The Kingdom

The study of Eschatology is the study of the Kingdom.

Right understanding concerning the Kingdom of God and the nature of that Kingdom is at the root of most disagreement concerning the End Times.

Despite all the proof texts, and all the volumes of contradicting scholarly thought, the conclusions reached will either be based on, or lead to, an understanding of God’s Kingdom.

Now, in interpreting End Times events, someone who has a future explanation has things relatively simple. They simply read the text and say, “such and such will happen, and it will happen in the future in this way.” If an event has not happened to their knowledge, in the time frame and manner in which they expect, they can simply claim a fulfillment at a future time, saying, “Wait and see!”

Yet, for someone who ends up in any type of historical interpretation of the book, there are two things to consider. The first are whether certain events could seem to fit the book. Of course, many have claimed some form of this, and, yet, many futurists would still disagree with their findings. What is of particular interest, however, are the introduction of “limiting factors”, either for or against any particular historical fulfillment. Once you can Scripturally or historically limit the fulfillment of a certain passage, you begin to necessitate a certain historical time-frame. Of course, some of these limiting factors can be debated and some sections have multiple interpretations, but, the general outline of study of the topic is more or less developed on such a basis.

When it comes to the Kingdom of God, however, we have, as it were, the irrefutable evidence witness of the Word. Jesus said it, and, as it has been passed down to us, and we consider the Word to be infallible, although subject to interpretation. Bypassing the “idealistic” approach to the End Times as being dismissive of the Word, we must evaluate what the Bible records.

What is the Kingdom?

As said, it is the nature of the Kingdom that really either determines, or is determined by, one’s Eschatology.

Regarding the Kingdom, we will eventually have to have opinions on several matters, including,

What is the nature of the Kingdom?
When is the Kingdom?
What does it mean that the Kingdom will come?

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark 1:15

Clearly, from the verse above, we see a definite statement regarding the Kingdom of God. There was only one Kingdom of God, and this that Jesus was talking about was it. So, let us review what the Kingdom is that Jesus is talking about.

Daniel 2:44 and Daniel 7:14 both indicate a coming Kingdom. This promise of the coming Kingdom, echoed throughout the Old Covenant, was the hope of many in Israel, so that Israel was indeed waiting for Messiah to come. This time of waiting had been prescribed, and, at the outset of His ministry, Jesus came with this singular declaration.

First, He said that that “the time is fulfilled”. What time? The waiting time for the Kingdom. Since the time was fulfilled, we should not, therefore expect to “wait” for another time. Second, He said, “the Kingdom is at hand”, meaning it was near, or was here in some sense. And, finally, His instructions to us were to Repent, and believe the Good News, or Gospel, the Gospel of the Kingdom.

So, when Jesus made the proclamation of the Kingdom being here, what was He saying? He was saying that the waiting time was over and that the promised Kingdom of Daniel and the Old Testament scriptures was here, plain and simple.

The Kingdom is Spiritual

Now, let’s take a moment and examine what exactly this means, because this will set the stage for some of our limiting factors.

This interpretation of Mark 1:15 would require the nature of the Kingdom of God to be Spiritual. For many, this was already clear, but others hold often sometimes vastly differing views. Despite their case, if the understanding of the verse above is correct, we should be able to demonstrate reasonably that their understanding does not hold through to the whole counsel of Scripture. We believe we have done that here in this book. Yet, if on some place you disagree, by all means, disagree. This is how we see it.

We have to, of course, address a few objections right off. First, the phrases “Kingdom of God” and “Kingdom of Heaven” are demonstrated to be absolutely equivalent. Matthew uses only the latter, and the others the former. Matthew, addressing a Jewish audience uses the phrase “of the heavens” in relating to those who would understand such, while the writings addressed to a mixed audience use the more general phrase, “of God”. There is no confusion here, although there was some debate at one point.

