Gospel of the Kingdom

Study written by 3Crosses Church

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5. Share the Gospel + Life Group Discussion Questions

Day 5 • Week 2

Week 2 • Day 1

This week, we have seen how the Bible establishes the foundational elements of the Kingdom of God. As we talk about the creation narrative, we are reminded that God loves us and has always intended for us to exist with Him in His kingdom place under His kingdom rule as part of His growing kingdom family!

As you look to share the gospel of the kingdom from the opening pages of Genesis, be reminded that the starting point of the Bible is this original GOOD vision of the Kingdom of God and not the BAD fall found in Genesis 3. It is true that one might be persuaded by the need for repair in this world (whether personally or globally) but in order to understand the repair, we must first understand the original plans! The Christian worldview not only explains why there are so many things wrong with the world, but it offers a vision of a kingdom paradise that stretches from the beginning to the end!

Share the Gospel Video:

Week 2 Life Group Discussion Questions

At the end of every week, we will be collecting the 2-3 sentences about each entry so that you can be equipped with brief summaries that explain how each text moves the gospel message of God’s kingdom forward! As always, feel free to come up with questions of your own based on your observations and conversations.

Icebreaker: What has been your experience when it comes to Bible study?

What observations / reflections / prayers stood out to you about this week?

The 7 Day Creation Account: Simply by looking at the creation account (God’s rule to create God’s cosmic-temple place over God’s image-bearing people), we discover that God has set the foundational elements of the Kingdom in place!

Question: What stands out to you the most about the creation story in Genesis 1? What is your experience in discussing the 7-Day creation account with other non-believers? What is the general feeling you get when you think about yourself as an Image of God?

Humans and Creation: God’s people bear the image and likeness of God so that we might rule on His behalf and further His kingdom. We accomplish this when we work and keep God’s kingdom place and obediently follow His kingdom rule. As the kingdom inevitably multiplies, our mission is to grow in our love for God and love for others! This is what it means to be human in God’s kingdom!

Question: What are some of the topics that come up when you discuss Genesis 1 and 2 with people outside of the Christian faith that make you hesitant? What stands out to you now about Genesis 1 and 2 when you put on this kingdom lens? Would you say the answer to these two questions relate or contradict in any way?

The Garden of Eden: The Garden of Eden represents God’s unique kingdom place designed to provide the materials necessary for humans to create for the glory of God. The place was designed to extend God’s blessings to all nations! The center of God’s kingdom place is true eternal life and the true knowledge of good and evil and the Bible is all about the Lord establishing His kingdom place of residence with His people wherever they go!

Question: What is the significance that God calls the world that He created good? What would you say is the significance that the Bible starts with paradise in Genesis 1 and 2 rather than the fall of man in Genesis 3?

The Kingdom of Satan: The serpent tempts Eve by undermining God’s rule suggesting that there is something wrong about this arbitrary boundary He placed on the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Next the serpent undermines God’s love for His people suggesting that God is holding out on the good stuff. After Adam and Eve “bend the knee” to the kingdom of the serpent, God’s kingdom place is used to facilitate separation from God rather than His glory.

Question: What would you say Genesis 1-3a is trying to say to us as readers? How important is empathy when sharing the Gospel message? How would you respond to someone with questions about the origins of the serpent?

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4. The Opposing Kingdom

Day 4 • Week 2

Week 2 • Day 4

Because free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or goodness or joy worth having. – C.S. Lewis

Have you ever had a moment where you were so tempted to do something, even though you knew you weren’t supposed to do it? We face tempting situations daily. Some big, some small, but in each moment we make a choice. I can still remember the moment when I was 7 and I had decided to cut my own bangs. When faced with the question, “who cut your bangs?” it was all too tempting to try and blame someone else rather than to take the blame myself. We want to hide in these moments because something in our hearts knows that we are guilty.

Our free-will often gets us in trouble, but it is also our free-will that brings out the beauty in our actions and makes love possible. That free-will, that opportunity to decide for ourselves, allowed humanity to choose a way back in the garden. When we think about the creation story, we must remember that Adam and Eve were not robots or God’s puppets, they had options. And Satan was all too aware of that fact as we dive deeper into the story in Genesis.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. - Genesis 3:1-6

The serpent is clever. He begins by undermining God’s rule. If God’s rule was so good, why does He create this arbitrary boundary on the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Is this commandment really necessary? Next, the serpent undermines whether God actually wants to provide for His people. The serpent suggests that if Adam and Eve were to eat from the tree, they would access a power that would improve their circumstances and become more like God! Can we say then that God provides the best for His people, or is this God holding out on the good stuff?

