The kingdom of God is this world as God created it to be, with all it’s beauty and order and purpose. In the beginning, God entrusted this world to humans, His appointed rulers (kings and queens, princes and princesses). The bible begins with this picture of the kingdom of God, of humans male and female ruling over and caring for God’s creation garden, loving and serving God’s creation family. Life in this world – all that we do in it – is life in the kingdom of God – eating, conversing, creating, working, dancing, copulating, dreaming, socializing, sleeping, drinking! We live this life under God, with God, like God, for God, for this is ‘eternal life’ we were created to enjoy.
Through sin, humans have diverted their hearts from God to Satan, and the kingdom of God has become a dominion of darkness. Humans have lost their place, and Satan has taken charge as the prince of this world – the role that humans were to have. But the good news is that God has come to us in Jesus, the perfect Adam, to live life under God, with God, like God, for God. By His death He has covered for our sin, by His resurrection He has defeated Satan, by His ascension He has reclaimed the throne… for humanity. In Christ, this world is once again the kingdom of God, and we are called to live our lives – in all that we do – in Him, with Him, like Him, for Him!
Right here, right now, wherever I am, whatever I do – this is the kingdom of God. With Jesus, I am ruling over and caring for God’s creation garden, loving and serving God’s creation family. Today I must choose how I will live, whom I will serve – the kingdom of God or the dominion of darkness?