Next, the issue arises that no Old Testament writer expected a spiritual kingdom, but rather a physical one. The simple answer, however, is that Jesus is the ultimate interpreter of the Old Testament Scripture, because He is the author of them. Very plainly, unless there is an explicit contradiction, the somewhat figurative language is perfectly interpreted by Jesus. Jesus said it very plainly that this was the Kingdom, and that the waiting time was over. Numerous times in His speaking, it was very clear that Jesus had the Kingdom there with Him in some very real sense.

So, in answer to the second question, the Kingdom is now, or the Kingdom is here.

Again, some would further attempt to develop the idea that the Kingdom was there in Jesus’ day, but its offer was withdrawn until the Millennium due to the Jew’s refusal. However, this is quickly disproved, as it was said that Paul preached the Kingdom of God, and he himself said the Kingdom of God was not a matter of words but of power (Acts 28:30-31; Corinthians 4:20). It is clear that the Gospel of the Kingdom that Paul preached was the exact same Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus did, with the exception that the cross was in hindsight, rather than in fore-shadow.

Now, we need to be very clear. Jesus couldn’t have meant anything other than the same Kingdom that everyone is referring to. This is the same Kingdom that people point to in the Millennium, the same one that referred to in Daniel. This is the same Kingdom that will last forever.

Jesus, the Author of Scriptures

In light of who Jesus is, in light of His being Messiah and the Scriptures being what they are, Jesus could have meant absolute nothing other than the Daniel 2:44 kingdom when he arrived and said what He did. This is absolutely crystal clear. However else you interpret the time being “fulfilled” in Mark 1:15, it absolutely refers to the Daniel 2:44 and Daniel 7:14 time-tables. For Jesus to have meant any other thing by His statement in Mark 1:15 would have made Him a deliberate deceiver, a liar, and a fraud. The words are unmistakable for someone with a Daniel 2:44 expectation: The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom is at hand (or, here).

This may, in itself, be too strong of a statement for some, but as much as we do not feel it is not overstated, it is only one such piece of evidence that points to this conclusion. The fact is, all of these aspects we are to be bringing forth point to one definite and positive conclusion–that the first coming was the establishment of the Kingdom. Period.

Does this sound too strong? Well, take each piece as it comes, and evaluate each point as it is discussed and make your decision. While we felt strongly in this direction originally, not finding a textual support for the futurism that is so widely adopted today, it wasn’t until we started pulling the pieces together, all of which pointed in the same direction, that we began to have confidence in our understanding. Indeed, it boggled our mind what much commentary wrote, but we had to prove it to ourselves by the Word.

In support of this position, we find a fairly consistent pattern in the New Testament.

The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Luke 16:16

And, again,

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Matthew 11:12

Now, here again, we see the distinction made by Jesus Himself. The Law the the prophets were concluded at the time of John, and now, not only is it the Kingdom, but “every man presseth into it”, or, “the violent take it by force”. Clearly, no man could press into or take it, if it were not available, nor does the language leave little else for consideration. The Law and Prophets continued until the time of John the Baptist’s ministry, and since that time it is the Kingdom. If the Kingdom not now, this statement would make no sense, and if it was offered and removed, this would leave no government at all upon the Earth. Since neither of these fit the situation, and Paul clearly preached the Kingdom, we can be sure that the Kingdom is both spiritual and it is here.

Further, Jesus said, regarding His deliverances,

But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Matthew 12:28

The parallel of this passage is found in Luke 11:20 where Luke uses the expression “finger of God”, and they both also point to a present reality by which Jesus operated in the authority of His Kingdom to cast out the demons of another, lower kingdom.

Mark 1:15, above, then, is certainly not the basis for our argument, per se, however, it perhaps is one of the best at encapsulating the ideas which we are attempting to portray in a succinct and visible way. Again, unless there was deliberate deception going on, or some missing piece of information, Jesus’ declaration can only mean one thing: The Kingdom is Here.