Some of you may be thinking, “Where did this talking serpent come from?”, “Why did God create the serpent?”, “How can God consider His creation to be ‘good’ if an opposing serpent exists?”, “Did Adam and Eve really have a choice or were they destined to fall?” These questions become a real stumbling block for many people! Some of us might respond by saying that with the free-will to do good, there must also be the potential to do evil and thus the existence of the serpent. Others might say that since God knows all things, He intentionally designed the serpent so that humanity would fall as part of His grand plan. Oddly, the Bible seems okay with the tension that these two positions create in our minds to the extent that we do not blame God for sin.

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. - James 1:13–15.

Regardless of where you land on this philosophical issue, it does not change the fact that Genesis is portraying a grand “moment of truth” for Adam and Eve. And If we are honest with ourselves, all of us have experienced this “moment of truth” in our lives too! We exercise an ability to choose just as the woman saw that the tree truly had good food to offer. The message of Genesis is not primarily about philosophical reasoning, but to depict this shared human experience of temptation!

All things shift after Eve’s decision to eat the fruit and share it with her husband.

the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Here is another feeling that all of us can empathize with: Adam and Eve hid! They hid because of the guilt and shame that had hit them, unknowingly, like a wave. Prior to this scene, Adam and Eve could live peacefully in God’s kingdom place in which they would glorify God by ruling on His behalf. Now, their hearts knew they had used their delegated power to sin going against God’s rule in their lives. Instead of God’s kingdom place facilitating the resources necessary to bring glory to God, God’s kingdom place would be used to hide from Him.

But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Can anyone empathize with the blame game here? Adam blames Eve for partaking of the fruit. Eve blames the serpent for tempting her. I wanted to blame someone else for cutting my bangs. Who or what do you blame for your mistakes? Sin destroys the intended interpersonal garden shalom relationship and introduces hostility and enmity between God’s kingdom family of people.

The kingdom of the serpent was in the way of God’s people loving God fully and loving others harmoniously.

If you are still on edge about the existence of the serpent, perhaps there is a desire in your heart to blame God for evil rather than looking at your own heart and your own decisions? The human experience is that we have all faced this choice, we have all fallen short, and we all carry that responsibility!

Later, in the book of Job, we get another glimpse into the way Satan is at work in people’s lives. He never wants us to follow God. His desire is to destroy God’s work, testing us and trying to pull us away from a relationship with God.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. - Job 1:6-12

The important point to remember in this conversation is that Satan and His kingdom are real regardless of where they came from. When Adam and Eve decided to eat from the tree, the human race gave up their place in the kingdom of God and traded it for an allegiance to the kingdom of the serpent. Satan’s kingdom authority on earth is limited but we’ve all had moments, even as Christians, where Satan works to try to pull us from doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord. This is part of our human experience; an ability to choose our own actions and our own path. That choice is a part of what brings about the daily struggles we face in a fallen world. We have all bowed the knee to the serpent in one way or another.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6:12

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. - 1 Peter 5:8–9

This battle between our loyalties is constantly taking place as we live each day. Will we serve the kingdom of God or the kingdom of the serpent? The reality is, from the beginning of creation, Satan has been hard at work to keep us from God. He is crafty and we often fall prey to his ways. What a harsh blow this moment brings – to go from the perfect place of paradise God created for humanity, to a world marked by the kingdom of the serpent.

How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit. - Isaiah 14:12–15.

For us today, sin is a reality we have inherited from the decisions of Adam and Eve - one that we likely would have made as well. It is a common ground we share with everyone else on earth as we have all felt the pangs of guilt when we submit to the kingdom of the serpent rather than to God’s rule. That guilt is often accompanied by a desire to live for something more. But the story is far from over! There is hope for something more because God always had a plan!

Share the Gospel: The serpent tempts Eve by undermining God’s rule suggesting that there is something wrong about this arbitrary boundary He placed on the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Next the serpent undermines God’s love for His people suggesting that God is holding out on the good stuff. After Adam and Eve “bend the knee” to the kingdom of the serpent, God’s kingdom place is used to facilitate separation from God rather than His glory.

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3. Our Kingdom Paradise (God’s Place)

Day 3 • Week 2

Week 2 • Day 3

"I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it, still you give yourself away. Oh the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God!" - Reckless Love by Cory Asbury

Over the last year, my family has become passionate about planting succulents and cacti. We love to travel up and down the California coast to discover new plant nurseries. Some of these nurseries are absolutely spectacular. They are a multisensory experience. You can see the bright colors, you can smell the fresh air and the fresh dirt, and you can hear fountains running with water. There is something about a garden that feels peaceful; like you don't want to leave.

As the Bible opens in Genesis, we see that all of life on earth begins in a spectacular garden. God created the heavens and the earth as His very own “cosmic-temple”, and then He created the first humans, Adam and Eve to exist in a particular location on the earth. God places Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden that He called Eden.

