An Overview of the Kingdom

What is The Kingdom of God?

The Kingdom of God (or alternately “The Kingdom of Heaven”) can be a controversial topic. This theological theme is not supposed to be divisive. Instead, when properly understood it is a beautiful and wonderfully unifying truth for all of God’s people in Christ.

What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is a major theological doctrine in Scripture. Teaching about the Kingdom of God varies widely. A main reason for the diversity of views is due to the difficulty of covering all the relevant passages in any single topical treatment. When only a small selection of passages on the Kingdom of God are collected to present a teaching, they will begin to diverge from other topical treatments that emphasize different relevant passages on the Kingdom. A summary of the full biblical teaching on the Kingdom of God is that the Kingdom is the promised future state where God will dwell among His people and reign in the midst of all the redeemed of earth in everlasting peace and glory. While the fullest expression of the Kingdom of God is a future reality, there is practical application for this doctrine in the present lives of followers of Christ. If we only emphasize the future aspect to the neglect of the present reality, or focus on the present to the neglect of the future, we will have an incomplete and skewed doctrine of the Kingdom. These incomplete views of the Kingdom tend to produce division and strife, rather than the intended unity and peace amongst God’s people in Christ. Historically, some groups have misunderstood the Kingdom of God as something that human beings bring about visibly (and often forcibly) on earth. This incorrect and dangerous view of the Kingdom is directly responsible for many of the historical atrocities committed in the name of Jesus.

It takes effort to understand major doctrines of Scripture because there is so much ground to cover. Understanding these major doctrines is well worth the time and effort. Let’s get started.

Overviewing The Kingdom

This article is intended to provide a foundational overview of The Kingdom of God as presented throughout the Bible. We will start with a working definition of “kingdom” and trace the theme of The Kingdom of God broadly as it unfolds in the Bible from beginning to end. This overview will focus heavily on Genesis and Revelation. By understanding the beginning and the end, we can hope to better understand what God is doing to bring about His Kingdom in our own day and time. It is our aim and purpose that this Kingdom perspective will then shape our lives as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may be better equipped to walk in the light of His perfect will.

This is a high-level overview. It will be impossible to provide an exhaustive examination of this massive topic in a single article. Instead, this is meant to be a primer to The Kingdom. A tool for further study and prayer. We’re simply laying the foundation for our remaining study and articles.

After laying this “Big Picture” overview, we will build upon this foundation in future articles. You can click the links below to go directly to our articles on:

These articles are designed to be read in order. However, those eager to dive into a particular topic or nuance of The Kingdom may choose to skip right to their particular area of interest.

It is important to note at the beginning that the church is not a replacement of God’s kingdom-purpose through national Israel. It is a continuation of God’s eternal purpose in Christ Jesus. Both national Israel and the church of Jesus Christ have an important role in God’s overall kingdom-purpose. Neither should be considered “The Kingdom of God” on their own. This is not to diminish the importance of either Israel or the Church! Rather, it is an emphasis of the importance of The Kingdom of God.

As we cover this massive topic in this article series, hopefully this important truth will become clear to followers of Christ, so that we may walk in the light of this glorious truth. To the praise of His great name.

“Kingdom of Heaven” & “Kingdom of God”

We will assume that the phrases “Kingdom of God” and “Kingdom of Heaven” are equivalent. Interchangeable.

Some interpreters go to great lengths to distinguish between these two phrases. Those who distinguish between them often import great significance to each individual phrase. Yet, the usage in Scripture does not indicate a compelling reason to find much difference, if any, between the phrases.

Let’s consider their actual usage in the Scriptures. The phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” is only found in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew was inspired to write this exact phrase 32 times. Matthew also uses “Kingdom of God” four times in his Gospel. Consider these parallel passages from the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Both are recording Jesus teaching the disciples the Parable of the Sower.

Matthew 13:10–11 (NASB)
And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.”
Mark 4:10–11 (NASB)
As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables.”