A Kingdom “Set-up”

But, let us take one more side-journey into the discovery of the Kingdom, this was the Kingdom that predated Jesus’ first coming, only now to be ‘set up’ among men.

In Daniel 2:44, Daniel said that the God of Heaven would “set up” a Kingdom that would never be destroyed, nor left to another people. This is the Kingdom of Mark 1:15, or Jesus was wrong. In Daniel 3:1-2, we read of something like this. In v1, Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image, and in v2 he “set it up” on the plain of Dura.

The Kingdom of Daniel 2:44 was not like this, in that it was only “set up” “at that time”, but was not “made” at the time of being “set up”. With the statue of the king, it was recorded that both were done, but with the rock in Daniel 2:44, we read that the rock was cut out “without hands”, being not made by men. In some considerations, it could be said that the Kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world,

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25:34

Whether that is the actual creation of the kingdom, the “making of it”, as compared to the statue of Daniel 3:1, it is clear that this was the Kingdom that was in existence in the time of Saul and David of Israel. It was understood that, at least in the beginning, Israel was the Kingdom of God.

Further, let us give brief consideration to the promises given to David. In 2 Samuel 7:11-16 and 1 Chronicles 17:10-15, the promise given to David is recorded. In both, most of the promise concerns Solomon, and, as a foreshadow, Christ. The last verse of both concerns the everlasting establishment of their throne. We read in the first (the second is similar),

Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.

2 Samuel 7:16 NIV

David is promised an everlasting Kingdom. Yet, we must consider the nature of this kingdom. What is this kingdom, and what is this throne? It certainly cannot be the physical, wooden bench, because that disintegrated to either dust or ash long ago. It is, however, specified as something distinct.

The Identity of David’s Throne

Everyone agrees that Christ will sit upon the throne of David, but what is in question what is David’s throne? Consider the following verses from the books of Chronicles.

And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. (1 Chronicles 28:5)
Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. (1 Chronicles 29:23)
Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and justice. (2 Chronicles 9:8)
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods. (2 Chronicles 13:8)

Four times in these two books, it calls the throne that David sat upon the “throne of the Lord” or the Kingdom the “Kingdom of the Lord”.

What we begin to see is that the Kingdom of God was the nation of Israel during and before the first temple period. In fact, when David sat on his throne, he was actually seated upon the Throne of God! This is what the Scripture calls it four times, as we see above.

Now, the this was not the state of things when Jesus came. In fact, the disciple’s question after the resurrection can be seen in reflection of this fact.

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Acts 1:6

The question was not when the Kingdom should be given to the nation, but when it should be restored! This word here means to be returned to its former state. It appears, then, that the apostles were asking about the Davidic Kingdom, about when the Kingdom would be returned to the nation as a whole, as it had been in the past. Keep in mind, this does not mean the apostles did not have the Kingdom at this point, for the question is merely when the Kingdom would be restored to the entire nation and not just the believers.

The Removal of the Kingdom from Israel

So, if the Kingdom belonged to Israel during David’s day, and it was not in Jesus’, we see that the kingdom was indeed taken away from the nation before they went into exile into Babylon, before Solomon’s temple was destroyed.

I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.

Ezekiel 21:27

Speaking of the crown as representative of the kingly authority and jurisdiction, hence, the Kingdom, the Lord said that the king had become exceedingly perverse, and He three-fold said He would overturn, or ruin it. It was to be taken away until the time of Christ.

So, here we have the context of the prophecies of Daniel. Daniel, as it were, comes at the end of the physical exile from the Promised Land. After the course of 70 years, the Jews were supposed to return to the land, and hence Daniel prayed in Daniel 9 that this might happen, despite the hearts of the people not turning back to the Lord in their captivity. At this time, the Kingdom had already been taken away, the temple destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, and the people brought into slavery.

In the answer to the delay of the 70 years of Jeremiah’s prophecy (Daniel 9:2), Daniel was given a timetable for Daniel’s people and Jerusalem.

