Interpreting Prophecy Today, Part 2: The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament

By John F. Walvoord

[John F. Walvoord, President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary]

The masterful chapter on “The Kingdom Concept in the Old Testament” by J. Dwight Pentecost in his work, Things to Come,[1] sets forth in a comprehensive way the doctrine of the kingdom of God in the Old Testament. Unfortunately, in spite of the comprehensive presentation in this chapter, as well as numerous other books that set forth the doctrine of the kingdom in the Old Testament, amillenarians have repeatedly stated that the Bible nowhere teaches a future kingdom on earth.[2] Rather than leave such statements unchallenged, it seems best to review briefly the specific contribution of the Old Testament to the premillennial interpretation of a future kingdom on earth.

The problem is by no means simplistic. Many varying definitions of the kingdom of God are given. As Pentecost states, “Through this maze of interpretations it is almost impossible to make one’s way.”[3]

Pentecost divides these confusing aspects of the kingdom of God into two categories, the eternal kingdom and the theocratic kingdom.[4] As Pentecost and others have noted, the theme of the theocratic kingdom can be traced from the Garden of Eden through the period of human government initiated by Noah, the period of the patriarchs initiated by Abraham, the kingdom under the judges, the kingdom under the kings, and finally the kingdom under the prophets.[5] Although interpretations of these aspects of the kingdom of God vary in differing systems of eschatology, the primary problem of interpretation is found in the theocratic kingdom under the prophets. Usually it is conceded that the kingdom was in theocratic form in Israel under Saul, David, Solomon, and their successors. The question remains whether there is a future form of the kingdom that will also be theocratic, political, and on earth. This is the point of tension between premillennial and amillennial interpretation. Obviously for an amillenarian to say summarily that no verse in the Bible teaches a future earthly kingdom is a dogmatic statement that needs to be examined. The purpose of this discussion is to refer primarily to what the Scriptures actually state and then raise the question as to the proper interpretation of these passages.

The Prophecies of Isaiah

As a casual reading of the Book of Isaiah demonstrates, the prophet Isaiah speaks repeatedly on the subject of a future earthly kingdom. In his book he predicts a future kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital and involving the tribe of Judah.

In the last days, the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways, and that we may walk in His paths. For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, and will render decisions for many peoples, and they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (Isa 2:2–4, NASB).

This prophecy has had no literal fulfillment in the past, but a future kingdom on earth could fulfill precisely these predictions of Isaiah.

One of the better known of Isaiah’s pronouncements concerning the future kingdom is his prediction of Christ’s birth.

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this (9:6–7).

Again this passage refers to an earthly government. The child will be born on earth; the throne will be that of David; rule will be characterized by justice and righteousness; and it will be accomplished by the power of God rather than the power of men. His birth has been fulfilled, but the establishment of His earthly government has not.

One of the most extensive passages by Isaiah refers to Christ’s coming and the characteristics of His reign on the earth:

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, and He will not judge by what His eyes see, nor make a decision by what His ears hear; but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, and faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze; their young will lie down together; and the lion will eat straw like the ox. And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (11:1–9).

These characteristics of Christ’s reign obviously refer to earth. The righteousness of His rule, the destruction of the wicked, the accompanying tranquility in nature does not correspond to anything in history nor anything in the future in heaven, but refers to the earth. Verse 9 refers to “My holy mountain” and “the earth” being “full of the knowledge of the LORD.” To these prophecies Isaiah adds the graphic picture of judgment on earth in chapter 24 in connection with His earthly reign, He concludes, “Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His elders” (24:23).

To this Isaiah adds another point in Isaiah 32:1, “Behold a king will reign righteously, and princes will rule justly.” And in 33:20, he describes Zion: “Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts, your eyes shall see Jerusalem an undisturbed habitation, a tent which shall not be folded, its stakes shall never be pulled up nor any of its cords be torn apart.” Again, this prophecy has never been fulfilled in any way in the past; thus it requires a future fulfillment.

