Our 60th Word is Kingdom
The simple definition of kingdom is the territory or realm over which a king has authority.
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 3:2)
We use the suffix-dom to describe various situations. Boredom, for example, is what we label those times we feel disinterested and blah. Freedom denotes a state of liberty, like when school lets out for the summer. Stardom means a person attained fame or celebrity status. Your neighbor who just adopted another rescue pup, that makes nine, lives in dogdom. You get the picture.
That brings us to kingdom.
Hebrew and Greek words translated ‘kingdom” are found some 375 times in the Bible. It’s no small topic. The first time we hear the word in the New Testament, it is on the lips of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus.
When John, with his locust breath and camel hair outfit, intensely shouted to the gawking crowds, “The kingdom of heaven has come near!” the implications should have been obvious. He was saying, in so many words, “People, listen up! God’s heavenly rule has come to earth! The kingdom of heaven is near because the king of heaven is near!”
Since there are only a couple dozen monarchies left in the world, and most of those royals are mere figureheads with very little real power, it’s hard for us to grasp the idea of a sovereign ruler who has real authority over every aspect of life.
Yet the New Testament repeatedly whispers that Jesus is a king. And not simply a king, but the King of kings. When asked point blank if such talk was true, Jesus didn’t bat an eye. He nodded His royal head, accepted a crown of thorns, and paid a king’s ransom, His own life, for His subjects.
In teaching His followers how to pray, the unassuming King Jesus told them to say, “your kingdom come”. This is a humble request for the righteous rule of God to fill the earth. It’s a plea that people everywhere might gladly bow to the authority of the only King who is forever wise, eternally powerful, and infinitely good.
One day, every person will recognize Christ’s right to rule. Every knee on earth will bow before Him. Until that day, we can do four things:
- Rejoice with the psalmist “the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth.” (Psalm 47:2)
- Bow to Christ’s authority in our own lives.
- Work with Him to make our hearts fit for a king.
- Introduce others to the good King with the common touch.
Question to Ponder
- How was the kingdom Jesus announced different from earthly kingdoms?
No Thought Police 