The sentence of the Lord's Prayer reads: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
That's a powerful statement made in Matthew 6, which is confused by many biblical scholars.
To get understanding, we need to read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-7,27.
Jesus outlines the primary attributes of people who receive the rule of the Kingdom he brings.
There are nine direct references to “the kingdom” in this sermon –– calling for: humility, willingness to suffer persecution, earnest attention to God’s commandments, refusal to substitute false piety for genuinely right behavior, a life of prayer, prioritizing spiritual over material values and acknowledging Christ’s lordship by obeying the revealed will of God.
Paul taught the joy and peace of the Kingdom of God, its power, and its present authority to cause the believer to triumph over evil.
To understand further the meaning of kingdom in the Bible, I turned to the Hebrew word for kingdom, which is is 'malkut' and its Greek counterpart is 'basileia'. Both terms primarily mean “rule” or “reign.” Both terms have a dynamic or active meaning, and refer to the exercise of God’s power, dominion, or sovereignty in the here and now.
We don't have to wait for the Kingdom of God to be established if we are believer. It's already here for us to enjoy.
The Rev. Jack Hayford explains it, “When ordinary people like you and I receive forgiveness of sins and are born again, open access to “see” and “enter” the Kingdom of God is established within (John 3:3, 5) —a miracle of divine grace, given alone through faith in Christ and secured through His Cross. The Bible never suggests either (1) that there exists in man a divine spark, which may be fanned to flame by noble human efforts, or (2) that godlikeness is somehow resident in man’s potential, as though human beings are or may become “gods.” To the contrary, man is lost in darkness and alienated from God (Eph. 4:18; 2:12); however, the “good news” of the Gospel is this: A full reconciliation (return to the Father) and restoration (return to partnership with Him) are now possible.”
When we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven, we are asking God to exert His authority in the world so that His purposes are achieved.
The New Testament meaning of kingdom connects us with the exertion of God’s will, the act of ruling or reigning, the exercise of authority.
“Kingdom of God” does not refer to heaven or the church or the heart or to moral reform or to a future realm. Rather it refers to the active, dynamic exercise of God’s rule, authority, dominion, and power in this world.
These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.
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