A Biblical And Theological Overview Of God’s Glory Through The Institutions Of Government And Church To Demonstrate The Not-Yet View Of The Kingdom-Age -- By: David Mappes
Journal: Journal of Ministry and Theology
Volume: JMAT 22:1 (Spring 2018)
Article: A Biblical And Theological Overview Of God’s Glory Through The Institutions Of Government And Church To Demonstrate The Not-Yet View Of The Kingdom-Age
Author: David Mappes
JMAT 22:1 (Spring 2018) p. 169
A Biblical And Theological Overview Of God’s Glory Through The Institutions Of Government And Church To Demonstrate The Not-Yet View Of The Kingdom-Age
Traditional dispensationalists affirm the not-yet view of the messianic kingdom age. The future messianic kingdom entails the (1) personal, earthly presence of Messiah; (2) his personal political, kingly Davidic rule over Israel with world-wide governing political implications; and (3) his worldwide priestly ministry of spiritual renewal centered in Israel. The already-not-yet views of inaugurated eschatology emphasize that the messianic kingdom-age is here in some spiritual fashion, being identified with the church. This article explores the relationship between the present-age church ministry and the governing, political ruling authorities to conclude that the messianic kingdom-age of political rule and worldwide spiritual transformation is not identified with the NT church.
The article overviews God’s sovereign rule through intermediaries, the delegated role and authority of government, and the role and authority of the church. The article demonstrates differences between God’s present sovereign kingly rule and his future earthly messianic kingdom-age through demonstrating distinctions between the role of government and the church.
JMAT 22:1 (Spring 2018) p. 170
The Fulfillment Of Genesis 3:15 And God’s Sovereign Kingly Rule2
The Seed Promise And The Future Kingdom-Age
God’s providential, universal rule and reign over mankind is described in Genesis 1–2. Prior to the fall into sin, mankind lived in direct relationship with God under a kind of untested theocratic rule as God appeared and communicated directly to Adam. Importantly, mankind was to serve as a vice-regent under the direct reign and in dependency of Yahweh. As Pentecost emphasizes,
God was recognized as sovereign and the sovereignty that belonged to God was delegated to man, who was to rule over the earth in an exercise of Yahweh’s authority. In this theocracy Adam was seen to derive his authority from God and therefore, since he was called upon to be in submission [to Yahweh, Adam’s] . . . rulership was God’s [rulership].3
Yahweh’s Edenic theocratic rule involved a perfect harmony of (1) God as direct ruler over mankind, (2) the realm of rule, and (3) man and woman ruling in response to Yahweh. Since God alone is completely autonomous and independent, when mankind acted independently to follow the serpent’s word, he...
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