(For more on this particular parable, you may enjoy our related video on the Parable of the Sower. Click the link to check it out.)

These teachings record the same event with slight wording variations. The best — and most likely — reason for this variation is that Matthew’s intended audience was primarily Jewish. Matthew used the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” in place of “Kingdom of God” as often as possible. He did so to avoid potentially causing offense to his Jewish readers and hearers who were wary of blasphemy by saying “God” inappropriately. Therefore, “Heaven” was substituted as an equivalent phrase.

While not everyone shares the sensitivity of inappropriately using the word “God,” Matthew’s audience would have had a higher percentage of people who may be potentially offended. In our modern day, if you frequent message boards or comment sections where people discuss theology in written form, you may find some people use the term “G-d.” They often do this so as to not blaspheme and use the name of God in vain. This is particularly prevalent amongst people with a Jewish background. Many who use this practice explain it as a form of reverence toward God.

This is essentially the same reason why most of our modern English Bible translations substitute the term LORD or GOD (small caps) in place of the divine name where it is found.

Exodus 6:2 (NASB)
God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD;”

This substitution of “LORD” where the divine name, YHWH, was found in Scripture was common practice by the 3rd century BC (according to the Encyclopedia Britannica). This practice endured until the Masoretes added the diacritical vowel pointing to the Hebrew text in the 7th century AD. Modern readers have inherited this same practice in our printed texts.

(For more on God’s Names in Scripture, check out our article linked here.)

A Working Definition of “Kingdom”

We will seek to avoid sabotaging ourselves by starting with a nuanced definition and then attempting to gather proof texts from Scripture to “prove” it. Instead, we will seek to let the Scriptures speak for themselves and attempt to form our conclusions at the end. To put this another way, we are not interested in advocating for a particular view of The Kingdom of God and subsequently gathering biblical proof texts to make our point. Instead, we will do our very best to let the Bible speak for itself by examining the full teaching from beginning to end.

We will start with the simplest definition as our working definition. From this foundation, we can adjust and hone our working definition to be more accurate and precise over time, if needed.

Dictionary.com provides this as their first entry for “kingdom” (noun): “A state or government having a king or queen at its head.”

This English definition is a good starting foundation for the terms translated “kingdom” from both the Old and New Testaments of Scripture. There is no secret or hidden meaning in either the Greek or the Hebrew that is lost in translation for “kingdom.”

Based on this foundational definition, a kingdom requires three things:

A Ruler
Subjects
Territory

It would be impossible to have a kingdom without a ruler, subjects, and a territory. Every kingdom must have all three or else it ceases to be a kingdom. The nature and scope of kingdoms may vary widely. However, these three elements are essential.

As we seek to understand and define The Kingdom of God, we will see that each of these elements require their own definition and nuance.

In the Beginning

Genesis 1:26–28, 31 (NASB)
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” … God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Many observations can be made regarding the creation of human beings — both male and female — by the Creator God. We will limit ourselves to observations regarding The Kingdom of God. We will leave other matters for another time.

Kingdom Authority

As the Creator, God has all authority over all His creation. All means all. Any and all authority that any part of God’s creation has is derived from and dependent upon God. It is given by God for a purpose. (For more on why we ought to Worship God the Eternal Creator, click the link.)

Any attempt by anyone at any time to usurp authority or to go beyond the authority that has been granted by God is attempting an act of treason against the King and Kingdom of Heaven. Whenever people who are called by the name of God act in ways that are not pleasing to Him, God views these actions as blasphemy. Many wrongly think that blasphemy is only committed by our words.

Numbers 15:30–31 (NASB)
But the person who does anything defiantly, whether he is native or an alien, that one is blaspheming the Lord; and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt will be on him.

Rulers Made in God’s Image

Human beings, both male and female, were created in the image of God. They were given the instruction to subdue and rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the cattle, all the earth and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

God blessed them in this purpose. God told them to multiply and fill the earth. This arrangement was very good according to God’s judgment. This is the first time “very” is added to His assessment of His creative work.

