Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) by Darrell L. Bock

Author:Darrell L. Bock [Bock, Darrell L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2010-07-14T04:00:00+00:00

The Coming of the Eschatological Kingdom

How will the eschatological kingdom come? Some texts simply state that the Lord will establish, create, or raise it up in the last days (Isa. 2; Amos 9:15-16). The Lord will cause the stump of Jesse to sprout (Isa. 11:1); a son will be born (9:6) in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and the government will be on his shoulders (Isa. 9:6). However, other texts specifically indicate that the eschatological kingdom will be established through a climactic act of judgment on world conditions. Daniel describes it coming like a falling rock pulverizing, obliterating, and then replacing existing world political structures (Dan. 2:34-35, 44). The Messiah to whom the kingdom will be given comes on the clouds of heaven in glory, just as judgment falls on the world order existing at that time (7:11-14). He and his saints exercise the dominion of the kingdom worldwide and forever in replacement of that previous order (7:14, 27).

Isaiah 24 foresees a day of the Lord, a common theme in the prophets concerning a divine visitation of judgment. Most often, the references to the Day of the Lord signify the Assyrian or Babylonian invasions that brought death, destruction, and exile (see Isa. 2:12-21; 13:6-13; 22:1-25; 34:1-17; Jer. 46:1-12; Ezek. 7:1-27; 13:5; 30:1-19; 38-39; Joel 1-3; Amos 5:18-20; 8:8-9; 9:5-6; Obad. 15-21; Nah. 1-3; Zeph. 1:7-8, 14-18; 2:1-3; 3:8; Zech. 14:1-21; Mal. 3-4). However, a typology was set up through these descriptions, reinforced through repetitive application, and projected into the future to describe the context in which the eschatological kingdom of God would come into existence. The coming Day of the Lord in Isaiah 24 contains the typical features, but it will come as a punishment of “the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below” (24:21). After this punishment, “the LORD Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders, gloriously” (24:23).

His kingdom reign is further described in Isaiah 25 as a great banquet for all peoples. In Zechariah 14:5, “the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” It will be “a day of the LORD” (14:1), visiting judgment on all nations (cf. Joel 3). “On that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives…It will be a unique day…The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name” (14:4, 7, 9). Zechariah 14:16-21 proceeds to describe the subsequent reign of the Lord from Jerusalem over all nations.

The inaugurated form of the kingdom revealed in the New Testament came into existence through the Cross (which is described in the Gospels in “Day of the Lord” imagery), the resurrection of Jesus, and his ascension. But the future coming of the kingdom is presented in the same way as in the Old Testament.

As Jesus proclaimed the nearness of the kingdom, he warned his hearers to repent. He spoke repeatedly about this coming judgment and about the future coming of the Son of Man in glory and judgment.

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