Some say the territory of the Kingdom of God will be worldwide. But the Bible teaches that the Kingdom is Israel, being the central and dominant nation in the earth at that time. The Christadelphian Statement of Faith (BASF) expresses it thus:
“ XXI.—That the kingdom which he will establish will be the kingdom of Israel restored, in the territory it formerly occupied, viz., the land bequeathed for an everlasting possession to Abraham and his seed (the Christ) by covenant – Mic 4:6-8; Am 9:11,15; Ezek 37:21,22; Jer 23:3-8; Gen 13:14-17; Heb 11:8,9; Gal 3:16; Lev 26:42; Mic 7:20.
Here, the BASF shows that the actual kingdom will be Israel restored, which will exist “in the territory it formerly occupied”. Our verse for today (Dan. 7:12) proves that the other kingdoms will be permitted to exist external to that territory, as nations in their own right – albeit with their “dominion” taken away.
It is therefore inaccurate to speak of “the Kingdom” being world-wide. On the contrary, in Elpis Israel, John Thomas shows that whilst Messiah’s Empire will be world-wide, the Kingdom will be Israel – as the BASF also states. It will not only be the case that the Jews will be allowed to live in the land again – they will actually constitute the kingdom, with all other kings and their individual nations being subject to them (see Isa. 2:2-3, Isa. 56:7, Psa. 2:6, 10-12, Psa. 72:11). As Isaiah also wrote: “the nations and kingdoms that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted” (Isa. 60:12).
THE HOPE OF ISRAEL
There are certain important principles that emerge from a consideration of these things. The form, nature and scope of the kingdom is fundamentally Israel restored. Without Israel, there can be no kingdom. Of Israel it is written: “Israel shall be saved in Yahweh with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end” (Isa. 45:17).
It logically follows that if Israel is to be saved “with an everlasting salvation”, then we who also desire salvation must become joined to Israel. We are as branches grafted into the Israelitish olive tree, and look forward to their being restored again: “if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving in of them be, but life from the dead?” (Rom. 11:15). For those who embrace the Hope of Israel in faith and love, there is the prospect of “life from the dead” when the Kingdom is Restored to Israel, and the individual nations will be governed by the righteous rule of Messiah.
Christopher Maddocks
