FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY

OF GOD'S KINGDOM

It was just as described in the dream that Daniel had interpreted, the Kingdom of God would be established at the time of the Roman Empire.  During the time of the birth of Jesus the country of Palestine was under the rule of the Roman Empire.  Emperor Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor was in charge. (Lk. 2:1-6)  A Roman census was taken to aid military conscription or tax collection.  The Jews didn't have to serve in the Roman army, but they could not avoid paying taxes.  Augustus's decree went out in God's perfect timing and according to God's perfect plan to establish His Kingdom in the world.  God controls all history.  By the decree of Emperor Augustus "the One to be ruler in Israel" was born in the very town prophesied for His birth even though His parents did not live there (Mic. 5:2)  Wise men from the East came to seek Him.  "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." (Mt. 2:1-2)

There leaves little doubt that the Lord Jesus Christ became the King when He came to this world during His First Advent.  "Pilate therefore said to Him, 'Are You a king then?'  Jesus answered, 'You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (Jn. 18:37) The Kingdom that Jesus came to establish is not a physical and political one as He had explained to Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world.  If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My Kingdom is not from here." (Jn. 19:36)  Zechariah had prophesied the King would enter Jerusalem "lowly, and sitting on a donkey." (Zec. 9:9) Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by His triumphal entry as He boldly declared Himself King and the multitudes hailed Him: "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD (Yahweh)!  Hosanna in the highest." (Mt. 21:9)

After His death, burial and resurrection the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." (Mt. 28:18) "All authority" means full and complete power over the whole universe.  Our heavenly Father "has delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross." (Col. 1:13-20)  "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus (Yahshua) every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 2:9-11)

The Kingdom of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is a spiritual kingdom that was established during His First Advent, will continue in this world and age until His Second Coming.  "Then comes the end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  For he must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.  For He has put all things under His feet.  But when He says 'all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.  Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things  under Him, that God may be all in all." (1 Cor. 15:24-28)