Bible Truths Illustrated by J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

BIBLE TRUTHS ILLUSTRATED
people ; for the earth is mine ; and ye shall be unto me a kingdom
of priests, and an holy nation" (Ex. 19:5, 6). The children of
Israel obeyed not God's voice, and kept not His covenant. They
desired an earthly king. God granted their request, but the
succession of kings chosen departed from the way of the Lord.
In infinite wisdom and love God promised, through Daniel,
another kingdom. "In the days of these kings shall the God of
heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed" (Dan.
2:44). John the Baptist preached, saying: "The kingdom of
heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2).
We are told when that kingdom was established. It was
when our Lord rose from the grave, and was exalted to God's
right hand, "a Prince and a Saviour." (See Acts 2:29, 36.)
From His throne He poured out His Spirit upon His disciples,
"as the Redeemer's coronation gift," and Peter, filled with the
Spirit, preached the first sermon, and announced that Jesus,
whom they had crucified, had arisen, and ascended to sit upon
the throne of David.
The conditions of entrance into the kingdom are plainly
stated. "Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). "Except
ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter
into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:3).
The nature of the kingdom is also defined. "My kingdom is
not of this world" (John 18:36). It is composed of those who
strive to do the will of God. "Thy kingdom come ; thy will be
done, as in heaven, so on earth" (Matt. 6:10).
There is yet another kingdom. It is the kingdom of glory,
which is the kingdom of grace perfected; men pass into the
kingdom of glory via the kingdom of grace. There is no other
road. "At Athens there were two temples—a temple of virtue,
and a temple of honor—and there was no going into the temple
of honor but through the temple of virtue." So, to enter the
heavenly kingdom, we must pass through the kingdom of grace.
Yet, strange to say, many aspire after heaven, who shun the
kingdom upon earth.
515. In the Scriptures there are four uses of the phrase "kingdom
of God," or words of the same import.
1. The kingdom of God universal and eternal (Ps. 103:19).
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