All of Isaiah 35 is in poetic form expressing in detail the wonders of the future kingdom on earth.

In Isaiah 40:1–5, a frequently quoted passage, the earth is described as receiving her king, and Jerusalem is pictured as completely restored spiritually when all men will see the glory of the Lord revealed.

Comfort, O comfort My people, says your God. Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. A voice is calling, Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Isaiah 42 gives a dramatic picture of the justice and reign of Christ on earth. Reference is made to the future time when the Messiah King will have “established justice in the earth” (Isa 42:4).

The beauty of the reign of the Lord in Jerusalem is described in Isaiah 52:7–10. In chapter 60 is revealed the mingled picture of the glory of the Lord in the millennial kingdom and its later display in the eternal new earth. This does not justify confusing the millennial earth with the eternal new earth any more than the mingled prophecies of His first and second coming (e.g., 9:6–7; 61:1–2) make them the same event.

The rebuilding of Israel and Zion is described in Isaiah 61:4–7.

Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. But you will be called the priests of the LORD; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.

In Isaiah 65, another mingled picture of the millennial earth and the new heaven and new earth is presented.

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing, and her people for gladness. I will also rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in My people; and there will no longer be heard in her the voice of weeping and the sound of crying. No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days; for the youth will die at the age of one hundred and the one who does not reach the age of one hundred shall be thought accursed. And they shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build, and another inhabit, they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My chosen ones shall wear out the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD, and their descendants with them. It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain, says the LORD (65:17–25).

This passage is most interesting because it combines the hope of the millennium and the hope of the eternal earth. But the two are distinct. In the millennial earth there will be death and birth, the building of houses and the planting of vineyards. The peaceful coexistence of animals is also described—a situation foreign to the new earth in eternity. The millennium will serve as an introduction to the eternal state when the new heavens and the new earth will be brought into being. The passage clearly teaches primarily about the earth and its functions in the earthly reign of Christ.

To these prophecies, other prophets add their voice.

The Prophecies of Jeremiah

Jeremiah, who lived before and at the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity, also prophesied of Israel’s restoration. Not only did he predict the end of the Babylonian Captivity after 70 years (Jer 29:10), but he also anticipated the future complete restoration of Israel.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, “The LORD our righteousness.” Therefore behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they will no longer say, “As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,” but, “As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.” Then they will live on their own soil (Jer 23:5–8).

It should be noted that this prophecy will be fulfilled by the regathering of Israel to her ancient land, the establishment of justice and righteousness in the land by the same Lord who had brought the children of Israel from the land of Egypt years before. The passage concludes decisively, “Then they will live on their own soil” (23:8). Obviously this cannot refer to the new heavens nor the new earth.

Jeremiah also speaks in eloquent language concerning Israel’s future time of trouble preceding the earthly kingdom and her deliverance from that time of trouble by the Lord who will reign over them.

Now these are the words which the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah, For thus says the LORD, I have heard a sound of terror, of dread, and there is no peace. Ask now, and see, if a male can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale? Alas! for that day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved from it. And it shall come about on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off their neck, and will tear off their bonds; and strangers shall no longer make them their slaves. But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. And fear not, O Jacob My servant, declares the LORD, and do not be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you, declares the LORD, to save you; for I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished (30:4–11).

This passage predicts that the great tribulation will occur on earth prior to Christ’s second coming, which will be followed by His reign on earth. David will be resurrected to share as a prince under Christ in reigning over Israel (cf. Isa 55:3–5; Ezek 34:24–25; 37:25; Hos 3:5). The regathering of Israel, which characterizes the formation of the kingdom, is described graphically in Jeremiah 31:8, “Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, and I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; a great company, they shall return here.”

The New Covenant which God will make with the house of Israel and the house of Judah to replace the Mosaic Covenant is described in Jeremiah 31:31–37. The New Covenant was established in grace by the death of Christ on the cross. This makes possible the relationship of the church in grace which the church experiences in the present age. In the future, however, the New Covenant will be manifested primarily by the renewal of Israel spiritually and nationally, and her regathering to her ancient land. Jeremiah calls the heavens to witness—with the continued existence of the moon and the stars as well as the sun as confirmations. Referring to them he states:

If this fixed order departs from before Me, declares the LORD, then the offspring of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever. Thus says the LORD, If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out below, then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD (31:36–37).

