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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Inner and Outer Kingdom of God
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. (Psalms 96:11-13)
The Kingdom of God always is an inner kingdom. The outer form of the Kingdom is a manifestation and effect of the Person and rule of God in Christ established in the personalities of the individuals making up the Kingdom.
The coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of glory will be a revelation, a manifestation of a marvelous creation that already is in the earth but not visible as yet.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
The central topic of the Scriptures is the coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth.
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14,15)
In the beginning God walked the earth with Adam and Eve. God then withdrew from the earth because of their disobedience. Since that time, God has revealed through His prophets and apostles that He will return to dwell on the earth forever. God will return to the earth in His Kingdom, dwelling in His holy Tabernacle (Ephesians 2:21,22; Revelation 21:3).
The eternal Tabernacle of God consists of Christ, the supremely exalted Head, and the Body of Christ. The Body of Christ is made up of the saints in whom Christ has been formed and in whom Christ dwells. The Body remains throughout eternity in perfect, complete union with the Head, always receiving its total being and life from the Head (Ephesians 4:13-16).
The Kingdom of God always is an inner kingdom. The outer form of the Kingdom is a manifestation and effect of the Person and rule of God in Christ established in the personalities of the individuals making up the Kingdom (John 3:3-5).
The coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of glory will be a revelation, a manifestation of something that already is in the earth. We are talking about the portion of Christ that is here now in the personalities of the victorious saints. It is true also that in that day Jesus Himself—He who today is at the right hand of the Father in Heaven—will be revealed to the peoples of the earth.
Notice in the following two passages that sometimes the inner kingdom is stressed. At other times there is more of an emphasis on the outer manifestation, or coming, of the Lord:
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20,21)
And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. (Matthew 20:23)
To be continued.