The Bible tells us that one day God will set up a kingdom on earth and that he will send his son Jesus back to the earth to be the ruler of that Kingdom. After Jesus was raised from the dead he ascended to heaven. His disciples watched this happen and then angels gave them the following message:
Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.
Acts 1:11
Jesus won’t stay in heaven forever, one day he will come back to earth. Before Jesus was born an angel told his mother Mary that he would be the person who would be the ruler of God’s Kingdom.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
Luke 1:32-33
The Bible also makes it clear that this kingdom will be on the earth. Jesus taught his disciples to pray and, as part of that prayer which is known today as the Lord’s prayer, Jesus encouraged his disciples to say.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10
This confirms what the Bible tells us about God’s ultimate plan with all his creation including us, recorded in the prophecy of Habakkuk.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14
When this kingdom is established, the earth will be very different to the way it is now. There will be no more suffering, wars, or violence and those in the kingdom will not have disabilities. The prophet Isaiah gives us a description of what it will be like.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water…
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:5-7, 10
The Bible tells us that God’s kingdom on earth, with Jesus as its King, will last forever. In this kingdom those who love and have served God, by His grace, will live with him on a perfected earth forever.
The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zion from that day and forever.
Micah 4:7
Further reading on this and other topics is available on the website of the Christadelphian Office:
