Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 164:654 (Apr 2007)
Article: No, Not Yet: The Contingency Of God’s Promised Kingdom
Author: Stanley D. Toussaint

BSac 164:654 (April-June 2007) p. 131

No, Not Yet: The Contingency Of God’s Promised Kingdom

Stanley D. Toussaint

Jay A. Quine

Stanley D. Toussaint is Senior Professor Emeritus of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, and Jay A. Quine is Professor of Bible Exposition, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas.

Much has been written about the millennial/messianic kingdom, but little attention has been given to the contingencies that must be met before the kingdom will arrive. Some writers suggest that such contingencies are untenable. How, they reason, can the work of God be viewed as contingent on the response of mere mortals? Since He is sovereign, His will shall be done, regardless of human response. How can Israel (and others?) have “veto power” over God’s ordained kingdom program? This article seeks to demonstrate that certain contingencies exist for the coming millennial kingdom, contingencies that show that the kingdom is not present today, because when Israel rejected Jesus, the kingdom was postponed. These contingencies include the sovereignty of God, the influence of the Spirit of God, and humanity’s (especially Israel’s) responsibility for repentance. These were detailed by the prophets (especially Ezekiel and Haggai), were confirmed in extrabiblical literature and in the Gospels (especially Matthew), were affirmed in the historical record of the Acts, and are still anticipated as exemplified in Romans. Because these three contingencies have not yet been met, one can affirm the future of the kingdom by the words “No, not yet.”1 The word “contingency” does not mean that the fulfillment of God’s promise to establish the millennial kingdom is uncertain and may be annulled. Instead “contingency” means that the timing of the fulfillment is based on these three factors.

BSac 164:654 (April-June 2007) p. 132

The Contingency Of God’s Kingdom In The Prophets

In varying degrees nearly all the writing prophets expressed the Lord’s plan of contingency for the coming kingdom. As the prophets each offered pieces of the puzzle portraying Israel’s exile and restoration, it became clear that future blessing for the nation would come as a result of the three contingency factors already mentioned (the sovereign blessing by the Lord, through the Spirit of God, on a repentant people). The prophets Ezekiel and Haggai are especially clear in affirming these truths.

Ezekiel

Affirming the eschatological blessing detailed by his predecessors, the preexilic prophets, Ezekiel’s “showers of blessing” (Ezek. 34:26) are guaranteed by God’s covenant...