The Kingdom of God as Found on Earth
November 19th, 2009 Posted by: admin
Every fall, Christians congregate to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. It is a seven-day event, which represents the fulfillment of the coming Kingdom of God. Jesus, along with His first-century church, took part in these feasts in observance of the last of three annual festival seasons described in the Bible. Today, people reside in temporary quarters (biblically referred to as “booths,” or “tabernacles”), attend daily services, and enjoy a wide range of positive, family-based activities over the course of the week. Together, Christians re-examine what it means to be children of God.
For example, many review the inspirational bible stories of God’s friend Abraham, the virtuous Sarah, the faithful King Hezekiah, Lazarus’ sisters Mary and Martha, and many more whose faith was tested and who reaped their just reward for staying strong in their beliefs and true to their Creator. Those lessons of men and women from the Bible provide insight on how to (and how not to) live life today. Each year, those seven days are a reminder of the duties and obligations to God, of why it is so important that they be fulfilled, and of the bounteous return that He will provide.
So, what is the kingdom of God, and why should Christians work so diligently to earn this reward? The gospel, or good news, of the coming Kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus Christ’s message for humanity. Incidentally, the Kingdom of God is sometimes referred to as the “Kingdom of Heaven” because God, who currently dwells in heaven, rules it; it is not exclusive to that location. Jesus’ human life without sin, his public ministry, his sacrifice of himself for all of humankind, and His glorious resurrection represented His first coming, during which He consistently foretold His eventual return to earth.
Upon His second coming, Christ will return to rule over all - then will the Kingdom of Heaven be established completely and globally. The nations and leaders of the world are going to be replaced by a form of government that can finally solve humanity’s problems. This literal, earthly, world-ruling monarchy will be the regime not of self-motivated men and women, but of Jesus Christ, Himself. Dozens of biblical prophecies tell of how the world will be entirely transformed, and all of its people will be introduced to a new way of living that will bring peace, prosperity, productivity, and fulfillment.
All who have not received the good news during their lifetime will later be resurrected, and each will be given the opportunity for salvation within the Kingdom of God. By choosing the true path, maintain spiritual faith, obedience to God, and commitment to the Church’s true mission, anyone may share in the wondrous future that the Creator has intended. Please visit www.ucg.org at anytime, as everyone is always welcome.
