom truth to introduce the subject. And these strands which I will introduce will then crop up again and again and will be unpacked in the sessions which are before us.

I want to speak first of all of the preeminence of the rule of God. Because if we were analyzing and asking ourselves. We use the term and we speak about the kingdom.

But if we were really boiling it down into its essence. And I was asking you tonight. What is the kingdom? What would we say? I would suggest to you that when we analyze and when we consider the kingdom.

It can really be brought down to this. That we're looking at. God's rule.

And we're going to consider that. And so I want to speak first of all on the preeminence of the rule of God. Now as we consider God's rule.

We will have to acknowledge there's a number of facets of the rule of God. We have to acknowledge there is God's right to rule. We will consider together the realm that God has when he rules.

And of course there is the reality of the person who does rule. And so when we consider that. When it's the right to rule.

It is who is ruling. When we think about the realm of his rule. It is where he is ruling.

And of course when it's the reality of his rule. It's how he is ruling. All of those things will play into the subject of kingdom.

Which is before us. Of course our God. He has existed eternally.

That's the wonder of this. One of the things that we will try to do in the Bible reading sessions. And even tonight.

If we leave Mount Sterling conference this year. Without wonder in our hearts. We have lost our way.

I hope by the time we are finished. And by the time the last session draws to its conclusion. I hope beloved saints.

That we are not only wondering in our hearts. As we consider our God. But we are leaving Mount Sterling this year.

Worshipping in a way that we have never done here before. That we leave. And in our hearts.

Our hearts are being lifted up. As we consider the God that we have been brought into contact with. This is our God.

Beloved saints tonight. Never forget. That the great subject of the kingdom.

God's kingdom. The kingdom of God. Should draw out our hearts.

Wondering and worshipping. As we are here. Gathered together.

The preeminence of the rule of God. That's why I read some of those wonderful references. The Psalmist in Psalm 74.

If I get time. I will come back to this one. That Psalm.

You and I know that. The background to that Psalm. Is the fact that the temple.

The temple of the Lord. In Jerusalem. Has been demolished.

The Babylonians have moved down. The three incursions have taken place. 606 B.C. 597 B.C. 586 B.C. And of course.

The background to Psalm 74. Is this. That these strong men.

Have taken hammers to the house of God. They have cast fire. Into thy sanctuary.

And you say to that dear man. That is there. On his knees.

In the very presence of the Lord. You say what is sustaining you? And how will you be sustained? Listen to what the man says. He says in verse number 10.

He says how long Lord? You see I'm aware. That there was a man with problems. We are living in a world.

That some of God's choices saints are facing problems tonight. That dear man was facing. Problems that he never imagined.

There have been things that crossed his pathway. And now there's an emergency situation in life. There are dear saints tonight.

And there's things that have crossed their pathway. And they're in special emergency situations in life. And like the man of 74.

Psalm 74. Their cry is this. How long Lord? And the psalmist says this.

Thou art my king of all. Beloved saints tonight. Again I say to our hearts.

The preeminence of God's rule. This is our God. The eternal God.

You and I know that we worship a God. Who has been eternally existent. A God who eternally existed.

In three divine persons. A God who when there was nothing. Simply eternally.

He was there. And a God in eternity. He was ruling.

You and I know there is a God. He will ever be. And the God that was in existence then.

And who was ruling then. Is a God who will exist forever. And he will live forever.

Beloved saints. Is it any wonder that the Apostle Paul breaks out into this remarkable doxology. In 1st Timothy chapter 1. And in verse number 17.

I know at the end of the book. In the doxology of chapter 6. He will ascribe honor and power to God. He doesn't do that here in 1st Timothy 1. In verse number 17.

He says now. Unto the king of the ages. Beloved saints.

Our God is rightly described as the king of the ages. He's called the king of nations. Jeremiah chapter 10.

On verse number 7. Revelation chapter 15. In verse number 3. He's called the king of saints. If you allow me to text from the King James version.

I'm aware that there's a textual inundation. But just allow me the King James version. The God who is the king of nations.

The God who is the king of saints. According to this text of 1st Timothy chapter 1. And verse number 17. Paul says.

And you can almost feel the pathos in the heart of the man. He says now unto the king of the ages. Immortal.

Invisible. The only wise God. Be honor and glory unto the ages of the ages.

Amen. The preeminence of the rule of God. Of course I read.

I read in some of those other Psalms. Just for sake of time. I really can't unpack that.

I will come to Psalm 93 if you allow me. I was in Vancouver last fall. And I went over to Regent.

Regent bookstore. I had a field day actually. Some of the old professors were getting rid of their books.

And one of the brethren and myself. He and I stepped in. And I hate to tell you this.

This is being recorded. But I thought Christmas had come early. It was just wonderful.