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. - Genesis 2:8-9

Let’s talk about what this unique kingdom place called Eden was like for Adam and Eve! Imagine a place out of which water - the source of all life - bursts forth endlessly. Imagine a place oozing with natural resources waiting to be tapped into. Imagine a place with a full supply of fresh fruit to be eaten and enjoyed. The Lord had abundantly blessed His people in this kingdom space! At the same time, this garden was not exclusively about material blessings. When you think of the garden, imagine a land where there was peace and harmony between God and His people as they multiplied. Imagine a place where Adam and Eve walked with God together in the garden and spoke to each other freely. Imagine a time where there was no regret, no shame, no mistakes. Imagine a place where God’s blessings flowed to His people and out from His people in abundance!

How amazing is that! To live in this kingdom place of paradise was to live in perfect harmony with God and with each other, with tremendous purpose, and with access to tremendous spiritual and physical blessings.

As we visualize this amazing kingdom place that God has prepared for humanity, let’s take a look at some details we have been given about this Garden paradise!

GOD’S PLACE WAS DESIGNED BY GOD’S RULE

We’ve seen how the Lord uses His mighty and powerful rule to create. Over the course of this week, hopefully you are beginning to see that His creation was aimed at His glory in the heavenly realm as well as His glory in the earthly realm. God would be glorified in the earthly realm via the thriving and enjoyment of the pinnacle of His creation on earth - humans made in the image of God! If Genesis 1 was about establishing the cosmic order to further God’s glory through the mere acts of creation, then Genesis 2 is all about situating the human on the dry land and providing all that he would need to subdue the earth and bring glory to God.

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground...

In the “recipe” of God’s glory on the dry land, there are 4 missing ingredients: no bush, no small plants, no rain, and no man. Out of His love for us and to further His glory, God saw fit to provide everything needed for humanity to thrive!

And the Lord God planted a garden...

And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food...

A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden...

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it... - Genesis 2:5, 8-10, 15

Here’s a question - Why is God so determined to provide for humanity? Why does He need any further glory on earth if He is already the one who is all-glorious? Did He need to create humans to fill a void in His God-ness? The Christian answer to this is emphatically NO! God didn’t need to create anything to complete His glory. With or without creation, God would remain self-sufficient and possess ALL glory! Instead, throughout the creation narrative we discover that God Himself exists in a mysterious relationship. In addition to the Hebrew word for God (elohim) being plural, Genesis already offers hints at this mysterious “us” relationship.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image... - Genesis 1:26

The Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us... - Genesis 3:22

...God is love - 1 John 4:8, 16

Have you ever noticed that human relationships tend to have creative results?

Consider the co-working shalom relationship of Genesis 2 in which God’s image-bearers are called to take care of the garden in harmony. The result of these types of relationships are accomplishments and advancements that could not have otherwise been achieved alone. In a similar “image-like” way, it pleased God to work together within the divine “us” relationship to create the cosmos - a work that remains advanced beyond all human comprehension - and then share His work of creation with humans.

Consider the marriage relationship at the end of Genesis 2 in which God’s image-bearers are designed for intimacy. The result of this kind of relationship is the reproduction of children who bear the image of their parents. In a similar “image-like” way, the result of the overflow of God’s love within Himself (“us”) is the creation of God’s family of people who bear the image of the divine “us” and who are able share in the love of the Heavenly Fatherly! [1]

“It’s the nature of the fullness of the divine love to share itself. That’s just what love is like! This sharing is not the completion of God or the improvement of God... ‘It’s not a sign of a fountains deficiency that it is prone to overflow’” - John Piper (Quoting Jonathan Ewards)

God didn’t need to do any of this, yet creation is simply an overflow of God’s love within the divine “us” that couldn’t help but to be shared! Thus, when human image-bearers partner together in various loving relationships to create and share, humans reflect the divine “us” relationship. And as humans live a life that reflects (or images) the divine “us”, the God of the Hebrew Bible is glorified! God’s kingdom place provides the materials needed for people to create for the glory of God!

...bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” - Isaiah 43:6–7

[1] PLEASE NOTE: This is not to suggest that God experienced sexual relations as we understand it, but it is to say that sexual relations within the context of the marriage relationship is the image communicated to us of a God who creates image-bearers as an overflow of His love.

GOD’S PLACE EXTENDS TO ALL PEOPLE

A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. - Genesis 2:10-14

Yes, God uses this river to provide water and natural resources so that humans within the garden space would create and flourish to the glory of God. However, the fascinating element of this passage is that Eden is not merely an isolated oasis. The body of water is divided into rivers that flow into 4 mysterious places. While the Tigris and Euphrates are well-known locations, the mystery of the Pishon and the Gihon have eluded scholars. This has resulted in many different geographical interpretations. However, as we look for clues within the Bible itself, we discover that each of these names are associated with surrounding kingdoms that would eventually become Israel’s enemies including Israel’s archrival Babylon which lay at the intersection of the Tigris and Euphrates.

The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. - Genesis 10:8–12.

This account of the rivers in Eden would be quite shocking to the Hebrew audience because it is a reminder that beyond their disagreements, even their worst enemies are in fact their brothers and sisters. Not only does God want to provide for His people located this one isolated garden space in Eden, but God’s kingdom place of blessing was meant to extend to all nations.