Good & Very Good

The Hebrew word for “good” (tob) appears seven times in Genesis 1. The seventh time, this term is paired with another which amplifies and drives home the point of the narrative.

Genesis 1:4 (NASB)
God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:10 (NASB)
God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:12 (NASB)
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:18 (NASB)
and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:21 (NASB)
God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:25 (NASB)
God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:31 (NASB)
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

The seventh declaration of God’s judgment that His creation is good is paired with a term which amplifies and increases it. “Very” in our English translations comes from a Hebrew word (meod) which means muchness or abundance. That is, God surveyed all that He had made and it was, in His assessment, abundantly good.

As we continue reading the Genesis account, it does not take long for God’s very good created order to be challenged. Challenges to God’s created order continue to the present day. What God calls good, rebellious creatures often malign and disparage. This will continue until Christ returns. As followers of Christ, we should submit to God’s order and reject the world’s counterfeits.

What’s in a Name?

The Hebrew verb qara appears nine times in the Genesis creation account. All nine occurrences are found in just six verses. Three verses in Genesis 1. Three more in Genesis 2. This Hebrew term is often translated literally as “call, called.” It carries the idea of naming.

Let’s take a closer look at the pattern we see in this Creation narrative in Genesis 1–2. First, let’s look at the first five of these nine occurrences which appear in Genesis 1. I’ve bolded them for ease of identification.

Genesis 1:5 (NASB)
God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
Genesis 1:8 (NASB)
God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
Genesis 1:10 (NASB)
God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good.

In Genesis 1, we see God exercising His authority over His creation by naming what He has made. God names the light and darkness, the expanse, the dry land and the waters. Next, we see God inviting the man He made to exercise this same naming authority in Genesis 2.

Genesis 2:19 (NASB)
Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
Genesis 2:20 (NASB)
The man gave [lit: “called”] names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him.
Genesis 2:23 (NASB)
The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”

Adam exercised authority in naming every living creature. This culminated in the naming of the most special and unique of God’s creation: the woman. All the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky were formed out of the ground (Genesis 2:19). The woman was taken out of Man. The woman shares fully in the image of God (see Genesis 1:27).

God’s Very Good Authority

God’s very good creation has both order and purpose. God created Man — both male and female — in His image. God gave them authority to rule. God blessed them and commanded them to multiply and fill the earth.

The call to rule over and subdue comes with authority. Authority also exists between the man and woman. In the next chapter of Genesis, we will see rebellion against God’s very good authority and created order. Rebellion against God’s created order has been part of our world ever since.

If we apply our simplest working definition of “kingdom” to this point, we see that the Ruler is God, the subjects are every living thing, and the territory is all of creation. God delegates authority to the Man — both male and female — to rule over every living thing in all the earth. Human beings are God’s viceroys.

“Viceroy (noun): A person appointed to rule a country or province as the deputy of the sovereign.”

— dictionary.com

Rebellion against this created order is rebellion against the King of Heaven and earth. It is treason against The Kingdom of God. Rebellion against God’s order, in all its forms, is commonly called “sin.”

The Fall

Genesis 1–2 reveals God’s original created order. Everything God made was very good. As we sit and read these texts, we can all acknowledge that there is much we could consider good about our world. Yet, there is also much pain and brokenness. The brokenness of this world causes many to struggle with the concept of a good, loving, and gracious God. We all experience this brokenness to varying degrees.

Instead of shying away from this topic, the Bible tells us directly why the world is broken. In Genesis 3, we read the account of The Fall. This chapter explains vividly the reason for our fall from the idyllic original state to the present sin-stained order.

This well-known and oft discussed passage has much value for our understanding of The Kingdom of God and the condition of our present world. This passage gives us the general framework which our present world operates under as we await the new creation.

