Kingdoms and Dominions To Come

I’ve written about King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s interpretation. Later Daniel himself had an awe-inspiring dream that made him tremble. In Chapter 7: 1-8 he tells of seeing four beasts rise up out of the sea, corresponding to the four kingdoms Nebuchadnezzar had seen in his dream, but Daniel was given more details about the last kingdom upon the earth, which was again represented by iron.
“…the fourth beast…was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet.” — Dan 7:19

As in the king’s dream, Daniel saw how this kingdom would be subdued by the coming of the Messiah and the kingdom of God would be established.
“And the kingdom and dominion…shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” — Dan 7:10

Zechariah also saw the King’s arrival and the kingdom established:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
…and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. — Zechariah 9: 9-10.

When Jesus made his entry into Jerusalem, riding on an ass’s colt, people remembered this prophecy.

Isaiah’s prediction is similar:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” — Isaiah 9: 6-7

It seems clear from these and other prophecies that when Jesus came, his kingdom would be established. He would sit on the throne of David. Literally or figuratively; that is the question that’s fueled so much debate.

However, while we’ve all been waiting for Jesus’ return, various theories and divisions have arisen as to what the prophecies mean. Will he come back once? Twice? Once secretly, and then again openly, as some claim? Or even three times? When, and where, shall his Kingdom be established. When does “Forever” start?

Back in the day when we really got into prophecies, we noted three things as we read and studied the matter:
1. Each teacher tells you it’s fairly easy to understand from the Bible how the future will play out.
2. It’s hard to find two teachers who totally agree on how the prophecies will be fulfilled, and how future events will play out.
3. Many books have been written and events predicted, but they have been proven wrong. Things just haven’t happened that way, so various prophets have had to rethink and rewrite.

I plan to get into these differences in later posts, but Christians are all agreed on one thing: Jesus will return someday.

One thing that is clear from various scriptures is that when Jesus returns, everyone will know it.
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” — Revelation 1:7

And that someday time for this earth will be over. The great Judgment day that Daniel foresaw will begin.
“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.” — Rev 10: 5-6:

So the Apostle Peter counsels all believers to be prepared:

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of person ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the element shall melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. — 2 Peter 3: 10-13