Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come close! That is the meaning of the verse since the Greek word for “near” is EGGIZO, which has the meaning “to draw near.“ It was a call for people to repent of their sins, and many did (Mark 1:4). Their Messiah was present, and they were going to have some kingdom experiences. They would taste what the future earthly kingdom would be like.      Many of them believed. John the Baptist had told them that Jesus was no ordinary man. He had existed before John the Baptist was born.     The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” (NASB) John 1:29-30   Jesus was God, and this was obvious in Jesus’ ministry.      Jesus started His ministry near His home town of Capernaum which was in the Jewish region of Galilee (Matt. 4:12-13). Most of His early ministry was in this region because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him. On one occasion, Jesus sent His disciples on a missionary assignment of preaching and healing.     And whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (NASB) Luke 10:8-9   Their message to the Jews was, “This is a taste of what the future Kingdom of God will be like.” The kingdom will be a Jewish kingdom, but it will include Gentiles too (Acts 15:16-17).          On one occasion, Jesus was confronted by some Pharisees who came up from Jerusalem. He had this to say about the kingdom of God,     But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (NASB) Matt. 12:28   Jesus did not mean that the kingdom was present, or that He was sitting on an earthly throne. He was telling them that that they had just experienced the power of the future kingdom. He had not come to bring the kingdom; but when He came, some elements of the kingdom came too.     Kingdom Is Future. When Jesus came He did not come to bring the kingdom. We find this truth in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, in Jesus’ words about John the Baptist, and in the gospels.      In order to see this, we want to go back to Daniel 9:27 where we discovered that the 70th week starts with peace and ends with war.     And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” (NASB) Daniel 9:27   In 1 Thessalonians 5:2, we find that Daniel’s 70th week is called the day of the Lord.         < Back   Next >
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