We must resist the urge to speculate beyond what is written here. We should strive against making theological conclusions and assertions based on assumptions rather than what the words actually say. Division and strife are the fruit of bringing our assumptions to the text and interpreting through those varied lenses. Instead, we must interpret Genesis 3 in light of the two chapters that immediately preceded it.

(For more on this, don’t miss our article Stop Sabotaging Unity.)

Rebellion

The very good created order that was established in Genesis 1–2 is directly opposed in Genesis 3. God made Man — both male and female — in His own image. The man had authority over the woman. Together, they were given authority to rule over all of God’s creation. This included all the beasts of the field. In diagram form, we see authority flowing like this:

This is the immediate context from which we read the opening words of Genesis 3.

Genesis 3:1 (NASB)
Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

While some are distracted by the conversation between the serpent and the woman, and some use this as a reason to argue over the historicity of this account, the more important point is easily missed by modern readers. The serpent, a beast of the field, comes to the woman and directly questions the command of God. The order of God-given authority is reversed and opposed.

Observations from The Rebellion & Fall

Many observations can and should be made about the interaction between the serpent and the woman.

First, the serpent questions God’s word. “Indeed, has God said…?” This insidious, rebellious question still abounds today. The wording of the question may be slightly different. Yet, the sentiment is identical. Be on the alert for questions that mimic the sentiment: Has God really said?

Those who are ignorant or unaware of God’s word are the most vulnerable to these types of questions. However, those who are familiar with God’s word can still stumble if they aren’t careful. If you aren’t very familiar with the content of God’s word, we strongly suggest you read the Bible cover-to-cover over and over again for yourself. There is no shortcut to this process, but it is a worthwhile activity. If you’ve struggled to read your Bible from beginning to end in the past, you may benefit from our resource we created to help people read their Bible with understanding and have a plan that will keep them accountable. Check out Every Word by clicking the link.

Second, the woman misquotes God’s word. Eve was not ignorant. However, she was not as careful as she should have been. Let’s compare:

The Original Instruction in Genesis 2:16–17 (NASB)

The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Eve’s Repetition of the Instruction in Genesis 3:2–3 (NASB)

The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”

The differences are subtle. Do you see them?

The woman’s response both adds to and takes away from God’s word. This is forbidden in both Old and New Testaments. See, for example, Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5–6; and Revelation 22:18–19.

“You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.”

— Deuteronomy 4:2

“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

— Revelation 22:18-19

The woman’s response removes the abundance of what God commanded. The original command was emphatic: God said they may eat freely from any tree. Eve eliminated this emphasis on the abundance of God’s provision for them.

The woman’s response also added restriction by going beyond what God said. Eve added a prohibition against touching the tree.

Be on the alert against altering God’s word in any way, even ways that may seem small or insignificant to you at the time.

Lastly, a third necessary observation is that the serpent denies God’s word and the consequences that God declared. Be on the alert, God is faithful. His promises to bless are just as true and trustworthy as His promises to curse.

The Sin of Adam

When God comes to confront His creatures, God honors the order that He originally created. He does not come and confront the serpent or the woman first. God comes and requires an answer from Adam.

Genesis 3:9 (NASB)
Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

As we read the following verses in the Genesis 3 narrative, we see each sinful and rebellious creature attempting to pass the responsibility around the chain of authority. Adam blames both the woman and God Himself (who gave her to him). The woman blames the serpent. The serpent is not given an opportunity to answer, since this is the bottom of the chain of authority.

In Genesis 3:14–19, God declares curses upon them all. God starts with the serpent, then curses the woman, and finally ends with curses declared upon the man and all of creation.

There are some who have incorrectly blamed Eve for the fall of humanity. However, with authority comes responsibility. It is true that Eve played a role in the rebellion. It is true that the woman was deceived by the serpent, as she herself acknowledged in Genesis 3:13 (see also 1 Timothy 2:13–14). However, the Bible is consistent in referring to this event as the sin of Adam.

