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THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM
Note these references to the Gospel of the Kingdom:
Matthew 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”
Mark 1:14-15, “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.”
Luke 9:2 and Luke 9:6, “And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.” “And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the Gospel, and healing everywhere.”
Matthew 10:6-8, “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give.”
Luke 18:31-34, “Then He took unto Him the Twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge Him, and put Him to death; and the third day He shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”
Matthew 23:39, “For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the LORD.”
Luke 21:27 and Luke 21:31, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.”
Matthew 25:31, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory.”
Luke 1:32-33, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the LORD God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”
The word translated “Gospel” MEANS “good news.” When the LORD Jesus and His apostles were preaching “the Gospel of the kingdom” they were healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, cleansing the lepers, giving limbs to the limbless, raising the dead. This is what Christ told His apostles to do, and what they did while He was on earth. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with Power; Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; Whom they slew and hanged on a tree.” Acts 10:38-39. They healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. (Acts 3:6). Now, note Acts 2:22, and Hebrews 2:4, “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.”...AND...“God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.”
Certainly it was good news when a blind man heard that he could receive his sight in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. It was good news when a brokenhearted mother or father learned that their dead child could be brought back to life in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And here is the record of the ministry of the twelve apostles, “they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the Gospel, and healing everywhere.” Luke 9:6.
This is what Christ, in Matthew 10:6-8, told the Twelve to do. He did NOT command them to go to Gentiles and preach that they could be saved through faith in the crucified and resurrected Christ. However, this IS “OUR Gospel” in this present Dispensation of Grace. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6.
We have only to compare Luke 9:6 with Luke 18:31-34 to learn that the twelve apostles, during the many months they were preaching “the Gospel of the kingdom,” had not the slightest knowledge of the Gospel of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; that Christ died for our sins. Read very carefully Luke 18:31-34.
The kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, that was at hand FOR Israel, when Jesus of Nazareth and His twelve apostles were preaching “the Gospel of the kingdom” in the land of the Jews, will be at hand AGAIN when the King shall come back. AFTER this Dispensation of Grace “ comes to a close, the Gospel of the Kingdom” shall be preached again as a witness among all nations.
Note what the King said, in Matthew 15:24, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
This is quite different from Romans 15:16 and Romans 11:30, “That I (Paul) should be the minister of Jesus Christ TO the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”...AND...“For as ye (Gentiles) in times past have not believed God, yet have NOW obtained mercy through their (Israel's) unbelief.”
Here we have Grace for Gentiles, because of Israel's unbelief. Now compare these statements with Acts 15:16-17, “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up; That the residue of men might seek after the LORD, and all the Gentiles, upon whom My name is called...saith the LORD, Who doeth all these things.”
Ok, so here is God's order in “the Gospel of the kingdom.”
First...
Christ's return to build again the tabernacle of David.
Then...
The Jews receive Christ.
And THEN after THAT...
The Gentiles receive Christ.
This kingdom program is prophesied many many times in Israel's Old Testament Scriptures. This means that the kingdom WILL BE restored to the NATION Israel. Acts 1:6. Romans 11:25-29. Then because of Israel's belief and salvation, the Gentiles will come to Israel's Messiah and LORD. The Gentiles will have a place in SUBJECTION TO Israel. So, in “the Gospel of the kingdom,” Israel is in favor with God, and Israel's King and David's throne are in the program, and the Gentiles follow Israel into the kingdom. This is the prophesied Gospel of the Kingdom. Wonderful earthly blessings and physical health accompany this Gospel; whereas in this present Dispensation of Grace, believers are to be partakers of the afflictions of the Gospel. 2 Timothy 1:7-9. The Gospel of the kingdom will be given to the nations when and because Israel believes that the LORD Jesus Christ, Ya-Hweh Yahuwshua, is their Messiah.
Ok, now pay attention, THIS present, un-prophesied period began when God set His kingdom nation aside, and sent salvation DIRECTLY to the Gentiles to PROVOKE Israel to jealousy. (Romans 11:11; Acts 13:46; Acts 18:5-6; Acts 28:25-28; Romans 11:15; Romans 11:25-26). When the Gentiles obtained mercy, because of Israel's unbelief, God called His salvation message for the “far‑off” Gentiles “the Gospel of the Grace of God.” (Romans 11:30; Ephesians 2:8-13). So “the Gospel of the Grace of God” was and is preached to Gentiles when Israel is in disfavor with God and when the tabernacle of David is fallen down.
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In Ephesians 1:13 the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul declares that men are saved and sealed by hearing and BELIEVING the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. Therefore, here, now, is declared unto you the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. BELIEVE today. The time is short.
So There You Have it!
Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide.
Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.
In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry
LLM - Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)
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