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…

Daniel 9:24a

Where Daniel stood at the terminus of the 70 years, Jesus came in the conclusion of the seventy sevens of years and declared that it was complete.

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

Psalm 145:13

Now, as we shall see more here and in the next chapter, Jesus came with the Daniel 2:44 “setting up” of the Kingdom, the rock. But, particularly, we must realize that this Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, is an everlasting Kingdom.

It’s “setting up” was not it’s beginning, and, according to Psalm 145:13, it will have no end.

So, let us reason about what it means then, that the Kingdom is “at hand”, in Mark 1:15.

Since we understand that the Kingdom was pre-existing, probably to the foundation of the world, and further, we understand that when it speaks of God on His throne, this is His Kingdom. When it says that righteousness and justice are the foundation of it, in Psalm 89:14, this is the same throne that David sat upon, spiritually, while he was sitting upon the wooden bench in Jerusalem.

“At Hand” Indicates Nearness, not Inauguration or Beginning

So, when Jesus said the Kingdom was “at hand”, He was apparently only talking about its proximity (nearness) and not its “inauguration”. It was not just then beginning, but rather, through Jesus, it’s only Door, it was drawing near to men.

This Kingdom was really only touched directly, for the most part in the Old Covenant, through the priests and the prophets, because, as we will see later, the Kingdom is directly linked to the outpouring of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. Because, as we will see, the Kingdom being like the leaven of Matthew 13:33 speaks of the Holy Spirit within a believer, the Kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit was restricted to only the kings and prophets.

But, now, for the first time, the Kingdom had drawn near to all men, for, John prophesied that this Lamb of God would baptize not just with water, but with the Spirit!

So, too, we must consider what is meant in the Scriptures when it says that Jesus will come, such as in Matthew 25:31. Much of the reason for the debate about the Kingdom appears to be that there are different aspects to its’ “coming”. Clearly, as we have demonstrated, the Kingdom was present in Jesus’ reign, or men could not have taken it by force, or pressed into it. Further, if there had been no Kingdom there, there would have been no authority for true deliverance (deliverance is on the basis primarily of authority, not necessarily power).

But, the Son of man coming here refers to His future coming. Again, neither of these are the beginning of the Kingdom, and only the first Coming was the “setting up” of Daniel 2:44. While Jesus did declare that the Kingdom would not appear at once in Luke 19, this, likely, was not the reference to the Kingdom coming at all, but was either a reference to the end-coming, or, perhaps, to the disciples receiving a kingdom of their own, as Jesus described a few chapters later.

And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 22:29-30 NIV

Jesus had a Kingdom in His possession from the time that He came back from the Jordan. The disciples, however, did not receive their own Kingdom until Pentecost. Consider, again, the question of Acts 1:6. The question was when the Kingdom would be restored to the nation. Here, Jesus does not tell them, but notice the question was not in reference to when they would receive the Kingdom, but when the national promises concerning Israel would be fulfilled.

Two Time-Tables

As it turns out, as the promise for the return to the land took 70 years, and then the return of the Kingdom took another 70 sevens of years, so too, the return of the Kingdom to the Nation, which we can see at the end of Ezekiel 39’s Gog Magog war, has not yet occurred. Israel, as a whole, has not received the outpouring of God’s Spirit, as a people, but, for a little while, the hardening of Israel has occurred, so that the full number of Gentiles can be brought in.

To help to clarify the nature of the Kingdom, we need only consider some of the other Scriptures concerning it.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. … Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:3, 5

And,

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1 Corinthians 15:50

Since the Kingdom cannot be seen nor entered unless one is born of the Spirit, born again, born from above, it would also imply, logically, that if it is visible to an unbeliever, that it is not the Kingdom of God. Further, if an unbeliever can enter into it, it is also, decidedly, not the Kingdom. In the second example, Paul clearly says that flesh and blood cannot inherit it.