GOD’S PLACE AND THE DIVISIONS OF 4 AREAS

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. - Genesis 2:8-9

4 missing ingredients, 4 rivers, and now we are given 4 different topographical locations derived from 3 different “in” statements. The first and largest category we are given is “in the east”. This is significant because whenever the eastward direction is mentioned in the scriptures, we are moving further and further away from the center of the Lord’s kingdom place.

Second, we are told that “in the east” lies a place that is “in Eden”. If this were a map of concentric circles, we would see one extra-large circle labeled “east” and within that circle a smaller large-sized circle saying “Eden”. One traditional interpretation of the word Eden suggests a geographical “plain” whereas the other traditional interpretation means “luxury”, “abundance”, or “lushness”.

Third, “in the east” and “in Eden” there is a “garden”. If the “east” is the extra-large circle and “Eden” is the large circle, then the “garden” is the medium circle that lies within them both. As we move closer and closer to the center of this kingdom place, we begin to see the lusciousness of the garden described earlier. Paradise just keeps getting better and better as we inch our way closer to God!

Finally, the fourth and final realm brings us to the inner-most small-sized circle location! This hotspot is where the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are planted. At the center of God’s kingdom space is true eternal life and the true knowledge of good and evil.

Why do all of these concentric circles matter?

When we are introduced to the re-creation of God’s kingdom place throughout the scriptures, we find that the east is ALWAYS in the wrong direction. Then, structures like the tabernacle and the temple call for a 3-fold architecture. There was the large-sized outer courtyard where sacrifices were made on the altar of burnt offering. There was the medium-sized Holy Place which contained garden-like embroidery, the tree-like lampstand, the table of the bread of presence, and the altar of incense. Finally, there was the small-sized Holy Place which held the ark of the covenant guarded by the cherubim woven into the curtain guarding the entrance! In other words, the storyline of the Bible is all about the Lord establishing His kingdom place of residence with His people wherever they go.

Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. - Exodus 26:31–33.

He built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place. - 1 Kings 6:16.

Make a courtyard for the tabernacle.... - Exodus 27:9

The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings. - 1 Kings 8:64.

By looking at the first two chapters of Genesis, here is what we can learn about God’s powerful rule, over His family of people, in His kingdom place.

  • God rules by creating.

  • God’s people are designed to create and contribute to the kingdom on His behalf.

  • God’s kingdom place provided the materials needed for people to create for the glory of God.

  • God rules by forming and filling His creation.

  • God’s people are designed to multiply and love one another.

  • God’s kingdom place was meant to extend God’s blessings to all nations.

  • God delegates His rule to His image-bearers.

  • God’s people are designed to listen and obey the truth of God’s kingdom rule.

  • The center of God’s kingdom place is true eternal life and the true knowledge of good and evil.

  • God rules over all things.

  • God’s people are designed to love God and walk with Him as our Heavenly Father.

  • The Bible is all about the Lord establishing His kingdom place of residence with His people wherever they go.

As we move forward in this series, we will discover the details behind the story of God’s kingdom people in God’s kingdom place under God’s kingdom rule woven all throughout the story of the Bible. In fact, the story of the Bible begins in this garden space, and moves through the grand narrative of the Bible. The story then moves to you and to me, to our neighbors and co-workers. Ultimately, the story of the Bible ends in the same garden space that has become a city in which God Himself dwells!

You might be thinking all of this talk about paradise sounds so nice! Where is this experience in my life today? In order to truly grasp the story of how God brings us into His unique kingdom place designed especially for us, we must first learn about the existence of another kingdom that opposes God’s rule; the kingdom of Satan.

Share the Gospel: The Garden of Eden represents God’s unique kingdom place designed to provide the materials necessary for humans to create for the glory of God. The place was designed to extend God’s blessings to all nations! The center of God’s kingdom place is true eternal life and the true knowledge of good and evil and the Bible is all about the Lord establishing His kingdom place of residence with His people wherever they go!

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2. Our Heavenly Father (God’s People)

Day 2 • Week 2

Week 2 • Day 2

The day my first born came into the world was one of the most surreal moments of my life. Holding him for the first time was unbelievable. I kept going over and over in my head “This is my son. My own flesh and blood. He looks like me, smiles like me, and even cries like me.”

This is the same way our Heavenly Father, who made us in His image and His likeness, sees us in His Kingdom family of people!

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:26-28

Yesterday, we zoomed in on the specific passages above which reveal God’s desire to craft His kingdom place in such a way that His “image-bearers” would thrive. Quite shockingly, God’s sovereign and wise plan was to delegate His dominion and allow His people to rule the earthly realm on His behalf. Today, we ask the question: what does it look like for humans to rule on God’s behalf as God’s kingdom family of people? The answer to this can be seen in what God’s people actually are called to accomplish in His kingdom space and how His people respond to His kingdom rule.

