Musing - Why did Jesus say “The Kingdom of God is near”?

Hebraic Musing - Why did Jesus say “The Kingdom of God is near”?

Right after Jesus experienced his 40 days in the desert with Satan and “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:14-15  NIV    After announcing that God’s time had finally come; what did Jesus mean when He said "The kingdom of God is near.”?  Is this good news for us today?

When we hear the word “kingdom,” we tend to think of a place or area over which a king, or ruler, rules.  But, in Hebrew as-well-as Aramaic, the primary language of Jesus, the word we translate as “kingdom” refers not so much to the “place” of royal rule as it does to the “ruling” or “Realm” of rule.  So, when we read “kingdom” in Mark, we might substitute “rule” or “reign” or “sovereign authority.”  To rephrase Jesus statement, it could read “The rule or reign of God is near”.  Jesus is pointing out that He represents the coming of God’s authority and power which is to reign over us!

Effectively, Jesus was saying that He was fulfilling the role of the messenger of Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’"

I used to think that Jesus’ announcement of the kingdom being near meant something like, “Someday soon I may die and then go to God’s kingdom in heaven.”  I thought His good news related to what happens after death.  Instead, maybe more importantly, it has everything to do with this life and this world.  Was I missing what Jesus was trying to say? 

In other words, through His Son, Jesus, God was beginning to reign on earth in a new way, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.  Therefore under God’s sovereign authority, righteousness could and should now triumph over injustice for me/us while we live here on earth.  Through Christ, you and I can and should live each day under the reign of God.

Mark Roberts*  concluded his blog with these words – “When we seek God’s agenda for our lives, when we work for his purposes and glory, when we bow before him in worship and offer our daily work to him as worship, we are experiencing the kingdom of God.  God is reigning over us and making his kingdom present on earth through us.”

Points to ponder

In what ways do you experience God’s reign in your life?

If you realized you were living under God’s reign all day, might that make a difference?

We serve an Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient God!   

A Prayer*

Thank you Jesus, that the kingdom of God is near; and that you are not only announcing the presence of God’s reign, but also proclaiming that reign through your ministry.  Thank you most of all for providing us with the opportunity to live in God’s Realm because of your life, death, and resurrection.  Help me, Lord, to live each moment ruled by the King of kings.  Guide me, empower me and use me for your purposes.  May the reality of your kingdom be real in my life each and every day.  Amen.

♫ Our God Reigns, Our God Reigns… ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          August 20, 2019

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*  Note – Inspired by & excerpted from “The Kingdom of God has come near” By Mark Roberts. Aug.5, 2019