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Jesus Christ is coming back to earth as King of the Kingdom of God to save the human race from destroying itself. How will the rebellious and traumatized citizens of this world become the peaceful subjects of God's Kingdom? Who will help serve and teach the people? What does the Bible say about the citizens of the Kingdom of God?
In the past two mini-studies we looked at the return of Jesus Christ as King to save this world from itself and at the constitution of the Kingdom of God-God's laws . The King and the laws of the Kingdom are two of the four parts necessary for a kingdom. Today let's look at the third necessary component of the Kingdom-the citizens.
Consider the story of one of the Bible's most intriguing figures. Simon Bar-Jonah was a rough fisherman-brave, audacious and zealous. His life goals surely didn't include becoming a fancy preacher or a high-and-mighty king. But when he heard Jesus' message, he was convinced that this was the real thing. This was a true and powerful message from God.
So when Jesus asked him to leave his fishing nets behind and become one of His "fishers of men," Simon could not refuse.
What followed was a remarkable time of training and transformation. Day after day he walked the dusty roads with Jesus, hearing His parables and teachings. He watched Jesus' service to others and was sent out to practice serving others too.
He felt the joy of Jesus' praise and the sting of His corrections. All these things were helping shape and mold the clay that would become the powerful apostle Peter. And those same experiences were training him for the job Jesus promised him in the Kingdom of God-to be king of one of the tribes of Israel (Luke 22:29-30)!
Jesus gave two final commands to Peter: "Feed My sheep" and "Follow Me" (John 21:17,19). The biblical record is of a man who did both of those things throughout the rest of his life.
The incredible thing is, the training program God used for Peter is also available to us through the Bible and living the Christian life today. Peter's last recorded words to Christ's sheep were the encouragement for us to also follow the same training program: "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen" (2 Peter 3:18).
In 6,000 years of recorded history, there have been few times of real justice, happiness and peace between people. And there have been even fewer times when people truly obeyed their Creator God. Living the way of "get" described in the last mini-study has led humanity along a downward spiral, threatening our very existence.
As we have seen in the last two studies, things will change! Jesus Christ will take over as King. His laws will become the constitution of the coming Kingdom of God. But these two elements are not enough. The citizens themselves must change. The transformation of rebellious humanity into the peaceful subjects of the Kingdom of God is a fascinating story. It's a story that can begin today-with you!
What will people's predominant attitudes and actions be in the last days before Jesus Christ's second coming?
"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9).
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12).
"As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.' 'Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit'; 'the poison of asps is under their lips'; 'whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. 'Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes'" (Romans 3:10-18).
Because the selfish way of "get" so thoroughly fills the world, people do not even realize that thinking and doing what "seems right" to them is actually producing the world's problems. They want peace but live in ways that make peace impossible. And matters will only worsen as the end draws nearer.
What will be the state of humanity when Christ returns?
"For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24:21).
"But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts" (Revelation 9:20-21).
Human rebellion will bring the worst time of trouble the world has ever seen. It will be worse than the Inquisition, the pogroms, the genocides or the Holocaust. Yet even through the plagues and troubles, people will refuse to repent, and nations will even try to fight Christ at His return! But at the end of it all, the remnant of humanity still alive will be ready to surrender, and they will be in great need of healing in body, mind and spirit.
Whom will Jesus Christ rule, and what will they come to see?
"Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:14).
"O Lord, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come to You from the ends of the earth and say, 'Surely our fathers have inherited lies, worthlessness and unprofitable things'" (Jeremiah 16:19).
"No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For
I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34).
All people will finally come to know that all human ways and traditions are worthless. Eventually each person will be able to learn God's way and have a personal relationship with God.
Who will help Jesus Christ teach and rule the people?
"But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever" (Daniel 7:18; see also Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 3:21).
Jesus Christ will have His transformed followers assist Him in teaching and caring for all people. All those set apart in this age by the gift of God's Spirit are known as saints (Romans 1:7; Romans 5:5).
What specific jobs in the Kingdom of God are mentioned in the Bible?
"David My servant shall be king over them [the Israelites], and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children's children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever" (Ezekiel 37:24-25 ; see also Jeremiah 30:9).
"So Jesus said to them [His 12 apostles], 'Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel'" (Matthew 19:28).
Notice that in the Kingdom of God, King David will reign over all Israel and each of the 12 apostles will rule over individual tribes of Israel-so there will be a tiered structure of governance.
What other jobs should we be preparing to help with in the Kingdom of God?
". . . Your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:20-21).
"And so it was that when he [a nobleman representing Jesus in a parable] returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.' Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities'" (Luke 19:15-19).
The Bible lists future responsibilities such as teaching people God's ways and serving them as rulers over cities. God's people have the challenge to train now for those future responsibilities!
How do we prepare to serve in God's Kingdom?
". . . But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . ." (2 Peter 3:18).
"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne" (Revelation 3:21).
"But Jesus called them [His disciples] to Himself and said to them, 'You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many'" (Mark 10:42-45).
To be able to teach and help others to live God's way in the future, we must learn and practice His ways now. To help others overcome sin and transform their lives, we must overcome sin and transform our lives. To serve Jesus and others effectively in the future, we must learn to serve them now. Jesus Christ will bring a way of peace and real joy that will spread to all people around the world. He wants us to now be training to help Him in that most wonderful work. Now is the time for you to accept that challenge!
In the last mini-study we looked at God's command for Israelite kings to write out a copy of God's laws and to read them regularly (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). Writing down scriptures can help emphasize what we are studying, and thinking deeply about God's words can help us keep the right perspective.
Last time we asked you to write out the first four commandments. Today, take the time to write down the last six of the Ten Commandments from Exodus 20:12-17. These six commandments deal with our relationships with other people and help explain how to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39).
After writing down these six commandments, take time to reread them and to think about how to apply them every day. You will find a chapter about each of these commandments in our free Bible study aid The Ten Commandments , which you'll find very helpful in your further study of this subject.
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