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Bible Question: Could
you expound on the connection of Acts 1:3-7 and Revelation 20:1-6
noted on your "Kingdom of Heaven" page under What a Kingdom?
Jesus seems to refer to the Day of Pentecost in Acts and the Millennial
Kingdom in Revelation.
Bible Answer: There
is a future aspect to the kingdom. The end of the parable of the
sower of the seed (Matt. 13:42-43) indicates that the righteous WILL
enter the kingdom. This future reality is a physical kingdom which
will exist for 1,000 years on the earth (Rev. 20:1-6, especially
note verse 6). Ultimately, only God’s children will enter the
eternal kingdom (compare Rev. 20:11 and Rev. 21:1-2). In Acts 1:3
the Holy Spirit tells us that Jesus was speaking to His disciples
about the Kingdom of God. It is interesting that the gospels started
with the message “the kingdom of God is at hand.” It was
John the Baptist's message (Matt. 3:2) and it was also Jesus’ message
(Matt. 4:17). The kingdom was seen as something yet future. The king
was rejected and so, consequently, was the earthly kingdom. When
we come to Acts 1:3, the disciples were looking for an earthly kingdom
and Jesus did not tell them there was no future kingdom, but He indicated
the kingdom was still future as is further indicated in Acts 1:6-7.
In Acts 1:6-7, the disciples asked Jesus when He was going to restore
the kingdom and Jesus essentially said, “You will have to wait.”
Conclusion: The
kingdom is spiritual today and forever. Yet, one day there will also
be a physical, earthly kingdom that lasts for a short period of time. |
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