These verses actually preclude a physical kingdom entirely. The Words of Jesus on the one hand, and Paul corroborates them in the other.

Consider, for a moment then, the verse that some use to substantiate a claim that the Kingdom will, indeed, be physical.

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

John 18:36

The NASB version, here, at the last clause, reads, “but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” That is, where some take the last clause, saying “but now my Kingdom is not from hence”, meaning, it could be later, this is not a foregone conclusion, nor, possibly, even the best translation. The NASB seems to capture the understanding of the verse, as, no other place does the Scripture ever indicate that the Kingdom will ever be of any other realm or constitution than it was when Jesus came with it, or as it is now.

One could contend on this point, perhaps, but this verse alone, while it does not perhaps guarantee that it the Kingdom could never an earthly realm (although no other Scriptures support it), it does say that it certainly was not one when Jesus was there in His flesh. Indeed, as He said, it is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profits nothing (John 6:63). Why, then, would we need to convert the Kingdom into a lesser form, anyway?

On Earth as It [Already] is in Heaven

But, let us consider yet another verse that has very direct bearings upon the nature, timing, and placement of the Kingdom.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

From this verse, we can immediately deduce the following.

The Kingdom already exists. “…in earth as it is in heaven”, applying to both previous clauses, demands that, when praying this prayer, we are asking that the pre-existing Kingdom would come upon the Earth.
The Kingdom is in Heaven. It is, therefore, a heavenly, or spiritual Kingdom. Or, the Kingdom of the Heavens. Suppose we see that heavenly, spiritual Kingdom come to Earth. What should we expect? Does heavenly become Earthly because it comes to Earth?
It is Christ’s Kingdom. The Kingdom of the Heavens, the Kingdom of God. It is the only Kingdom He spoke of.
This is the Father’s Kingdom. The verse begins with “Thy Kingdom”, meaning, the Father’s Kingdom. Therefore, Christ’s Kingdom is God’s Kingdom, and Christ’s throne is God’s throne.
The Kingdom is “daily”. As with the whole of the prayer, Jesus is instructing the disciples on what to pray for. There is not one thing in this prayer to indicate that Jesus intended the fulfillment of this prayer to be brought as anything other than as an on-going, daily basis, as it is being prayed for.

Even as the deliverances were evidence of the Kingdom in their midst, and Paul said it consists of Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost, this, along with the whole prayer, is aimed at the “daily”. The Kingdom is present every time we see demons in the name of Jesus, and every time we experience the heart of God through His Holy Spirit. The Kingdom, then, is the heavenly reality, although invisible yet very real, which is the realm of authority and dominion of God. It is this realm that Jesus came to announce as “at hand”, and it is this authority of heavenly government that we have access to through the name of Jesus today. Any time we touch the miraculous and supernatural power of God, we have encountered the Kingdom, or it has encountered us. Even as Paul preached the Gospel of the Kingdom through to the end of the book of Acts (to the very last verse!), so, the only Gospel there is, is the Gospel of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom is Here

The Kingdom is Here.

But, what of the objection that none of the prophets expected a physical Kingdom? This was, actually, the point. Read this scripture carefully, as many mis-quote it.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:7-10

Here, Paul says He is speaking the wisdom of God, that which was hidden. The fact of a spiritual Kingdom was, indeed, hidden from everyone, on purpose!

Think of the promises of Jesus’ life from John the Baptist. John had said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, but, in His “life-time”, before the cross, although He was only dead for three days, He never baptized a soul in the Spirit–not one! But, God had a mystery, called the cross.

The scripture here is plain, that if the adversary had known what he was doing, they wouldn’t have carried out God’s perfect plan in killing him.