GOD’S PEOPLE STEWARD GOD’S SPACE FRUITFULLY

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed...The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. - Genesis 2:5-8, 15

Prior to the birth of my son there was a nesting process. It was so fun to see my wife and I embrace the excitement of having a baby. Painting the room, decorating, organizing, setting up the crib, and anticipating the time when our newborn was going to come home. What a moment it was as we brought our son home into his room and into our lives for the first time.

I imagine Genesis 2 is painting the exact same picture of a Heavenly Father who loves His newly created image-bearers and welcomes them into their “room” for the first time. My wife and I set up our son’s room in a way that was organized, decorated, and full of toy trucks so that one day he would be inspired to use that space to be organized, creative, and imaginative himself. In the same way, this garden space was organized, decorated, beautifully designed, and filled with natural resources so that humanity would be inspired to till, mine, hunt, harness, harvest, create, organize, and rearrange this space so that they could flourish.

As I joyfully watch my son grow and develop in the home we have created for Him, I imagine our Heavenly Father receiving the same immense joy as He watches His people “work and keep” His kingdom space on His behalf! Today, a similar thing can be said about all people since everyone bear’s the image of God. At our core, working the earth to bring a better tomorrow for all humans everywhere brings joy to God and instills deep purpose in humanity. Whether you are a humble janitor or inventing the latest technology, it is a blessing when humanity stewards God’s place well with the breath of life He has given us. God’s people are designed to create and contribute to the kingdom on His behalf.

“The pattern of all work...is creative and assertive. It is rearranging the raw material of God’s creation in such a way that it helps the world in general, and people in particular, thrive and flourish” - Tim Keller

GOD’S PEOPLE SUBDUE ACCORDING TO GOD’S RULE

Genesis 2:16-19 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Home at last! The moment we brought our son home a new life began! Feeding, cleaning, changing diapers, and minimal sleep was not necessarily what we wanted to do, but the sacrifice was all worth it. We were willing to do whatever it took to raise our child and give him the best opportunity to thrive.

This included setting boundaries so that our son wouldn’t touch the stove and burn his finger or fall down several flights of stairs.

While our King blesses us immensely by delegating His rule to us, He also sets up boundaries so that we might flourish in His kingdom! Soon, we will read about whether or not the first humans decide to “touch the stove” and “fall down the flight of stairs”. In the meantime, Genesis reveals that this “very good” world included healthy boundaries that needed to be observed. God’s people are designed to listen and obey the truth of God’s kingdom rule.

Many see these boundaries as God restricting His people from receiving EVERYTHING He has to offer. In our culture that places a premium of freedom, a God with boundaries does not seem very freeing. However, I personally couldn’t imagine letting my newborn son do whatever he wanted without any boundaries. Could you imagine what life would be like if there were no rules or laws? If you think you would be better off, consider what a lawless society would do around you? We all know intuitively that there are certain boundaries that exist for our benefit. Yet sometimes, we balk at God’s instruction to not eat of this particular tree because it feels like God is holding out on us. This attitude of doubt sets the stage for whether or not Adam and Eve, our human parents, would trust in God’s rule or whether they would go their own way.

“Freedom is not so much the absence of restrictions as finding the right ones, those that fit with the realities of our own nature and those of the world.” - Tim Keller

GOD’S PEOPLE FILL GOD’S SPACE BY MULTIPLYING

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”...So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. - Genesis 2:18, 21-25.

Throughout this entry, I have been referencing the arrival of my firstborn. I don’t think I have to go into detail about how my wife and I “created” our firstborn. Yet it is significant that there was one thing that God saw was “not good” in His creation. Man was alone. This can definitely be interpreted as a relational statement, but it is more likely that the weight of interpretation falls on the one command of God that Adam could not accomplish by himself - that is to multiply. He needed someone to “help” him! Therefore, the man and the woman (both equal together as image-bearers of God) were created to accomplish the purpose of multiplication together (both given distinct roles in this process).

So often, modern art depicts the Garden of Eden as a place of paradise in which Adam and Eve are all alone. Have you ever thought what it would look like if these works of art depicted a Garden of Eden in which Adam and Eve did in fact obey God and multiplied? The garden may have started with Adam and Eve, but from the beginning God created this ideal Edenic garden place to spread as humanity innevitably multiplied. The result should be a work of art that depicts the garden as a kingdom in which God’s people who bear His image fill the earth as they co-exist, co-labor, and co-operate in shalom (Hebrew word for “Harmony” or “Peace”). God’s kingdom people were called to multiply and love one another.

GOD’S PEOPLE EXPERIENCE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

It would have been child abuse if we brought our firstborn son to his room, closed the door, and said, “Good luck! You are on your own now!” There is no way our son would have survived. Instead, my wife and I love our child so much that we wanted to be there to provide for his every need and walk with him to celebrate his milestone moments, even if it meant waking up early in the morning!

