Has God's Kingdom Already Come?

What Is the Kingdom of God?

When we think about the message of the Bible, we should never lose sight of God's kingdom, or his reign over his people, and ultimately his reign over the entire universe. In the Bible, the idea of kingdom is used in two senses:

It is God's sovereign rule over all things. God rules over all things, always and forever. He is the king, he is sovereign, and he is in charge.
There is another sense in which God's kingdom is not yet fully present. That's why we pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done." This sense of God's kingdom is the manifestation of God's rule to everybody and the submission of all things and all wills to God.

As God's kingdom advances in this second sense, we see the advance of God's saving reign, and ultimately the advance of the gospel.

From the very beginning, God promised to reign over his people. He promised to be their covenant ruler, so that they would submit to him, and live under his good and perfect rule. But sin has broken that relationship.

The Whole Message of the Bible in 16 Words

Chris Bruno

This accessible overview of biblical theology traces the development of sixteen key themes from Genesis to Revelation, showing how each theme contributes to the one main storyline of Scripture.

Therefore, the message of the Bible is a story of God reestablishing his reign as king. In and through Jesus, his kingdom has come. And one day, when Jesus returns, he will reign over all things as the perfect king. And all of his people will submit to his reign and enjoy life in his kingdom forever.

Chris Bruno (PhD, Wheaton College) serves as assistant professor of New Testament and Greek at Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He previously taught Bible and theology at Cedarville University and Northland International University and served as a pastor at Harbor Church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Chris and his wife, Katie, have four sons.