Dr. Douglas Moo explains three general approaches to understanding the Kingdom of God and its relationship to eschatology in the New Testament. This lecture is part of Redemption Seminary's course on New Testament theology.
Step 1: Watch the Lecture
Step 2: Reading—The Kingdom of God in the Gospels
“Jesus and the Kingdom of God
The arrival of the kingdom, discourse about who will (or will not) enter the kingdom, and descriptions of the kingdom are prominent in the Gospels. The kingdom of God is a major feature in the ministry of Jesus. Both his words and deeds convey different aspects of the kingdom theme. Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom reiterate many of the same ideas present in earlier Jewish thought. However, what is unique to Jesus’ teaching is the claim that the kingdom (in some sense) had actually arrived.
The Arrival of the Kingdom
John the Baptist is the first to preach about the arrival of the kingdom of God (Matt 3:2). John preaches a message of judgment and repentance. The kingdom was so near that Jesus claims that there are some with Him who would not die prior to witnessing its power (Mark 9:1). While Jesus’ message of the kingdom included elements of judgment and repentance, it also entailed the good news of salvation. Thus, Jesus preached the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matt 4:23; Luke 4:43 ESV).
Jesus’ healings and expulsions of demons are also directly linked to the kingdom of God (Luke 11:19–20). Jesus came to overthrow the Satanic opposition to God’s kingdom (Mark 3:22–27). By casting out demons, He was demonstrating the power and presence of the kingdom (Matt 12:28).
The Parables of the Kingdom
Jesus does not define the kingdom of God; He describes it only through parables. There are numerous parables in Matthew, Mark and Luke, which open with the phrase “the kingdom of God (or the kingdom of heaven) is like …” (e.g., Matt 13:31–32; Mark 4:26–29; 30–32; Luke 13:18–19, 20–21). Even some parables that do not specifically mention the kingdom of God teach about it. For example, the parable in Matthew 25:1–13 teaches about the kingdom of God. The parable that immediately follows (Matt 25:14–30) does not mention the kingdom, but has similar themes to the first parable. It, too, may be read as a teaching about the kingdom of God.
Many parables say that the kingdom is growing (Mark 4:26–29; 4:30–32; Matt 13:31–32, 33; Luke 13:18–19, 20–21). They teach that upon the discovery of the kingdom, a person experiences joy (Matt 13:44, 45–46). Further, they convey that God’s kingdom reign is a future reality (Matt 25:1–13; Luke 12:35–48; 19:11–27).
The Son of Man and the Kingdom
There is a connection between Jesus’ use of the phrase “son of man” and the kingdom of God. “Son of man” indicates Jesus’ earthly role (e.g., Luke 19:10) and describes His suffering and death (e.g., Mark 8:31; 10:45). This title also conveys His role in the future kingdom (e.g., Matt 16:28; 19:28; Mark 9:1; Ladd, A Theology, 147). Jesus identifies himself as the agent of God’s kingly rule (compare Dan 7:13–14)”
“Last Days, Latter Days, Last Times.
There are problems with the terminology of “the latter days” in that, for example, the King James Version quite often refers to “the latter days,” an expression not found in modern translations. Further, it is not always clear whether “the latter days” means a somewhat later period than that of the writer or the latest times of all, the end of the world. There are also expressions that locate the day being discussed in the time of the speaker. Care is needed as we approach the passages that use these terms.
There is another problem in that in modern times we find it difficult to think that the New Testament writers were living in “the last times.” Centuries have gone by; how could their times be the last times? We should be clear that the scriptural writers did not always use the terms in the same way as we would naturally do. For them the supremely great event had taken place in the coming of Jesus Christ into the world to effect the salvation of all believers. This was not just an event in history; it was the event. Because of what Christ had done everything was altered. From then on, however long it would be until God intervened and set up the new heaven and the new earth, people were living in “the last times.” The days in which it is possible for people to put their trust in Jesus Christ and to enter into the fullness of the salvation he has brought about differ from all the days that went before. They are days of opportunity, days when people can put their trust in the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord and enter into the salvation he won for sinners.
Present Happenings.
The writer to the Hebrews tells his readers that “in these last days he (God) has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1:2), and Peter says that Christ “was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:20). In such passages the meaning clearly is that something has happened in recent times that is in sharp contrast to what occurred in earlier ages. Or in similar expression may look to the future of the recipients of the message, as when we read, “in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him” (Deut. 4:30), or in the reminder to the hearers that God gave them manna in the wilderness “to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you” (Deut. 8:16).
The point of such passages is to make it clear that God is at work in the passage of time here and now. His people are to bear in mind that in what happens in their lives and in the world around them God is working out his purposes. In this spirit the psalmist prays, “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life” (Ps. 39:4), and in Proverbs we find that receiving instruction is the path to being wise in “the latter end” (19:20). Contrariwise Babylon is blamed for not remembering “the latter end” (Isa. 47:7). By taking heed of what God is doing, his people will be strengthened in their faith and better able to appreciate the significance of the times in which they live. It is important that God’s people are never alone and that they will discern the outworking of the divine purposes if only they have eyes to see.
Future Happenings.
Quite often “last” or “latter” is used of times other than the end of all things. The prophets could speak of a “day” when the Lord would act, sometimes in punishment of evil, sometimes in bringing blessing. Especially important are passages that speak of “the last day(s),” which point to the future but without being specific. In such passages it may mean “later in the present scheme of things,” that is, later in the life of a person or, more often, later in the history of the world. For the former use we might notice the warning in Proverbs that a misspent life means that you will groan “at your latter end” (Prov. 5:11). For the other use Jacob summoned his sons to tell them what would happen to them “in the latter days” (Gen. 49:1). This clearly refers to the distant future, but not to the end of the world. So with Moses’ prophecy that after his death Israel would turn away from the right with the result that evil would befall them “in the latter days” (Deut. 31:29). We might say something similar about Daniel’s prophecy of things that would happen “in the latter time of wrath” (Dan. 8:19; the references to the kings of Media, Persia, and Greece show that there is a reference to what we would call antiquity, not the end of the world). Hosea looks forward to the Israelites coming trembling to the Lord “in the latter days” (3:5).
So also Jeremiah looks forward to people understanding the working of the divine wrath “in the latter days” (Jer. 23:20; 30:24). He also looks for blessing in those days, for the Lord will restore Moab (48:47) and Elam (49:39). We usually look for blessing on Israel, and it is interesting that Jeremiah sees the divine blessing as coming also on these Gentile nations. Similarly Daniel says that God has shown Nebuchadnezzar what is to happen in “the latter days” (2:28; for other examples of his use of the expression, see 8:23; 10:14; 11:29).
In the New Testament it is not so much a question of what will happen to nations, as of the way God will work out his purpose in the affairs of the church and of individual believers. Peter says that the coming of the Holy Spirit on the infant church fulfilled a prophecy of what would happen “in the last days” (Acts 2:17). In the same spirit we notice a statement in Hebrews: Christ “has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (9:26). The great events concerning the coming of the Savior and the establishment of salvation are linked with “the last days.” So also is the opposition of evil to all that is good. In those days “The Spirit clearly says that … some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). There is a sense in which the church has always lived in “the last days.””
Step 3: Application Questions
In every lesson of every course the Redemption Seminary curriculum has students answer application questions. This work builds into a portfolio that demonstrates learning for the course. This approach (rather than term papers or exams) helps people with busy lives chip away and amass a wealth of wisdom to reflect upon. See how the Lord blesses your work in answering the following questions.
Explain how the times of the New Testament writers were the last times from their perspective.
Which of the following best describes your view of eschatology? (Futurist Eschatology, Realized Eschatology, Inaugurated Eschatology)
Provide a few Bible verses that influence your view and explain why they influence your view.