Surprisingly, many in Christendom say that Christ’s kingdom and reign have yet to begin. They base this on the visible chaos and pain in the world. Not seeing Jesus on a throne in Jerusalem, they conclude that His efforts to establish the kingdom failed or were postponed. Like the Jews, they want a physical kingdom with tangible benefits, and they work hard to re-interpret the Bible. They forget that Christ’s kingdom is “not of this world” (John 18:36). His throne is with the Father in heaven (Revelation 3:21). Faith is not based on sight but on God’s word (Romans 10:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7). Do we trust Jesus’ statement in Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me”? The Greek word for “authority” combines both the right to rule and the power to enforce that rule. The expression “all authority in heaven and on earth” is as all-encompassing as words can convey. If He has “all authority” now, how will more be added later? If His reign covers heaven and earth, to where will it expand? There is no wider scope, no position higher or more powerful!
[God] raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:20-21 cf. Colossians 1:17; 2:10; Hebrews 1:3, 8; 1 Peter 3:22)
Why, then, does the Lord allow terrible tragedies in our world? What about evil dictators who destroy millions of lives? Revelation, written when rulers killed Christians, still exalted Jesus as the “Christ… the ruler of kings on earth” (Revelation 1:5). As prophecy foretold, Christ is reigning while surrounded by His enemies (Psalm 110:2). The time is coming when He will crush all opposition (Psalm 110:5; 2:9). In the meantime, He allows humans to exercise choice, even if they wreak havoc. He delays judgment to give time for more people to repent (2 Peter 3:9). To that end, He sends out His followers to proclaim “repentance for the forgiveness of sins… in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:47). Those who respond enter the spiritual safety of Christ’s kingdom where they experience “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
[God] delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. (Colossians 1:13)
As we seek to understand the Bible, we resist the urge to re-interpret it to help God do a better job, or to suit our ideas of success, or to fit human ways of seeing the world. We read the Bible for what it actually says. In this case, Jesus really is in charge! He is doing things His way, the best way, which includes the plan of the Great Commission. Do we believe that? For this kind of understanding comes by faith. As Hebrews says about creation, “We understand by faith” (Hebrews 11:3). And, as Romans 10:17 reminds us, “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”