And, what does Paul say here? Here, where many mis-quote him, he quotes the Old Testament, the Old Covenant position, that it had not entered into the heart or mind of man what God had prepared for those who love Him. But, that was before the Spirit. His actual point in bring that up is precisely this–God has revealed it to us! So, verse 9 does not apply to a believer.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned

1 Corinthians 2:14

A few verses later, Paul emphasizes the point again, saying that the natural man, the man without the Spirit, cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, and hence, the Kingdom. Thus, the Kingdom, that which cannot be seen nor entered by those who are unregenerate through faith in Jesus’ name, is revealed, by the Spirit–to those who believe.

Unexpected, but not Unexplained

The fact that the people of the Old Covenant expected a physical Kingdom is fine, but the Scriptures never once promised it. In fact, they never specified what it would be.

But, Jesus, in Mark 1:15, said that the Kingdom had come, and in John 18:36, said the Kingdom was not of this world or realm, it was spiritual.

This, then, was the Kingdom that was promised.

And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Matthew 11:3

Just as the disciples of John wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah, many today ask whether the Kingdom He spoke of was the Kingdom that was promised. But, as we have seen, and will continue to see, there could have been no other Kingdom.

Further, other than John 18:36, which is questionable as to translation and original intent, there are no scriptures that indicate the Kingdom will now be Spiritual and later be Physical, but there are plenty that indicate that it is spiritual now.

So Where is the Kingdom?

Man is seen, but God and His Kingdom are not. If, in some supposed Millennium under dispensationalist thought, a governmental center is set up in Jerusalem, and a literal throne is set up, and Jesus physically sits and rules there, in Jerusalem, over the entire Earth, then where is Christ’s Kingdom? Is it the buildings? Is it the government as we see it? Is it the armies?

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:53

This then, is actually one of the best portraits of the Kingdom in the New Testament. In John 1:51, Jesus told Nathanael that he would see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man. In Luke 7:2-10, a Roman Centurion came to Jesus for healing for his servant, and saying he was not worthy, he said that he too was a man with authority, with people under him. This soldier, knowing the realms of authority in which he walked in, by faith, recognized the same in Jesus. To what was the man referring to, even if by instinct? It was this same realm of the Kingdom, to this same realm of the angelic hosts, to this same dominion of power. Jesus was submitted to His Father’s authority, and had the command of legions of angels. That is what the Centurion saw, even though his natural eye probably discerned nothing.

The problem is that Jesus came and demonstrated that he had a Kingdom. He came and announced it, and, although the natural man could expect no other kingdom than a physical one, this was never God’s original intent (Matthew 25:34; Psalm 145:13). The fact that it was not visible, not physical, and not of this world, is not a fault of the Kingdom, but of the expectations of natural man that could not receive the things of God, but only expect what they had been accustomed to.

But, this is, again, the same Kingdom that Israel had in prior days.

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

2 Kings 2:11-12

And,

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

2 Kings 6:15-19

In both of these occurrences, the Kingdom of God was seen, with its armies.

So, in Matthew 25, we read of the Son coming in His Glory.

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Matthew 25:31

This is not the coming of the Kingdom, as if it hadn’t ever been here, but the Son coming in the glory of it.

The Kingdom which had been prepared from the foundation shall endure forever. When Israel was first a nation, it was theirs, through David’s throne and through the prophets. When Jesus came, He declared it’s nearness. When He comes again, He will come in His glory and in the glory of the Holy angels.

Invisible, Spiritual, Everlasting, Powerful

It is invisible (John 3:3), un-enterable by the lost (John 3:5), not of this world but spiritual (John 18:36), and cannot be inherited by flesh and blood (1 Corinthians 15:50). The Gospel of the Kingdom is the only Gospel there is (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 24:14; Acts 28:30-31; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Corinthians 4:20). The Kingdom would not appear immediately, as some thought (Luke 19), but it was conferred upon the twelve even as one had already been conferred upon Jesus (Luke 22:29). It was particularly Jesus’ deliverances that demonstrated absolutely that the Kingdom was present (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20), and it was precisely the Kingdom that was responsible in the demonstration and daily operation of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 7; John 1:51). Yet, it was the the principles of God’s Kingdom (Matthew 5:3-10) in which Jesus taught, lived, and placed His confidence, so much so that, that, although He had the authority to call as many angels as needed for his own deliverance (Matthew 26:53), but chose rather to trust on the nature of the Father. The mysteries Kingdom were not revealed in times past, but they have been revealed now through the church (1 Corinthians 2:7-10; Ephesians 3:2-5; Colossians 1:25-27).

