Lesson 6
What Is the Kingdom of God?
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Where is the Kingdom of God located? (1) Who is its King? (2) |
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Do others share in ruling with the King? If so, how many? (3) |
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What shows that we are living in the last days? (4) |
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What will God's Kingdom do for mankind in the future? (5-7) |
1. When he was on earth, Jesus taught his followers to pray for
God's Kingdom. A kingdom is a government that is headed by a king.
God's Kingdom is a special government. It is set up in heaven
and will rule over this earth. It will sanctify, or make holy,
God's name. It will cause God's will to be done on earth as it
is done in heaven.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
2. God promised that Jesus would become the King of His Kingdom.
(Luke 1:30-33) When Jesus was on earth, he proved that he would
be a kind, just, and perfect Ruler. When he returned to heaven,
he was not enthroned as King of God's Kingdom right away. (Hebrews
10:12, 13) In 1914, Jehovah gave Jesus the authority He had promised
him. Since then, Jesus has ruled in heaven as Jehovah's appointed
King.—Daniel 7:13, 14.
3. Jehovah has also selected some faithful men and women from
the earth to go to heaven. They will rule with Jesus as kings,
judges, and priests over mankind. (Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 5:9,
10) Jesus called these corulers in his Kingdom a "little
flock." They number 144,000.—Luke 12:32; Revelation 14:1-3.
4. As soon as Jesus became King, he threw Satan and his wicked
angels out of heaven and down to the locality of the earth. That
is why things have become so bad here on earth since 1914. (Revelation
12:9, 12) Wars, famines, pestilences, increasing lawlessness—all
these are part of a "sign" indicating that Jesus is
ruling and that this system is in its last days.—Matthew 24:3,
7, 8, 12; Luke 21:10, 11; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
5. Soon Jesus will judge people, separating them as a shepherd
separates sheep from goats. The "sheep" are those who
will have proved themselves his loyal subjects. They will receive
everlasting life on earth. The "goats" are those who
will have rejected God's Kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-34, 46) In the
near future, Jesus will destroy all goatlike ones. (2 Thessalonians
1:6-9) If you want to be one of Jesus' "sheep," you
must listen to the Kingdom message and act on what you learn.—Matthew
24:14.
Under Jesus' rule, there will be no more hatred or prejudice
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6. Now the earth is divided up into many countries. Each has its
own government. These nations often fight one another. But God's
Kingdom will replace all human governments. It will rule as the
only government over the entire earth. (Daniel 2:44) Then there
will be no more war, crime, and violence. All people will live
together in peace and unity.—Micah 4:3, 4.
7. During Jesus' Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will become
perfect, and the whole earth will become a paradise. By the end
of the thousand years, Jesus will have done everything God asked
him to do. Then he will hand the Kingdom back to his Father. (1 Corinthians
15:24) Why not tell your friends and loved ones about
what God's Kingdom will do?
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