Kingdom of God, Part 2: The Mediatorial Kingdom in OT History.
length: 65:07 - taught on Sep, 9 2026
Class Outline:
Wednesday September 9, 2026
Big idea: Because the kingdom of God in history reveals that only Christ can create and sustain the kingdom of light and glory, the believer today must not hope in the world’s things, but in his inheritance in Christ.
Intro:
It is God’s will that mankind rules over the earth in a kingdom of men. God set up a real mediatorial kingdom on earth in the Garden of Eden.
After the fall, God later set up a mediatorial kingdom on earth in the nation of Israel.
However, the failure of Israel will not cancel God’s promise that mediatorial kingdom will exist in holy perfection.
Man was made to rule (GEN 1:26-29; PSA 110:2)
Adam (and all his progeny) is in the image of God.
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Why rule his given kingdom? Relationship and empowerment.
Man was to enjoy rule and a kingdom under God and in fellowship with God enjoying the blessings of holiness (material and immaterial).
When Adam fell, he abdicated his stewardship.
But that did not cancel the kingdom, but prompted a better ruler.
The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,
"Rule in the midst of Your enemies."
COL 1:18, He has first place in everything. He is the beloved Son and the firstborn or preeminent one.
The fall to the flood: God allowed conscience to mediate.
The flood to Babel: God allowed human government to mediate.
Amongst the nations, God called out Abraham and made from him His elect nation.
The establishment of the kingdom of God in history (EXO 19:4-6).
The theophany at Sinai is unprecedented.
'You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
Kingdom of priests: intercede for other nations.
God not tribal: “all the earth is Mine” (vs. 5).
Holy: not isolation but separation unto God in heart, mind, and body.
Moses is the mediator but God is the ultimate sovereign:
Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Law was conditional: they could lose their stewardship in the land in history, but never lose the covenant.
The continuance of the kingdom of God.
Joshua and the judges: God rules through His chosen deliverers (not over the whole nation).
Then the Lord raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them.
There was no king: “every did what was right in his own eyes” (JDG 21:25).
Israel requests for a king “like all the nations” (1SA 8:19).
It will not be this way in the true kingdom come.
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' 26 But it is not this way with you,”
Saul is removed - God’s universal kingdom is always in control.
The monarchial form of the kingdom in history (2SA 7:12-16).
"When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 "Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."'"
The eternal kingdom is promised to David’s seed; on earth, unconditional.
David fails but the covenant is not revoked.
Solomon’s temple dedication: glory fills the house (as in Moses’ day; 2CH 7:1-3). Solomon is confirmed, but he will fail.
David and Solomon are the peak of the mediatorial kingdom in history. That shows that even at its best, without Christ, it is not even close.
Decline of the kingdom on earth and the withdrawal of glory.
Division of the kingdom (Solomon’s son: civil war).
Many corrupt kings, some good ones: As goes the mediator so goes the nation.
God’s glory departs silently but in dramatic fashion (Eze 8-11).
EZE 9:3 [God goes to the door]
Then the glory of the God of Israel went up from the cherub on which it had been, to the threshold of the temple.
EZE 10:18-19 [from the door to the East Gate]
Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19 When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord's house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.
EZE 11:23 [from the gate to the mountain - Mt. of Olives]
The glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city.
The mediatorial kingdom on earth ends and history enters the times of the Gentiles.
The times of the Gentiles will run from this fall of Jerusalem (around 605 B.C.) until the second coming of Christ.
they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
And when He comes, guess where His feet land? Mt. of Olives (ZEC 14:4). And in another vision given to the prophet Ezekiel, the glory of the Lord enters the Millennial temple through what gate? East Gate. [Praise the Lord!]
the glory of the Lord filled the house. [now never to leave]
Nothing can stop the fulfilment of this kingdom.
He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die …
What does this all mean for us?
Mankind was meant to rule but he cannot rule by his conscience, by his best efforts at government, nor by any human king no matter how great.
No kingdom on earth since the departure of the Shekinah Glory can be called the kingdom of God on earth.
The church is not a kingdom. It is comprised of people who have been called out for the kingdom come (Jew and Gentile).
The kingdom will come and you possess an inheritance in it (physical and spiritual [from God]).
You will not find ultimate fulfillment and happiness in anything other than Christ.
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