This spiritual Kingdom that Jesus brought was precisely not what the natural man expected, and the fact that those who do not have faith cannot comprehend it is precisely why the leaders of Israel missed it. Because they had not been baptized with John’s baptism of repentance, the proper preparation for receiving the ministry of the faith of God, they, expecting a physical kingdom, were utterly blind to it.

But, to those who are born again,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

John 3:11

Conclusion

Clearly, there is an only has ever been one Kingdom of God. Some point to the Millennium as a time of Christ’s reign, but, from a Biblical perspective, it cannot be the beginning. But, also, consider this. When Israel was God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom itself was still spiritual. Israel, in its original intent, was God’s to be the answer to the prayer of God’s Kingdom coming and His will being done on Earth as it is in Heaven. But, even while there was a physical manifestation of the Kingdom upon the Earth, the Kingdom, even then, never stopped being spiritual. Israel in the natural was only ever a manifestation of what was always heavenly, and God desired the unity between the two.

The angels and armies of Israel were also still the real demonstration of the Kingdom. While man always looks at the outside of things, such as the miracles, deliverances, and signs and wonders, John 3:3 says that none of these are truly the Kingdom. Just like when a high pressure center forces out a lower pressure center, we create a storm front, man looks at the rain, thunder, and lightning, and says, there is a storm. But, man does not see the high pressure center. The same is the Kingdom. When kingdoms collide, power changes hands, but the Kingdom of God is always the invisible, spiritual, and unstoppable realm of the Holy Ghost.

Summary

Your understanding of the Kingdom will directly shape, or be shaped by, your End Times theology.
One must draw conclusions on (at least) the following: Its Nature, Its Timing, Its Coming.
Jesus demonstrated and preached a Spiritual Kingdom (John 3:3, 5). If it can be seen or entered into by the un-reborn, it is not the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said the time was “fulfilled” in His day, and that it was hand. Further, His deliverances demonstrated it’s presence.
The Law and the Prophets were until John the Baptist, and since that time it has been the Kingdom (Luke 16:16).
John 18:36 is the only Scripture that could be interpreted to mean that the Kingdom is of one nature now, but will be of a different nature later. Notably, the NASB version translates this in a way that does not suggest this translation. But, in this very verse, Jesus positively identified the Kingdom at that time as Spirtiual, not of this world or realm.
God only has one Kingdom.
Jesus’ declaration of the time being fulfilled and the Kingdom being here could mean nothing other than the Kingdom referred to by Daniel and the Old Testament writers by virtue of who Jesus was. Jesus is the ultimate interpreter of Scripture, and the hiddenness of the nature of the Kingdom in the Old Covenant is explained by Paul in the new.
It has been prepared for us from the foundation of the world.
Israel was the Kingdom of God in a spiritual sense. David and Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne.
Through the kings and prophets, during the time of the first temple, the nation of Israel operated in the power of the Kingdom, as recorded the prophets and others saw on occasion.
The Kingdom would be restored to Israel as a nation at some time yet in the future (Acts 1:6).
The Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6 demonstrates the Kingdom to be pre-existent (Matthew 6:10). ” . . . on Earth as it is is it is in heaven” admits that the “coming” we are praying for is for something that already exists “there”.
The Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom (Psalm 145:13).
Jesus is reigning in His Kingdom now, seated on the throne of David, the throne of the Lord, at the right hand of the Father.
Christ will come with all the glory of His Father and with the holy angels at the Second Coming (Matthew 25:31).