In the same way, God designed His people to not only bear His image, but to be in close relationship with Him as our Heavenly Father. Let’s pause to reflect on the different ways we see God closely interacting with Adam and Eve!

And God blessed them. And God said to them... - Genesis 1:28.

...then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. - Genesis 2:7.

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden... - Genesis 2:15. And the Lord God commanded the man... - Genesis 2:16

Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. - Genesis 2:19

So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man... - Genesis 2:21

And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. - Genesis 2:22

What is remarkable is that God could have easily been in the heavens doing whatever He pleased. Instead, He uses His rule to create the world, He creates the male and the female, He gives them a kingdom purpose to work and keep the garden, obey him, to spread out across all of creation, and to cooperate in harmony. On top of all of this, He chooses to closely interact with Adam and Eve in relationship with them! God’s people are designed to love God and walk with Him as our Heavenly Father.

Throughout today’s entry, there have been statements highlighted in bold font. In no particular order, we will now combine these statements with the section titles given yesterday to keep track of what we are learning about God’s kingdom! Take some time to reflect on any patterns that you begin to notice:

  • God rules by creating.
    God’s people are designed to create and contribute to the kingdom on His behalf.

  • God rules by forming and filling His creation.
    God’s people are designed to multiply and love one another.

  • God delegates His rule to His image-bearers.
    God’s people are designed to listen and obey the truth of God’s kingdom rule.

  • God rules over all things.
    God’s people are designed to love God and walk with Him as our Heavenly Father.

God’s people bear the image and likeness of God so that we might rule on His behalf and further His kingdom. We accomplish this when we work and keep God’s kingdom place and obediently follow His kingdom rule. As the kingdom inevitably multiplies, our mission is to grow in our love for God and love for others! This is what it means to be human in God’s kingdom!

Share the Gospel: God’s people bear the image and likeness of God so that we might rule on His behalf and further His kingdom. We accomplish this when we work and keep God’s kingdom place and obediently follow His kingdom rule. As the kingdom inevitably multiplies, our mission is to grow in our love for God and love for others! This is what it means to be human in God’s kingdom!

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1. The Cosmic Kingdom (God’s Rule)

Day 1 • Week 2

Week 2 • Day 1

Throughout this series, we are defining the word “kingdom” as God’s powerful rule, in God’s place of blessing, over God’s family of people. Our goal is to highlight this 3-fold definition throughout the scriptures in order to (1) explain why Jesus was sent to proclaim The Gospel of the Kingdom and (2) discover our kingdom purpose.

Let’s practice searching for our 3-fold kingdom definition in the scriptures by starting from the beginning and looking through the lens of God’s rule!

GOD RULES BY CREATING

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void (“empty” NRSV), and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. - Genesis 1:1–2.

Right from the start, the Hebrew Bible offers its readers a vision of God and creation that subverts all other ancient thought. Thousands of years ago, the prevailing worldview was that creation was either eternally existent or the byproduct of warring gods. However, the opening passages of scripture do not say, “In the beginning, the heavens and the earth existed,“ or, “In the beginning, the gods were waging war.”

Instead, the Bible simply states that, “In the beginning, God...” In the beginning, God was in complete control and had the power to do as He pleased. In the beginning, God ruled!

Verse 2 goes on to say that, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” It might be tempting to ask the typical modern questions here. Where did this darkness come from? How did the waters get there? Were these entities pre-existent and eternal? However, this passage becomes particularly insightful when you set the creation account of Genesis against the creation accounts of the Ancient Near Eastern civilizations. According to the Babylonian and Egyptian creation accounts, the world as we know it emerged from the raging waters and the dark abyss.

These entities symbolized chaos and disorder. While this imagery about the waters and the darkness carries over into Genesis, the Bible tells us that the Spirit of the King of Kings was “hovering” over these bodies of “chaos waters” and darkness.

The larger point is that, in the beginning, God ruled! His Spirit hovered over the chaos of the darkness and waters only to rearrange them in an orderly and beautiful way! Simply by looking at the first two verses, the scriptures are already exclaiming that the God of the Hebrew Bible powerfully rules over all things. Now, let’s see how God uses His powerful rule to create God’s kingdom place of blessing.

GOD RULES BY FORMING HIS KINGDOM PLACE

It’s incredible! God’s rule is so powerful, that creation emerges at the mere sound of His voice! The God of the Bible uses His incredibly powerful rule to take the formless chaos of the world and create an orderly place.

Day 1: And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light....God separated the light from the darkness.

On day 1 God creates the light by separating it from the darkness. You might be tempted to think of more modern conversations about the material photons that are cast out by the Sun that hit the eye and give humanity the perception of light. However, isn’t it interesting that the Sun will not be created until Day 4? Where is the light coming from if there is no burning ball of gas in the sky producing these photons? Instead, the Genesis account of creation is communicating that the God of the universe is wielding His ruling power to organize this formless and empty place called the earth. He begins by separating the light from the chaotic darkness and embeds the earth with the function of time!