Consider these verses:

Romans 5:12, 14–19 (NASB)
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— …
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 15:21–22 (NASB)
For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

Since God honors the chain of authority He created, Adam is held responsible for the sin in the Garden.

The First Proclamation of the Gospel

In the midst of God’s curses upon His disobedient and rebellious creation, God declares the gospel for the first time.

Genesis 3:15 (NASB)
“And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

We will spend more time in a later article discussing The Kingdom & The Gospel. For now, we will simply note that God Himself declares the gospel in the midst of the curses for humanity’s rebellion against Him. This gracious declaration states that a seed of the woman will eventually bring victory and restoration. (For a more detailed look at this stunning prophecy, check out our article linked here.)

In the End

In this article, we’ve spent much time focusing on the foundational role of Genesis 1–3 in outlining the essential concepts of The Kingdom of God. Everything that follows Genesis 3 in the Bible begins to trace God’s fulfillment of the gospel promise God made in Genesis 3:15.

If we fast forward to the last book in Scripture, we see these same themes being revisited. An important passage to understand in full is Revelation 12. This chapter provides a condensed history of God’s work in His creation of bringing His Messiah and Kingdom to the world. It is worthy of your careful and prayerful consideration and study. For the sake of time, we will only hit the highlights.

Revelation 12:1–2 begins with symbolic language. This refers to the nation of Israel about to bring forth the Messiah. Although other meanings have been suggested, a comparison of the language found in Revelation 12:1 with the language in Genesis 37:9–11 makes this identification clear.

Revelation 12:3–4 introduces another figure: the red dragon. This dragon is portrayed as intending to destroy the Messiah at birth. We do not have to speculate about the identity of this dragon, either. The identity is clearly revealed a few verses later in Revelation 12:9.

“And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

— Revelation 12:9

Notice the intentional call back to “the serpent of old.” The enmity and struggle described in Genesis 3 is again being described in Revelation 12. The dragon is attempting to destroy the Messiah, since it has been declared by God that this Messiah would crush the head of this serpent. This attempted destruction was fulfilled in history when King Herod attempted to destroy the recently born Messiah (Matthew 2).

Revelation 12:5 speaks of the life, purpose, ministry, and exaltation of the Christ in one sweeping and concise statement. This child is the fulfillment of the Messianic promises (such as Genesis 49:8–10 and Isaiah 9:6–7) to rule over all the nations. This enrages the dragon because the victory of the Messiah ensures that the devil’s time is short.

Revelation 12:9–11 (NASB)
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

Take note: even as Heaven rejoices in the salvation, power, The Kingdom, and authority of the Messiah, the enemy is still active on earth.

Authority Relinquished

It is not made explicit in the curse recorded in Genesis 3, yet there seems to have been a transfer of authority from the man and woman to Satan. While not made explicit in the Genesis narrative, the fact that this transfer has taken place becomes clear as the story of the Bible continues to unfold.

The Messiah came to take back the authority that was handed over to Satan. In doing so, the Messiah would crush the head of the serpent and rule over all.

Carefully read the interaction between Christ and Satan in the wilderness.

Luke 4:5-8 (NASB)
And he [Satan] led Him [Jesus] up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

Remember, all authority is derived from and dependent upon God. The devil is no exception. Satan did not take authority for himself. Instead, he rightly acknowledges in verse 6 that all the kingdoms of earth and their glory had been “handed over to” him. Compare the different English translations: “given to” (NIV); “delivered to” (ESV/NKJV); “relinquished to” (NET).

Jesus doesn’t argue about this reality. It was true that Satan could give them to Christ if he wished. However, Jesus did not come to take a shortcut to ruling over the nations by skipping the cross and bowing down to Satan. So, Jesus rebukes Satan and chooses to follow the will of the Father instead.

The god of This World

The nature and extent of Satan’s authority must be briefly examined. We saw above (in Revelation 12:9) that Satan deceives the whole world and that the glory and domain of all earthly kingdoms belong to him (Luke 4:5–6).