Tables upon tables. Upon tables of books. I picked up a few.

And I took them back to Nova Scotia. One of the books I took up was a book by a gentleman called Sigmund Mowinckel. I wouldn't advise you to buy the book.

But it was the Psalms of Israel. Or the Psalms in Israel's worship. Three bucks.

I mean for three bucks. One of the interesting things is that. That dear man.

You see this group of Psalms. From Psalm number 93 to Psalm number 99. That's a little group of Psalms that are tied together with a theme.

The great thing is enthronement. I'm not quite sure that I just agree with Mr. Mowinckel on what he said. He translated Psalm number 93.

And he translated it like this. The Lord has begun to reign. I don't think that's what it's saying at all.

Psalm number 93 verse 1. Psalm number 96 verse 10. Psalm number 97 verse 1. Psalm number 99 verse 1. It all says the same thing. It says this.

The Lord, Jehovah, reigns. Beloved saints, tonight it was ever true. Always true.

And it always will be true. Of course it's mentioned in Psalm 47. I didn't read that one.

You can do that at your own time. And just in your own study. Psalm number 47 and verse number 8. God reigns.

Slightly different title for God. And those are likely, likely related back to 1 Chronicles. 1 Chronicles chapter 16 and verse number 31.

And you say, what's going on in 1 Chronicles chapter 16 and in verse number 31? David is the king. And David is upon the throne. And this king who's upon the throne, he has in his heart to bring the ark of the Lord back to the city of Jerusalem.

And you and I know the context. The enthroned king, he brings the ark of the Lord that speaks of the divine presence back to the city of God. And you see when the king brings back the ark right to the city, the Lord's presence in the Lord's place amongst the Lord's people.

And there's the enthroned sovereign. And it's all under his control. David takes his pen and he writes a psalm.

And you know what David says? The Lord reigns. I judge it's a little picture. I would suggest likely our brother Brody will take us there tomorrow, Lord willing.

Because what we will find is this. There is a day coming, pictured in the life of David, when the Lord's people will be in the Lord's place with the Lord's presence. And the greatest thing of all is this.

There will be an enthroned sovereign. And he will reign forever. It was true eternally.

It will be true eternally. The preeminence of the rule of our God. The second thing that I need to mention very quickly is not only the preeminence of the rule of God, but I want to speak for a moment about the particulars of the rule of God.

Now this will not be all of them. But we have to admit, when we consider this business of kingdom, there are some things that we ask ourselves. Is it this? Or is it that? The scriptures sometimes seem to suggest to us an eternal kingdom.

And then there are other aspects in the scriptures where the kingdom in question and this business of kingdom is not referring to something that is eternal, but it's referring to that which is temporal. By using temporal, I mean within time. Our brethren might prefer different titles for this.

I'm quite happy speaking about the eternal kingdom and the temporal kingdom. Some speak about the eternal kingdom and they use mediatorial kingdom. That one needs to, it has a few caveats, so I've decided not to use that.

But sometimes in scripture, we're very clearly looking at the kingdom of God in its eternal aspect. There are times we look at the scriptures and it's not the kingdom eternally, it's the kingdom temporally. And we ask ourselves, is the kingdom, is it eternal or is it temporal? There are other times we come to the scriptures and sometimes you would almost think that this kingdom is universal.

And then sometimes you look again at scripture and it seems that the kingdom is local. There are times we look at the scriptures and you think that the kingdom is through direct intervention of God. And then sometimes we come to the Bible and you would almost think that God is working this kingdom out through divine administrators.

So we ask ourselves, is it God dealing directly or is it through administration? Which is it? Sometimes we look at this business of kingdom and it seems to have a commencement and it seems to have a progress and it seems to have a terminus. And we ask ourselves, when it comes to the particulars of the kingdom, which are any or all of these things, which is it? So we ask you tonight, is it eternal or is it temporal? Is it universal or is it local? Is it by direct intervention of God or is it through administration of God in some of those aspects? And you say to me, what are the answers to that? Well, I'm very glad we have our brethren here. The answers really to that is yes.

Because all of those aspects can be seen in the scripture. And as we are moving through some of the Bible readings, we will see a variety of aspects when it comes. God ever and always had an eternal kingdom.

We mentioned that again, that God ruled from eternity. God will rule eternally. But inside time, God is ruling and has a kingdom.

I'm sure beloved saints, the particulars of the rule of God. I have to leave this one very quickly. It is a very interesting thing that the first time we get rule in scripture is in Genesis chapter one.

And it's obviously that God has administered that. Administration that God has given when it comes to rule. It's in Genesis one and it's the fourth day.

And God says about the sun, you and I know in Genesis chapter one, he doesn't even call it the sun for a very particular reason. There's likely more than one reason, but for a very particular reason, he doesn't even call the sun by that name in Genesis one and the fourth day, nor the moon by its name. And you say, what does God say about the sun and the moon? He says the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night.