Day 2: And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse.

On day 2 God separates the waters in the expanse of the sky with the waters below. Again, you might be tempted to speculate over the scientific explanations behind this expanse above and the waters below. Instead, the original audience would have recognized that the God of the universe continues to organize this formless and empty world by embedding it with the function of climate and the ability to produce fresh water; two features of God’s place that are crucial for survival and were said to be controlled by other lesser gods in the Ancient Near East.

Day 3 (Act 1): And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas.

Day 3 (Act 2): And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.

Finally, on day 3 God gathered the waters so that dry land might emerge and bring forth vegetation. Have you ever noticed that nothing material was ever created on this day (just “gathered” and “separated”)? This observation affirms that our focus ought to be on God creating this functional place called earth over and above the search for precise scientific explanations behind the material He is creating!

Do you see where this is all headed? Time! Climate! Freshwater! Land! Vegetation! It seems like the God of the Bible saw fit to use His all-encompassing powerful rule to prepare an extraordinary place of tremendous blessings! The question that remains is for whom?

GOD RULES BY FILLING HIS KINGDOM PLACE

If the earth started off as a formless place, then days 1-3 show how God formed the world and prepared it for functionality (time, climate, freshwater, land, vegetation). In the same way, recall the opening passage of Genesis suggests that the earth was also void or an “empty” place. Sure enough, God’s creative works on days 4, 5, and 6 precisely fill the void realms created on days 1, 2, and 3.

Day 4: And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.

On day 4 God creates the sun moon and stars to fill the realm created on day 1. Yet here is the fascinating thing - God delegates His powerful rule to the Sun and the Moon and the stars! Why wouldn’t an all powerful God choose to retain His power? Doesn’t He run the risk of created entities abusing this delegated rule? Nonetheless, the King of Kings saw fit to commission these created entities to rule over the day and the night in order to govern time in the heavenly sky realm on His behalf.

Day 5: And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

Day 6 (Act 1): And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Next, on day 5 God creates the birds of the air and the fish of the sea to fill the expanse and the waters created on day 2. Similarly, on day 6, God creates living creatures to fill the land separated from the waters on day 3.

If you are paying close attention, here is a question you might be asking? If the sun, moon, and stars were commissioned to rule over the heavenly realm, who would be commissioned to rule over the earthly realm including the birds of the air, fish of the sea, and the creatures on the dry land?

This brings us to the creation of the human!

GOD DELEGATES HIS RULE TO HIS KINGDOM PEOPLE

We’ve seen how God’s rule was used to form and fill God’s space. Now we discover that God’s space was designed so that God’s family of people - otherwise known as His “image-bearers” - would flourish!

Day 6 (Act 2): Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” - Genesis 1:26-28

As opposed to Babylonian and Egyptian traditions, no longer was the king the sole “image-bearer” of God and no longer was humanity consigned to menial labor to appease the pantheon of ancient gods. Instead, all of us, by virtue of being human, have been endowed with tremendous dignity, worth, and honor because God has delegated His rule to us over the earthly realm.

Tomorrow, we will unpack what it means for humans to rule on God’s behalf and the special relationship that God has with His “image-bearers”, but for now let’s finish the creation account by advancing to the 7th day!

GOD RULES OVER ALL THINGS

Day 7: Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

In ancient literature, the imagery of a resting deity was often used to communicate the inauguration of a god inside of his temple. In the same way, the significance of the 7th day - 7 being derived from the same Hebrew root word for “complete” - is a Biblical rhythm that is repeated surrounding the inauguration of the tabernacle and the temple.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. - Exodus 20:8–10.

And you shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for it will take seven days to ordain you. As has been done today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night for seven days, performing what the Lord has charged, so that you do not die, for so I have been commanded.” - Leviticus 8:33–35.

And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it [temple]. - 1 Kings 6:38.

If this imagery is true, then God resting on the 7th day is another way of saying that God had “completed” the work of creation and has now taken His rightful throne to govern over His newly inaugurated kingdom! In this “cosmic temple”, God is enthroned over the entire universe with a special emphasis on the earth; the place in which His image-bearers rule over His creation on His behalf!

As you will continue to see throughout this series, all of these kingdom themes are closely intertwined! That is because from the very beginning, God has always had a kingdom in mind! Simply by looking at the creation account (God’s rule to create God’s cosmic-temple place over God’s image-bearing people), we discover that God has set the foundational elements of the Kingdom in place!

Share the Gospel: Simply by looking at the creation account (God’s rule to create God’s cosmic-temple place over God’s image-bearing people), we discover that God has set the foundational elements of the Kingdom in place!

