kingdom basics

adapted from A Kingdom is a System by Terry Somerville

 

Kingdoms are systems with various interworking non-physical parts.  What we do see, are the effects of these parts on people, cities, and nations.  Much like we cannot see the wind, only how it feels or by looking at leaves moving in the trees.  As such, to grasp how kingdoms work requires understanding how systems work.

many kinds of kingdoms

The bible teaches there are both spiritual and man made kingdoms. The latter may be literal kings ruling over people, but any organised system of people can become a kingdom.  Often God initiates them and man builds them.  Sometimes they fall away. Sometimes kingdoms are horrendous from the start (e.g. Hitler’s SS).  Only God's Kingdom is perfect and eternal.

Even man-made kingdoms are not physical. They are systems with power to rule those who are subject to them, e.g. you can’t see a policeman’s authority, only how it affects him and others.
Read Ephesians 6.  What is it revealing about the relationship between systems and people?
What is the implication of this if man-made institutions and corporations are also systems?

parts of a kingdom system

principalities

Principality comes from the Greek word arche, meaning ‘first one’, and is where words like archangel and architect come. They rule as the leader in organised systems. Examples include a city mayor or city council, a business manager, a king, president, or prime minister.

authority

Authority cones from the Greek word exousia. It is what gives one the right to act within a system. For example, a city council receive it’s authority from a charter of incorporation, which is granted by the province, state, or nation. In God’s Kingdom, His word is forever fixed, the name of Jesus above every other name or authority.

power

Power comes from the Greek word dunamis, from where the word dynamite comes. It is the force of systems to rule, but is different to authority. For example, police have authority (the right to) enforce the law. However, he stops a car because the driver respects his authority, not because he has power to stop the car physically.

How does love, redemption, and the power of the Holy Spirit in people cause God’s kingdom to spread?

dominion

All systems have a jurisdiction, or realm, in which they operate. For example, nations and cities have no authority in the next town or country. In contrast, the bible speaks of how God has sovereignty over all, and has given power and authority to his people to spread His kingdom in the earth.

• Who delivered us out of the power (authority – exousia) of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love (Colossians 1)
• Behold, I have given you authority (exousia) to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power (dunamis) of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you (Luke 10)
• And as yougo, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely you received, freely give (Matthew 10)

characteristics of a kingdom

citizenship

Countries have citizens. Organisations (e.g. local churches and denominations) have members. Both identify people who are submitted to the systems involved, and thus under its authority.  Consequently, both members and citizens are to differing degrees controlled by some form of power.

an oath or pledge of allegiance

You are a citizen of the country in which you live either because you were born there, or became you swore an oath of allegiance.  The words used are intended to bind people to the kingdom system they pledge themselves to.

Take care.  Be careful of any system requiring an oath or pledge from you.   Let there be integrity and sicerity in your yes and no (Mt 5; Jam 5).

Even church systems can expect oaths or pledges whether spoken or in action.  The most common is promising to be a member of a particular local church community, maybe to the eclusion of all others.  It could be vowing to behave a certain way, or even commit yourself to a particular ministry endeavour.

Is God okay with this mix?

Are you giving allegiance to build an organisation rather than Christ?  Is it possible to do both?

temples and priests, palaces and princes

All kingdoms have temples, priests, palaces, and princes of some kind, in the sense that princes rule, priests mediate the authority, and palaces and temples are where this happens.  Similarly, systems today have them. 

For example,

• Lawyers act as priests for corporations or governments interpreting the authority to the management, and intercede for changes with the higher powers.
• Scientists are the priests of education as they represent the higher authority of “truth”.
• Pastors are the priests of the local church when they claim to be the one who hears, interprets, and distributes God’s word.

We are part of a royal priesthood. We have no need of a priest to represent us to God because we have direct access to His throne, and can represent Him to others personally. Our authority is not based on man’s systems, but on knowing the living God (1 Co 2).

Priests need temples, but our bodies are the temple of the Lord, we need no special place of access (1 Co 6).

What is the implication of this for the local church relationship between pastors, elders, and congregation?

What could this mean for how we conduct Sunday church services?

Holy Days and Rituals and High Places

Further evidence systems are like kingdoms is the presence of holy days of celebrations and ritual, with the god being served often able to be identified.  As national days identify a nation's roots, so is true for other systems.

Unfortunately, the church has elevated symbols into full traditions (e.g. Easter and Christmas), while making real life requests of Jesus into symbols.  Examples of this are baptism and communion.

• Baptism, the mark of a believer by our body being fully immersed under water, is sometimes less reduced to sprinkling of water.
• Communion or the Lords supper, a real meal with other believers is often presented as a sip of juice/wine and pre-broken wafer/bread.  Likewise, the eating of these is taken individually or small groups, rarely as a community.

power objects

Every kingdom has significant objects that are meant to wield special powers.  The three main purposes of these power objects are:

• Charms           ... bring blessing to the user
• Fetishes          ... have power over others
• Talismans      ... bring protection to its owner

geography

Kingdoms have identifiable geographic markers to delineate its boundaries, focal points, and “sign posts”, e.g. a city or state has ‘name signs’ at the point where cars enter and leave.  This is true in all kingdoms, spiritual or material.

conclusion

Kingdoms are all around us. If we want to walk in God’ Kingdom we must learn to see how kingdoms work and be careful of compromise.