Now, I don't know about you, but right there when we see rule associated with the sun, I think that we've got a picture in mind. There's another, there's another aspect of the scriptures that will describe one who is coming, the son of righteousness, and he will come with healing in his wings. And so right there in Genesis one, we've got rule.

First time we get dominion in the scriptures is in Genesis one again. And it's not now ruling with the sun and the moon, but when we get to Genesis one and verse number 26, God says about human beings, Adam, and then Adam and Eve, he speaks about dominion. He says, let them have dominion.

And so we're going to see rule right at the beginning of the Bible. And we're going to see dominion right at the beginning of the Bible. In the first chapter of our Bible, rule and dominion right there in Genesis chapter one.

First time we get a reference to kingdom in our Bible is Genesis 10. It is a very different connotation. First time we get a reference to kings in our Bible is Genesis chapter 14.

It's a very interesting thing. And again, see a royal William told me, he says, listen, I was going to tell a lie. I think he told me 45 minutes.

So I prepped for about an hour 15. And then he told me earlier today about 40 minutes. I think it's been getting narrower ever since.

I'm in a bit of a problem here, but that's okay. I'll go through it as quickly as possible. But the first time we get kings is actually Genesis 14.

First world war of scripture. And you remember it's there that Abraham is brought onto the stage of scripture in a very particular way. And there is Abraham first time with bread and wine mentioned in the scriptures.

First time we get Jerusalem mentioned in the scriptures, a world war. We've got Jerusalem in its focus. We've got five kings and we get another four kings.

And then onto the stage of scripture, there comes another king. And he's actually described as a priest king. And he's going to give spiritual blessing to this Jewish man, this Hebrew man.

And again, beloved saints, I would suggest to you, we're learning lessons. Just at the beginning of scripture that will teach us lessons about the future and the coming kingdom glory of the Lord Jesus. Now I do have to leave that.

I was in a Bible reading, actually a meeting on Wednesday night. And when I went through the door in Clemensville, one of the brothers shook my hand. He says, you're going to Mount Sterling to the conference.

I said, yes. He says, it's the kingdom they're looking at. I says, yep.

He says, what's the difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven? Now, I was actually, I thought maybe I would step into that. But you see, I know our brother Donald Armstrong just really wants to answer that question tomorrow afternoon. And so I will leave that when it comes to the particulars of the rule of God.

The third thing that I mentioned, and I mentioned this very quickly, is not the preeminence of God's rule. And it's not even the particulars of God's rule. Just for a moment, let me speak to our hearts about the program of God's rule.

You see, we are living in a society where we can see that there are things and there are agents which are against God's kingdom. We know that the devil is against the kingdom of God. We know that there are fallen angels, demons, that are against God's program and God's kingdom.

We can see socially there are problems that mitigate against God's rule. We can see politically all these things against the rule of God. We say to ourselves, is it going to run on schedule? Will it be what God tells us in scripture? Don't forget, beloved saints, everything is under God's control.

The first thing that is under God's control, and this will come up most likely tomorrow morning, the ages are under his control. You see, in this temporal kingdom, within time, the eternal kingdom of God never had a beginning. The eternal kingdom of God will never have an end.

But within time, this temporal kingdom, it has a beginning and it will have an end. But don't forget that the God, the God who is sovereign, who is over all, he has actually delineated the ages in which it all will be worked out. You remember John's gospel.

John's gospel chapter one, speaking about the eternal word. In the beginning was the word, etc. You know the text very well.

And we get to verse number three. And when we get to verse number three, we learn that this one, the eternal word, this is the one that created it all. The physical universe in which we are found, it came from his hand.

I tell you again, beloved saints, this weekend should cause us to worship as we consider the Lord Jesus. The remarkable thing is that not only did our God create the physical universe, but Hebrews chapter 11 verse 3 says this, Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. And the word worlds there is the word ages.

So not only did our God in his design create the physical universe that we inhabit, but our God is so great, he has actually created and designated the ages that are linked to and mark this physical universe. I like Hebrews 9 verse number 28. In the consummation of the ages, there's a number of reasons why I like that text.

One of the great reasons, of course, is it's scripture. It's the word of God. Another reason is this, my wife could say through that text.

I love that text for that reason. But you think of this now, the God who has framed the physical universe, the God who has ordered the ages that are linked to this physical universe. He sent his son and once in the consummation of the ages, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And so it's all under his control. The ages are under his control. The authorities that are marking this physical universe are under his control.

Accountability is all under his control. And I say to the beloved saints tonight, we can rest on the page of sacred scripture. We can rest and say with Paul, now unto the king of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be he honor and glory forever and ever.

