Freedom is Good News Part 197

A king, some land, laws and subjects; add them all up and … one has a kingdom!

In our previous articles we have been considering the topic of ‘The Kingdom of God’ and what that means.  Last article centered on the idea of a King.  We looked at the Old and New Testaments and saw that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, occupies the role of King in God’s Kingdom.

Let us move on to the second item on our list: some land.  We have already noticed that both John the Baptist and Jesus spoke to the idea that the ‘Kingdom of God is at hand’.  The words ‘at hand’ in the Greek may be defined as ‘imminent’ or ‘urgent’.  So I’m sure we will come to see that His land will not be hard to find!!  By the way, they said it was imminent almost 2000 years ago!!  Are we living in it or are we partaking of it today?

The 37th Psalm is one written by King David, the title of it could be “Inherit the land”.  Let us take a short trip through that Psalm and read what David had to say concerning “the land”.  Verse 3: “Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and feed securely”.  Verse 9: “For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.”  Verse 11: “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”  Verse 22: “For those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.”  Verse 29: “The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.  Verse 34: “Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land.”

Some might say that this is talking about the geographical area in the Middle East known as Israel.  But in David’s day the entire physical land had already been divided and occupied by the ancient Israelites and he, in this Psalm, refers to a future inheritance with the word “shall”.  There is a future fulfillment of these statements and David refers to them as “land”.

In the book of Isaiah, chapter 60, the prophet tells of the future Glory of Zion with a most beautiful piece of poetry.  In that poem he speaks of a future time wherein “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your boarders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” (Verse 18)  In verse 21 Isaiah quotes God with these words, “Then will all your people be righteous and they will inherit the land forever, for they are the shoot I will plant, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.”

Yes the Kingdom of God has what God Himself calls “land”.  How does that play out for spiritual beings?  That’s the beauty and the joy of our anticipation.  For God is good – this we know; and yet the scriptures tell us that His ways are past finding out (Isaiah 55:8-12).  Again, in the book of Isaiah we find these words, “But the man who makes Me his refuge will inherit the land and possess My Holy Mountain.” (Is. 57:13)

Yes this is good news and there is still more to come!