The Three Kingdoms In The N.T. #2

By Oscar M. Baker

In the N. T. we have three kingdoms mentioned. And this has been such a confusing thing that I thought I might outline them so you could get them in mind. Now the first thing mentioned in the N. T. as far as the kingdom is concerned in Matthew, is the kingdom of heaven. And that kingdom of heaven is the kingdom from heaven that’s here on the earth. As far as the King being present, all I can find is that He will be present in Person, that is in flesh so He can be seen, about the last 75 days, that’s after His return. Now this kingdom of heaven we find is announced and rules given by John the Baptist. Now he told people what to do and what not to do – a great number of things. It would be nice to codify them, and put them down, because the Lord came along and He taught things concerning the kingdom of heaven, too.

Practically everything that the Lord taught during His time on earth was in connection with the kingdom of heaven. Of course, however, He mentioned once in awhile the coming millennial kingdom. And that is mentioned twice in the Lord’s prayer in Matt. 6 – extending on to that. It will end up in failure and a great rebellion.

Now that’s two kingdoms in the N.T. (mentioned in what we call the New Testament). We have another one mentioned in Colossians first chapter. It says we have been rescued from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son So the dispensation of the Mystery can be called the kingdom of His dear Son.

That brings us back then to the question about the meaning of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is everything that God is sovereign over. All of these can be called the kingdom of God, in fact all three of them are This is an inclusive word used, but when the more specific term is used, then of course it would be called the kingdom of heaven for one period, the millennial for another, and the kingdom of His dear Son for a third. (T.F.T. tape 1-27-81, “Review of the Ages”.)

Outside of Him is no life. So He is our life, and in a special way, including this life, and far beyond that. We assume upon receiving Him as our life, that we will have a life as long as He will. Am I wrong in assuming that? We are associated, identified, with Him in His death, burial and resurrection, and in His being quickened, raised, and seated at the right hand of the Father. Being identified with Him in all that, why can’t we claim having a life as long as He will? So then here is a great promise, CHRIST OUR LIFE! (T.F.T. tape 5-11-82, “Names of Christ in Paul’s Post Acts Epistles.”)