HAS GOD’S KINGDOM ALWAYS EXISTED/WHY BRING IT TO EARTH?
1Ki 6:11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying,
1Ki 6:12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
1Ki 6:13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.
First off, it is my understanding that God’s kingdom has not always existed. Now let me explain what I mean by that so that what I am saying is not misunderstood. Sometimes when people talk about God’s kingdom they are simply referring to His sovereignty; i.e., His right to do whatever He wants seeing that He is God. In other words they speak of His kingdom in the sense of His kingship, and by it they are simply denoting that there is none higher than He. But now this is not what I am talking about when I say that it is my understanding that God’s kingdom has not always existed. I’m not talking about an attribute of God, or an aspect of His character or essence. In other words I am not using the word “kingdom” in an abstract, or figurative, or spiritual sense. What I am referring to when I speak of God’s kingdom is the literal and physical issue of what God provided for when He brought His creation of the heaven and the earth into existence, and what His stated purpose is with respect to literally and physically ruling and reigning over His creation. And in this sense God’s kingdom has not always existed. Rather it came into existence in connection with His plan and purpose for creation. A literal and physical kingdom has actual territory to it in which authority is exercised and in which the purposes and wishes of a ruler are administered and carried out. It also has subjects within it over whom the ruler rules, and who are involved in the administration of the ruler’s purposes, and the like. And a literal and physical kingdom naturally has a supreme ruler, or king, who by his active rulership in it is what actually provides for the establishment and existence of his kingdom in the territory in which he resides and rules.
1Ki 8:26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
1Ki 8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
With this being what is involved in a “kingdom,” we know what God means when He speaks of His kingdom. It means therefore that when God created the heaven and the earth, He brought into existence a literal and physical territory in which He planned and purposed for His authority to be exercised, and in which His purposes and wishes would be administered and carried out. He also created subjects within it over whom He would rule, and who would be involved in the administration of His purposes and the like. And by His active residence and rulership in His creation. God would bring to pass the actual establishment and existence of His kingdom within creation. Now once again I have stated this to underscore what I am talking about when I say that God’s kingdom has not always existed, but also to provide a simple and proper frame of reference regarding creation and God’s kingdom in connection with it before answering your questions.
Psa 68:16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
Psa 68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.
Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Re: your first question, » could you at least answer why God wanted to bring His kingdom to earth to begin with? «
Briefly put, my understanding is that it is God’s intent and purpose to rule and reign over His creation from within it, and not from without, or outside of it. Just as any king dwells within the territory of his kingdom and rules and reigns over it from within it, so also is it God’s intent to dwell within His creation; to rule and reign over it from within and not from without. The earth He specifically created to be the physical place of His residence; of His capital city and of His throne, in the midst of His overall creation. Hence when God reproved Israel for failing to properly perceive His greatness and the greatness of His plan and purpose with the earth. He made reference to His purpose when He said, “Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.” (Isaiah 40:21–23) As God said, He spread the heavens out “as a tent to dwell in.” It is God’s intention to dwell within His creation, on the earth in its midst, with the heavens being spread out as a tent around it with Him dwelling on the earth in the midst.
Isa 40:21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
Isa 40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
Isa 40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity.
Re: your second question, » How long had it been in heaven? «
In view of what I have previously said about the issue of God’s kingdom being directly connected with His purpose in creating the heaven and the earth, my understanding is that God created the physical structures for His kingdom and that would be involved in the establishment of His kingdom, (i.e., things like His city the heavenly Jerusalem; His throne within it; the physical environment of His city, and the like), at the same time when He created the heaven and the earth.
Psa 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
Psa 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Re: your third question, » What was wrong with it staying where it was? «
Again if my understanding is correct, then it is God’s intention and purpose to dwell in the midst of His creation; to establish His kingdom within it; to rule and reign over it from within it and not from without it. Hence this is what would be ‘wrong’ with it staying where it is; it does not fulfill God’s original purpose if He is dwelling outside of His creation.
Pro 8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
Pro 8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
Pro 8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
Pro 8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
Pro 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
Pro 8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
Pro 8:28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
Pro 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
Pro 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
Re: your fourth question, » Why did God want to make His dwelling on earth. What was wrong where He was in the first place? «
There is nothing “wrong” with where God dwells. My understanding of why He has made the earth to be His dwelling place is that it is His purpose to dwell in the midst of His creation; to be the vital heart and soul of His creation, so to speak; and not to be ‘outside’ of it.
Psa 90:1 A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
Psa 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
This is the gist of my understanding on these issues. I hope that you find it to be of some help.
Sincerely yours “in Christ,”
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries