Across 22 chapters, T. Desmond Alexander expounds the theme of the kingdom of God from selected Old and New Testament texts, showing its relevance for today.
God made us to rule with him as his representatives, to establish his kingdom on earth. But Adam and Eve’s rebellion alienated humanity from God’s kingdom, instead making them slaves to the kingdom of darkness. As the promised ruler, Jesus Christ comes as the perfect king to redeem enslaved humanity. This servant king brings God’s kingdom on earth through self-sacrificial love. In hope, we now await the return of the king and the coming of the eternal kingdom.
With a fully integrated study guide, suitable for both individuals and groups, The Message of the Kingdom of God will help you to see how the Bible’s unified teaching on this vital theme can impact your life today.
The Bible Speaks Today series covers every book of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture.
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General preface ix
Author’s preface xi
Chief abbreviations xiii
Select bibliography xv
Introduction 1
Part 1: The scene is set
1. The creator king (Genesis 1:1 – 2:3) 9
2. A royal betrayal (Genesis 3:1-24) 21
3. A saviour king is promised (Genesis 17:1-27) 33
Part 2: The kingdom of God in the Old Testament
4. The divine redeemer king (Exodus 15:1-21) 51
5. The divine king and his chosen people (Exodus 24:1-11) 67
6. The holy king and his high priest (Leviticus 9:1 – 10:11) 79
7. A royal inheritance (Joshua 1:1-18) 94
8. Conflicting loyalties (Judges 2:6-23) 107
Part 3: Anticipating the saviour king
9. The divine king who raises up and brings down (1 Samuel 2:1-10) 121
10. Royal wisdom (1 Kings 3:1-28) 136
11. The servant king (Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12) 147
12. The divine king and his anointed (Psalm 2:1-12) 159
13. A kingdom to end all kingdoms (Daniel 7:1-28) 173
Part 4: The kingdom of God in the New Testament
14. The coming of the king (Matthew 3:13 – 4:17) 187
15. The shared values of the kingdom (Matthew 5:1-12) 198
16. The timeline of the kingdom (Matthew 13:1-50) 207
17. The execution of the king (Mark 15:16-39) 216
18. The king ascends to his throne (Acts 2:14-41) 229
19. The return of the king (1 Corinthians 15:1-58) 241
20. An unshakeable kingdom (Revelation 21:1 – 22:5) 252
Conclusion 263
Study guide 267
Copyright acknowledgments 278
Over de auteur
Director of Postgraduate Studies, Union Theological College, Belfast. Author of From Paradise to Promised Land, From Eden to the New Jerusalem, The Servant King and Discovering Jesus and Exodus (AOTC). Co-editor of the IVP New Dictionary of Biblical Theology and the IVP Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch.