The Kingdom

"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom

which will never be destroyed,

and that kingdom will not be left for another people;

it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms,

but it will itself endure forever."

-- Daniel 2:44

I feel kinda weird talking about kingdoms. I mean the whole concept is foreign to the American mind. The last time we had a king, we decided to start our own country and handle things ourselves.

And I think that this sentiment is quite widespread. Most people on this earth don't want to be part of a kingdom, and they definitely don't want a king. (At least not a real one.) Who wants to give control to someone else? ...to allow someone else to have sovereignty over our lives? We want freedom, and we will fight for it. We want to live our own lives, and make our own rules. And we each chant to our own rhythm, "I will be my own king!"

So I guess that we are part of a kingdom, one in a million little kingdoms, all with a population of one. ... or is it really just one kingdom? The kingdom of this world? And to be part of this kingdom is to function like its king.*

There is another kingdom though. A kingdom not of this world. It is the kingdom of heaven, and it is now! You don't have to wait and stroll through the pearly gates to become a citizen, Jesus said, over 2,000 years ago,

"... repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Or you could say, "Turn around! The heavenly kingdom starts today!"

God's kingdom is better. It is the way things should be. It is the way we were made to exist and co-exist. If you have been your own king for one day, it has been one day too long. I hope that when you consider the kingdoms and the kings, that you will turn away from the earthly kingdom, to one that is better.

*Some descriptions of this kingdom can be found in the Bible. (Romans 1:28-32, Ephesians 2:1-3, Colossians 3:5-10)