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Checkpoint #1

Checkpoint #1

Kingdom Definition

I still remember one of the songs we used to sing in kid’s church growing up--”King of Kings and Lord of Lords; Glory..clap..hallelujah!” This was one of those songs that would go faster and faster until we kids would fall in a heap, giggling and laughing at how silly it all was. Looking back, I took two things away from those kinds of songs...(1) it should be FUN to be in church and (2) sometimes we don’t pay attention to the words; only to the fun.

I wonder if that’s true of us as adults today--will we be able to set aside our cravings for carefree recreation and FUN to invest our attention to the words being used in the scriptures?

This week, and indeed all season, we are going to be digging into some WORDS. That means some specific words (like kingdom), some sections of Scripture (sampling from the whole of the Bible), and some words here on the pages of our readers.

I do hope our words help illuminate the Word, and this word “Kingdom” might need some unpacking. After some meditation, I realized that we’re using that term here in basically the same way that the children's song above does--to show that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That means He is at the seat of highest power, He rules, He reigns, He is the authority, and He is worthy of glory and worship. Over the course of the series, we will see that Jesus was still King even when Moses was wandering, nation-less, in the wilderness. He was still King even when David sat on the throne of Israel. And Jesus is still King today!

I love Jesus’ Kingship because he treats his Kingdom people like a family. We’re not enslaved subjects forced to do his bidding and finish His tasks, nor are we governed unfairly from a distance without our problems being deeply known and felt. Instead, we are co-heirs! Look at how God explains this to Abraham, the very first time the seeds of Kingdom were planted:

Genesis 12:1-3 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Here, the word we translate “nation” and the word we translate “family” are almost two sides of the same coin: God promises to build a nation of people centered around a familial relationship with Him, where He serves as ruler and king. That is why for Abraham, a relationship with God meant having faith in Him to start this family of people.

For Moses, however, a relationship with God meant trusting Him to liberate His family from slavery in Egypt and bring them back to a particular place. The importance of a “promised land” may seem like a foreign concept to us today. However, possessing a “garden-like”plot of land rich with natural resources and strategically positioned for militaristic survival would have been the difference between life and death for ancient Israel. That is why in Moses’ time, it was difficult to see God as king when the Hebrews were enslaved in a foreign place and Pharaoh was the one on the physical throne. Yet on his throne, God sets in motion a series of events to set his people free and establish them in His place!

Exodus 19:5-6 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Here, God introduces the language of the kingdom! He’s talking about His rule in a place of blessing over His family of people for whom relationship with God is at the center.

This is how we will define the word “kingdom” in this series (in no particular order): God’s Powerful rule, over God’s family of People, in God’s Place of blessing. [1]

One of the questions we will ask in this series is why build a kingdom in the first place? The short answer is that every king has a purpose for His kingdom! Did you notice that there is a movement from relationship with God for one’s own sake to that of a mission in the world? The purpose of God’s kingdom is that through Abraham’s nation, all the families of the earth will be blessed. Through the imagery of the priesthood, one is commissioned to take the knowledge and blessings of God and spread it to all the world. This is why we see the kingdom's purpose in Acts 1:8 encompassing not only Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, those lands that the nation-state of Israel sat on, but also the ends of the earth!

This series is all about discovering your Kingdom Purpose!

Ask yourself: How can you take this definition of Kingdom (God’s powerful rule, in God’s place, over God’s family of people) and help make that true of your world today?

How can you make God’s place every place?
How can you make God’s family of people all people?
How can you surrender everything to God’s powerful rule?
How can you bring His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven?

In part, that’s up to us! Our priestly purpose is to be His ambassadors, called to live out a changed life and bring His peace and His presence here.

Where we are, God’s people are.
Where we are, God’s place is!
Where we are, God’s rule should be!

How can you be an ambassador for Him this week? Can you move into a space where God and His mercy is needed? Can you speak into the lives of people where God and His peace is needed? Can you submit to the rule of Jesus in your own life?

What is He calling you to do to bring His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven? May you do whatever that is with boldness and grace throughout this upcoming series!

[1] Patrick Schreiner, The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross, Short Studies in Biblical Theology (Wheaton: Crossway, 2018), 18-20,

Project Assignment

Choose an Old Testament book to read through its entirety.

Our encouragement is to pick an Old Testament book that remains unfamiliar to you. If you are eager and want to do something challenging, you can pick the Psalms! If you are in a busy season and need something short, Haggai or Obadiah are great options for you!

When you have selected an Old Testament book, do your best to read it through the lens of our 3-fold Kingdom Definition.

How does the book contribute to the story of God’s People?
How does the book contribute to the story of God’s Place?
How does the book contribute to the story of God’s Powerful Rule?

Then, when we get to the New Testament, have each person briefly share their findings based on the following 5 questions.

  1. How did the book contribute to the Kingdom of God story?

  2. What excited/challenged you the most as you were reading the book?

  3. In what ways did you feel like the book was pointing you to Jesus?

  4. What are some ways the book might speak to the members of your group?

  5. What questions do you still have about the book?

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