The kingdom of God.

[Checkpoint]

Some seem to think it is entirely future, while others give the impression they are always thinking of it as present, and to not be looking at the future in kingdom terms at all.

Jesus had much to say about the kingdom, including this:

Luke 16:

6 The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is being zealously urged into it.

So, where do you stand as to whether it is present, future, or has both a present and a future aspect?

On what basis?

According to which scriptures?

[marco]

What do you guess and dream, concerning such things?

Assuming you are not asking rhetorically, I would say this is a huge question in religion and in literature. Sydney Carton, the lawyer in A Tale of Two Cities, opines, on his altruistic act of going to the guillotine "“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.�

Poor Hamlet, contemplating suicide, wonders what post mortem dreams may come and this question is enough to cause him to reconsider.

Emperor Hadrian thought that on his demise his soul would simply go into someone else. Pythagoras had similar thoughts in his idea of the transmigration of souls but the destination might be bestial.


So there is a general hope that a bit of us remains. Of course our molecules remain, for matter isn't destroyed; but do our atoms nurture any nice portions of ourselves?


I don't think there is a judgmental being; there may be billions of beings far more intelligent than we are in a billion other dimensions. I suppose we entertain a hope that all will be well. Religion, for me, offers more threats than reassurance. The kingdom of God might just be one of the many dimensions mathematicians busy themselves with; so the next world may have many mansions.

[showme]

Some seem to think it is entirely future, while others give the impression they are always thinking of it as present, and to not be looking at the future in kingdom terms at all.

Jesus had much to say about the kingdom, including this:

Luke 16:

6 The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is being zealously urged into it.

So, where do you stand as to whether it is present, future, or has both a present and a future aspect?

On what basis?

According to which scriptures?

Per Matthew 4:17, the "kingdom of heaven is at hand". Matthew 6:33,"seek first His kingdom". As for the kingdom of God, whereas the "Word of God" rules the nations with a "rod of iron", that follows the "awesome day of the LORD" (Revelation 19:13-15). One is spiritual, and is within, and one is physical, whereas there will be one ruler, "the Word of God", on earth. The present "ruler" is the 8th head of the beast, along with his 10 horns, who also rule for one hour each (Revelation 17:11).

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 567 by marco]

I don't believe the notion of God's Kingdom is "absurd" at all. Indeed Jesus taught his followers to pray "thy kingdom come!"


JEHOVAH'S WITNESS


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Further reading here: God’s Kingdom—A Government With No Corruption
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Go to posts related to LIFE, PARADISE and ...HEAVEN

[marco]

I don't believe the notion of God's Kingdom is "absurd" at all. Indeed Jesus taught his followers to pray "thy kingdom come!"

In its time when kings were powerful I suppose the metaphor was fitting. Civilisation was in its infancy. Tedious Paul says that when we grow up we put aside childish things and I think in the space age we have no need to regard God as a king in any sense. Education has deposed him.

[Elijah John]

I don't believe the notion of God's Kingdom is "absurd" at all. Indeed Jesus taught his followers to pray "thy kingdom come!"

In its time when kings were powerful I suppose the metaphor was fitting. Civilisation was in its infancy. Tedious Paul says that when we grow up we put aside childish things and I think in the space age we have no need to regard God as a king in any sense. Education has deposed him.

So, if God is not "King" (or if that notion is outmoded) there is no role for Him at all? That would seem to be a false dichotomy. Perhaps political metaphors of any kind do not fit the transcendent Creator and sustainer of the Universe.

[Checkpoint]

I don't believe the notion of God's Kingdom is "absurd" at all. Indeed Jesus taught his followers to pray "thy kingdom come!"

In its time when kings were powerful I suppose the metaphor was fitting. Civilisation was in its infancy. Tedious Paul says that when we grow up we put aside childish things and I think in the space age we have no need to regard God as a king in any sense. Education has deposed him.

You speak as one of those who have deposed Him.

Thinking it is what grown-ups do.

"Except you become as a little child..."

To some He is disposable, but they cannot depose Him.

[marco]

So, if God is not "King" (or if that notion is outmoded) there is no role for Him at all? That would seem to be a false dichotomy.

It is a false dichotomy but it's not mine. I think that calling God a king is an antiquated label. The concept of God having a kingdom is redolent of an age when kings were indeed powerful.

I can't see why, deprived of metaphorical kingship, God should find himself unemployed.

[JehovahsWitness]

So, if God is not "King" (or if that notion is outmoded) there is no role for Him at all? That would seem to be a false dichotomy. Perhaps political metaphors of any kind do not fit the transcendent Creator and sustainer of the Universe.

King is simply a metaphor for ruler, supreme souvereign. We have a number of countries with kings even in this our 21st Century. The bible is FULL of references to God existing in the sense of being a ruler/king in relation to his intelligent creatures.



JW

[Checkpoint]

So, if God is not "King" (or if that notion is outmoded) there is no role for Him at all? That would seem to be a false dichotomy.

It is a false dichotomy but it's not mine. I think that calling God a king is an antiquated label. The concept of God having a kingdom is redolent of an age when kings were indeed powerful.

I can't see why, deprived of metaphorical kingship, God should find himself unemployed.

God is not "deprived"by language or words of mere humans who happen to live in our modern environment with its values.

Neither is He unemployed or employed.

He's the Boss!

[marco]

God is not "deprived"by language or words of mere humans who happen to live in our modern environment with its values.

Neither is He unemployed or employed.

He's the Boss!

Nor is he the Boss. As soon as we venture into "God is...." we err.


We have made God into what we imagine, even endowing him with love for his clay artefacts. How sweet is that! And Jesus, who knew no more of God than we do, suggested God has prepared a nice place for us, beyond man's dreams, because he "loves us." In his primitive way Jesus saw God as an enlarged being with a big heart, a dad in fact. We define God and we lose him.