Amen. And so we've got the preeminence of God's room. Some of the particulars of God's room, the program of God's room.

We could speak about, and I won't do this, the purpose of God's room. I did notice when our brother William spoke tonight, he did not speak about the purposes of God's room. You read for yourself again, and we wouldn't hold anyone just an offender for a word.

We wouldn't do that. But frequently we, we ourselves, we speak about God's purposes. Bible doesn't do that.

Read for yourself Ephesians 1 verse 11. Read into Ephesians 3. Read Romans 8 verse 28. And you will find the thread that marks those and other passages of scripture is this, that they all speak about God's purpose.

And beloved saints, we are going to see in this series of Bible readings, the purpose for God's room. It all started in a garden, didn't it? You and I know how wonderful it was right there in the garden. You and I can see it at the beginning of scripture.

And yet we know that by the time it's over, what was seen at the beginning of scripture will be seen at the consummation of scripture. You remember there was a sanctuary and a tree of life. How does revelation conclude? There's a sanctuary setting and a tree of life.

You will recall at the beginning of scripture, we can see that death entered. At the end of scripture, death is abolished. We can see at the beginning of scripture, the curse entered.

Or at the end of scripture, the curse is abolished. We see at the beginning of scripture, there's a bride and a bridegroom. We see at the end of scripture, a bride and a bridegroom.

We see at the beginning of scripture, God will. And there's going to be a man who will administer the great will of God right here in this realm that God has made. Isn't it a wonderful thing when we come to the end of scripture, we see just exactly the same.

There's a man and he's going to administer the reign of God in the realm that has come from the very hand and the very handiwork of our God. The great eternal purpose in the heart of God. I will mention this.

I remember that one very quickly because I want to get to this. Notice with me the praise for the rule of God. One of the things that marks dear Christians, dear believers, I'll put it in the New Testament language, but Christians, but dear believers from the past is the fact that this great subject just encouraged them and left them with something in their hearts just a resounding note of praise.

You remember the song of the sea. You recall Moses, those people, they have come to the Red Sea. There they are at Yam Suph.

You know and I know how God opened up the way and he brings them through. And just after the sea is opened and God has brought them through and Pharaoh and his chosen chariots are drowned in the waters of the Red Sea. You remember what Moses does.

Moses takes up this song, the song of the sea. And in verse number 18 of Exodus 15, Moses says this, the Lord reigns. You know, beloved saints, you see this business of kingdom by the time we're finished this weekend, I would judge we won't only be wondering and we won't only be worshiping, but we will be praising.

Because in the past, the idea of our God reigning, it brought forth praise from the hearts of God's people. You remember that poem of the man that we know wasn't a saved man, Balaam. You recall what Balaam said in Numbers chapter 21.

Balaam said, the shout of a king is among them. And you and I know it has touched God's people who are redeemed. It has actually gone further and touched those who are not saved.

You know, wouldn't that be a great thing? You see, by the time this weekend is over, then not only would God's people be touched, but the ungodly themselves would remark on dear Christians leaving Mount Sterling and they would say this, you know what has got and galvanized those people is the very shout of the king. That in their hearts, they have understood this, that there's a king coming. Beloved saints, I hope that this galvanizes us as we consider the praise for the rule of God.

What about the prominence of the rule of God? It's a great thing, isn't it, as we consider scripture. Second Peter chapter three, those lovely titles of that eternal day. You will remember in Second Peter chapter three, as Peter is writing, he says, it's the day of God.

You recall Second Peter chapter three, verse 18. He doesn't in that passage call it the day of God. He calls it in that passage.

He calls it the ages, the day of eternity. And of course, when we get to Revelation chapter 20 and verse number 10, John, along with Paul here in First Timothy chapter one, John says, it's the ages of the ages. And it almost seems to be as if it can't be long enough.

Beloved saints, our God is going to rule. And he is going to reign forever. That leaves me with one final thing that I want to mention tonight.

It's not so much the preeminence of God's rule. It's not some of the particulars of God's rule. It's not even as we consider the purpose of God's rule.

And as we go through some of those other things that I have mentioned, I want to come to this. Pondering God's rule. We have the privilege tomorrow morning of sitting in a Bible study.

And when that Bible study is over from Eden to Exodus, we'll have a privilege sitting as we consider the next stage. And then the next stage, until at last we get to what Paul calls in Ephesians chapter three and verse number 21, not the ages of the ages. He doesn't use the two plurals.

In Ephesians chapter three and verse number 21, Paul speaks about the age singular of the ages. And you say, what has he in mind? He has in mind the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus. And we will have the privilege of pondering the will of God.

Beloved saints, Jesus shall reign. And thank God we will be associated with him. When he comes in bright ray to lead that conquering line, it will be glory then to say, he is a friend of mine.

Let's speak to the Lord and close our meeting in prayer.