The term ‘kingdom’ in both Old and New Testaments implies sovereign rule, reign, or dominion over a people by a single monarch, i.e. a king.
In the prophecy of Daniel the rise and fall of various world kingdoms is described. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which troubled him but he wouldn’t reveal the dream to his magicians, astrologers, or sorcerers. His thinking was that if he revealed his dream they would devise their private interpretation just to pacify him.
The young Hebrew lad Daniel, however, not only revealed the dream but also interpreted it for the king. The dream described the rise of the Babylonian kingdom and the other world kingdoms that would follow through the ages. The dream ended with the total destruction of these kingdoms and the inauguration of God’s Kingdom.
“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed…it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever…The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” Daniel 2:44-45
Several centuries earlier the prophet Isaiah had announced the King who would fulfill Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder… upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever…” Isaiah 9:6-7
During the early days of His earthly ministry Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God’s kingdom would come to earth in due time.
“In this manner, therefore, pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’” Matthew 6:9-10
However, the Jews thought that He would establish His prophesied kingdom while He was presently on earth. They didn’t realize that the ‘kingdom’ over which Christ would reign would be a Spiritual kingdom to begin with, but would become physical and visible at a later time. The kingdom that Jesus ushered in during His lifetime is referred to in the Bible as the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of God.
“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He…said, ‘the kingdom of God does not come with observation…For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’” Luke 17:20-21
When Pilate interrogated Jesus as to whether He was King of the Jews Jesus did in fact acknowledge that He was a King but He further stated that His kingdom was presently not of this world.
“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world… now My kingdom is not from here’. Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world…’” John 18:36-37
He was subsequently rejected by the Jewish leaders and crucified. Peter described Jesus as the ‘Rock’ and he described his followers as living stones in a spiritual house.
“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house…” 1 Peter 2:4-5
Peter’s statement exemplified a statement Jesus made to Peter in the gospel records.
“And I also say to you that you are Peter (Petros, a small stone) and on this rock (Petra, immovable boulder) I will build My church…” Matthew 16:18
At the return of Christ to end the great tribulation, the kingdoms of the world will be defeated by Christ and His physical kingdom will be established to fulfill Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Isaiah’s prophecy.
The Apostle John vividly describes the scene in the final book of the Bible.
“Then the seventh angel sounded…saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” Revelation 11:15
Recall Daniel’s words spoken 600 year before the birth of Christ, i.e. ‘the dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.’