God is King 1 In the beginning God… Genesis 1:1 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:2 The LORD reigns…Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. Psalm 93:1-2 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. Psalm 95:3

2 God is Creator Word “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:11

God’s Kingdom Rule Blessing People Place = Presence 3 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them… Genesis 1:26-28 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.’ Genesis 2:16-17 Place = Presence People Blessing Rule

God’s people living in God’s place under God’s rule and blessing 4 God’s Kingdom God’s people living in God’s place under God’s rule and blessing

So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden… 5 God’s Kingdom Ruined When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:6-7 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden… Genesis 3:23

God’s Promise of War Promise 6 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal. Genesis 3:15 Promise

Human Rebellion and Death Advances 7 Human Rebellion and Death Advances Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12

The Promised Kingdom Promise Land A B R H People M Blessing 8 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3 Promise Land A B R H M People Blessing I will establish my covenant…to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. Genesis 17:7

From Slavery to Paradise 9 From Slavery to Paradise Then the LORD said to him, ‘Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and ill-treated four hundred years…In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here.’ Genesis 15:13-16 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Exodus 3:8 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Exodus 6:7a

The Rules of the King Rule 10 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ Exodus 19:4-6a Rule And God spoke all these words: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me… Exodus 20:1-3

might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. 11 A Return to Eden Presence They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. Exodus 29:46

A Just and Forgiving King 12 A Just and Forgiving King The Most Holy Place The Holy Place The curtain 1 2 3 4 The LORD said to Moses: ‘Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the Ark, or else he will die, because I appear in the cloud over the atonement cover. Leviticus 16:2

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. 13 The Time of the Judges J U D G E S Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived…But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt then those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshipping them… Judges 2:18-19 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. Judges 21:25

A King for God’s Kingdom 14 A King for God’s Kingdom K I N G S When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 2 Samuel 7:13 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “….the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel, and you shall become their ruler.’ …and they anointed David king over Israel. 2 Samuel 5:1-3

The Kingdom Nearly Established 15 The Kingdom Nearly Established ‘You have established your people Israel as your very own for ever, and you, O LORD, have become their God… for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.’ 2 Samuel 7:24,29b ‘The LORD has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers when he brought them out of Egypt.’ 1 Kings 8:20-21

God’s Kingdom Has Come… God’s rule in God’s place 16 God’s Kingdom Has Come… God’s people The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 1 Kings 4:20 God’s rule in God’s place Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. 1 Kings 4:21 God’s blessing During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig-tree. 1 Kings 4:25 God keeps his promises Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 1 Kings 8:56

17 The Kingdom Declines The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them until the LORD removed them from his presence, as he had warned through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there. 2 Kings 17:22-23 It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. 2 Kings 24:20

18 A New Promise For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land…I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:24-28

19 Still Waiting ‘See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,’ says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:1

20 A New Exodus ABRAHAM Isaac Jacob Judah Perez Hezron Ram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse KING DAVID Solomon Shealtiel Rehoboam Zerubbabel Abijah Abiud Asa Eliakim Jehoshaphat Azor Jehoram Zadok Uzziah Akim Jotham Eliud Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to Christ. Matthew 1:17 Ahaz Eleazar Hezekiah Matthan Manasseh Jacob Amon Joseph + Mary Josiah JECONIAH (EXILE) JESUS CHRIST

21 God’s Presence All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’- which means, ‘God with us.’ Matthew 1:22-23 J E S U

22 God’s Rule ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ Matthew 2:6 J E S U

23 God’s People Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’” Exodus 4:22-23 J E S U So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:14-15

Last Adam, True Israel 24 I R S A E L J E S U A D M And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ Matthew 3:17 Like Adam, they have broken the covenant – they were unfaithful to me there. Hosea 6:7

25 Why did Jesus Die? For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:18a J E S U

26 Jesus is Risen J E S U God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Acts 2:32 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:25

God’s Exalted King Heaven Disciples 27 J E S U ‘Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.’ Acts 2:33,36 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1:9 J E S U Disciples

Jesus’ Kingdom Has Come 28 Jesus’ Kingdom Has Come Promise J E S U Then I heard a voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down……They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:10-11 So the LORD God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; and he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.’ Genesis 3:14-15

Access to God’s Presence 29 Access to God’s Presence For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:24-26 J E S U The Most Holy Place The Holy Place

30 God’s Blessing J E S U For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians 1:3

God’s Presence with His People 31 God’s Presence with His People For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said, ‘I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ 2 Corinthians 6:16b

Announcing God’s Kingdom 32 Announcing God’s Kingdom ‘Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’ Acts 4:12 J E S U Holy Spirit For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves… Colossians 1:13 Jesus is Lord Jesus is Lord Jesus is Lord Jesus is Lord

33 The Return of the King And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:3 J E S U “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

34 God’s Appointed Judge J E S U This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. Romans 2:16 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31

The Day of Judgement Heaven J E S U Hell 35 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes … 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10 J E S U ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.’ Matthew 25:31-33 Hell

God’s Kingdom Completed 36 God’s Kingdom Completed Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and they will be his people, and he will live with them and be their God.’ Revelation 21:1-3 New Heaven J E S U Presence People Blessing Rule New Earth

A Right Relationship with God 37 A Right Relationship with God …he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus Romans 3:26 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 5:1

The Christian Life Justification Glorification Sanctification 38 I’m not yet perfect…but I press on towards the goal Justification Put right with God through faith in Jesus Glorification To be made perfect (like Jesus) after death Sanctification Process of being made holy (more like Jesus) continues all of life But now you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. Romans 6:22

39 The Choice we all Face Reject God as King and live as ruler of our own lives instead Death, judgement and eternal punishment from God Receive a right relationship with God and eternal life Confess our disobedience, submit to Jesus as King of our lives, trusting in his life, death and resurrection …if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart your that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

2. It is a life of suffering It is a life of self-denial 40 Considering the Cost Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ Matthew 16:25 2. It is a life of suffering Suffering for being a Christian is not an option. We suffer because our Lord Jesus suffered. This does not mean Christians do not enjoy this life, or have no fun in the meantime. In fact, we would argue that Christians have the most fun - this world is after all our Father’s world! But it does mean that as Christians we will face opposition to our faith throughout our lifetime. It is a life of self-denial Our goals, ambitions and desires in life are no longer our own, but belong to King Jesus. We no longer live for ourselves but now for God and his Kingdom. © 2004 Written by Jonathan Gibson Design and Graphics by Gareth Gamble Scripture references are from the Holy Bible: New International Version (NIV). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.