5 Minute Lessons on the Kingdom of God
The Words of the Prophets
Acts 15:15
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"6For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6‑7 NIV)

"14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

700 years before Jesus Christ was born, the Prophet Isaiah prophesied to Israel that a child would be born and a Son would rule (a government) that would never end. This would be a heavenly government, whose King would have royal and divine titles. This leader would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. His expanding peaceful government would not only be a thousand year rule, but it would never come to an end (Daniel 2:44). His rule would be forever with fairness and justice and his ancestry would be from one of Israel's greatest kings, King David. The Lord Almighty Himself will guarantee all of this.

The Lord will give Israel a sign that this is about to happen. Are you looking for the sign, Israel? This sign could only happen as a miracle from Jehovah Himself. Something would happen that had never happened before, nor will it ever happen again. A virgin, who had never known a man (Luke 1:34), will conceive a child by the Holy Ghost, by God Himself.
"20.....an angel of the Lord appeared to him (Joseph) in a dream and said, 'Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. For it is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived. 21She will have a son, and you will name him Jesus — because he will save his people from their sins."
22Now all this happened in order to make come true what the Lord had said through the prophet (Isaiah 7:14), 23'A virgin will become pregnant and have a son, and he will be called Immanuel' (which means, 'God is with us').
24So when Joseph woke up, he married Mary, as the angel of the Lord had told him to. 25But he had no sexual relations with her before she gave birth to her son. And Joseph named him Jesus." (Matthew 1:20‑25 Good News Translation)

The name "Jesus" means "Jehovah saves." The name "Immanuel" means "God is with us."

The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, that Jehovah was in Christ bringing reconciliation to the world by not holding people's sins against them. This is a wonderful message referred to as the "gospel" (good news). Jesus Christ the Messiah came pleading to his people, "Repent, accept God's rule, be reconciled to Him."
"21For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT)

I am going ahead of myself by bringing an understanding to the Kingdom message that was not known at that time, but was in the progression of being revealed. Jesus said, after his death and resurrection,
"...'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.'
45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, 'This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'" (Luke 24:44‑47 NIV)

On the Apostle Paul's 2nd missionary journey with his friend Silas, the city officials of Thessalonica began shouting,
"...'These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.' 8When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil." (Acts 17:6‑8 NIV)

Yes, Jesus has come to establish His Kingdom (Acts 1:6), to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), to save the lost (Luke 19:10), to set the captives free (John 8:36), to call people unto Himself (John 6:37), to save people from perishing (John 3:16), to bring immortality through His gospel (2 Timothy 1:10), to receive a bride unto Himself (Revelation 21:9), and to set His love upon you forever (Romans 8:38‑39).

Will you say, "Yes!" to His invitation of love and acceptance?
Questions
  1. The child born to Mary would have a Kingdom (a government on his shoulders). What would His titles as a leader be?
    Answer
  2. What was the sign given to Israel of the coming of the Messiah?
    Answer
  3. Jesus will be called "Immanuel," which means God is with us.
    Answer
  4. What was Jesus' mission on this earth?
    Answer
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