The Apostle Paul talks about the power and extent of Satan’s authority in the world, after the fall and prior to the consummation of the ages when Christ returns in glory. The Apostle Paul describes Satan as “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The Apostle John describes the present scope of Satan’s authority in similar terms. This description was given after the resurrection and ascension of Christ into Heaven.

1 John 5:19 (NASB)
We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

What kinds of things does the “god of this world/ruler of this age” do?

Several passages are helpful in showing the activities and power of Satan. We also see the glory of God’s graciousness amid these terrifying descriptions.

The reader is encouraged to read all of Job chapters 1 and 2. In these chapters we see that — despite all of his powers and abilities — Satan is still accountable to God. While extremely powerful, Satan is only able to work within the parameters set by God. Although many may forget, the devil is well aware that God is sovereign and that his rebellion is futile and temporary.

Even so, we must not take Satan’s power and authority lightly. When given the chance, we see in Job 1—2 that Satan is able to work through people, nature, and even supernatural means. We see the devil take every inch he is allowed with Job. Satan seeks only to steal, kill, and destroy. The fact that Satan doesn’t do this to every person on earth is a testimony to God’s restraining grace. This is something we should all give thanks for.

As bad and broken as the present world often is, it would be far worse if God did not restrain Satan’s activity. There is a time prophesied when the restraining force will be removed and the devil will be free to rule as he pleases on earth (2 Thessalonians 2:6–12). This will be a terrible time indeed.

The Apostle Paul tells us that Satan has the ability to blind people to the truth of the gospel.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 (NASB)
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

It is not just the unbelieving who can be affected by Satan. The Apostle Paul also warns believers to be sure to not allow the devil any place or opportunity in their lives.

Ephesians 4:27
and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Some think Satan can’t possibly bother or harass followers of Christ. This isn’t fully accurate. Paul warns against giving opportunity because it is possible that followers of Christ can do so. One of the ways believers can give Satan an advantage over them is through unforgiveness.

2 Corinthians 2:10–11 (NASB)
But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Paul encourages Christians to be aware of the schemes of Satan so that no advantage would be taken of followers of Christ. The tactics of the devil can be effective. Don’t be ignorant of his schemes!

The Apostle Peter likewise instructed believers on how to be safe from Satan. It was not by ignoring this adversary.

1 Peter 5:6–9 (NASB)
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Some arrogantly believe they are immune from the adversary. Humility is a better approach. Christians are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and resist the enemy in the power and grace of God.

James gives similar counsel to followers of Christ.

James 4:7–8 (NASB)
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Submit to God. Resist the devil. Draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts. We ignore these exhortations to our own detriment and peril.

Satan Vanquished & The New Creation

The victory of Christ was prophesied in Genesis 3:15. This victory has been demonstrated with power in history by Christ’s resurrection from the dead and exaltation to the right hand of the Father. As of this moment, the church lives in eager anticipation of the return of our King who will bring about the fullness of His kingdom forever.

As the Bible concludes, we read of the final judgment. In this judgment, Satan is cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:10 (NASB)
And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

After this, the final two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21–22) describe a restoration to the idyllic state. This final description is strikingly similar to what we read in the first two chapters of Scripture (Genesis 1–2). This parallelism is not a coincidence. There are some notable differences. Everyone is strongly encouraged to read Genesis 1–2 and then Revelation 21–22 back-to-back in one sitting. Compare and contrast what you read and make your own observations.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The Kingdom of God is a massive theme that runs from beginning to end through the Bible. It is a major doctrine.

In the next articles, we will turn our attention and take a closer look at The Kingdom of God revealed through the Old and New Testaments and see how The Kingdom & The Gospel of Jesus Christ are so closely related. Then, we will conclude our study with an article on the healthy and helpful kingdom-perspectives to maintain in our daily walk with Christ.