While both the church in the present age and Israel in the future age will experience the New Covenant brought in by Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the covenant in respect to Israel differs from its fulfillment for the church, as this passage makes very clear. For Israel as a nation the New Covenant is not being fulfilled in the present age; that will occur after Christ’s second coming. Hebrews 8:7–13, quoting Jeremiah 31:31–34, does not contradict this as is so often erroneously stated.

Jeremiah 33:14–22 predicts the Messiah’s righteous reign.

Behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. In those days Judah shall be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she shall be called: The LORD is our righteousness. For thus says the LORD, David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to prepare sacrifices continually. And the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, Thus says the LORD, if you can break My covenant for the day, and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be counted, and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.

As in the previous reference to the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31, so here again God puts His own integrity behind the fulfillment of the promise of the restoration of Israel to their land, referred to as “the earth.”

The Prophecies of Ezekiel

To these graphic prophecies by Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel adds his own. In Ezekiel 20:34–38 he pictures the judgment on Israel at the time of Christ’s return. Regathered Israel will be severely judged, and only the godly remnant will be allowed to enter the land. “And you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers” (20:42).

Ezekiel writes eloquently about the future kingdom.

Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken. And I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. And I will cause showers to come down in their season; they will be showers of blessing. Also the tree of the field will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure on their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. And they will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid. And I will establish for them a renowned planting place, and they will not again be victims of famine in the land, and they will not endure the insults of the nations anymore. Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people, declares the Lord GOD. As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God, declares the Lord GOD (34:23–31).

As in previous passages, this can hardly refer to heaven or the eternal earth; instead, it refers to the earth in its millennial form. A future earthly kingdom is absolutely necessary to fulfill these prophecies.

The spiritual restoration that will occur in the millennial kingdom is pictured in Ezekiel 36:23–27.

And I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight. For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

This passage, like others quoted, refers to restoration in the earth and the regathering of Israel from the nations. At that time Israel “will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers” (36:28).

Ezekiel 37 speaks of Israel’s restoration under the symbolism of a resurrected body. While literal bodily resurrection will occur when Christ returns, Ezekiel 37 refers to the spiritual restoration of Israel.

And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd: and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them. And they shall live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons, and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant shall be their prince forever. And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people. And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever (37:24–28).

The ultimate regathering of Israel to her land is described in Ezekiel 39:25–29.

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, Now I shall restore the fortunes of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I shall be jealous for My holy name. And they shall forget their disgrace and all their treachery which they perpetrated against Me, when they live securely on their own land with no one to make them afraid. When I bring them back from the peoples and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God because I made them go into exile among the nations, and then gathered them again to their own land; and I will leave none of them there any longer. And I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.

Emphasis here is again on Israel’s regathering to her “own land.

The closing chapters of Ezekiel (40–48) likewise deal with the millennial earth, the millennial kingdom, and the sacrificial system that will commemorate the death of Christ much as the sacrifices of the Mosaic Law anticipated Christ’s death, The division of the land among the tribes of Israel and other related prophecies confirm that the scene is the kingdom on earth preceding the eternal state. Obviously these prophecies have not been fulfilled in the past, nor can they be fulfilled in the eternal new earth. They require a kingdom on earth following the second coming of Christ.

The Prophecies of Daniel

The prophecies of Daniel deal not primarily with the millennial kingdom but with the movement of the nations and of Israel leading up to the Second Advent. Nevertheless the book does include some references by Daniel to this future kingdom. He predicted in Daniel 2:35 (as interpreted in 2:44–45) that in a future divine kingdom, Gentile world power will be crushed and replaced by the kingdom of God. Daniel 7 concentrates on the Gentile world power preceding the Second Coming, which power will be brought to termination by the coming of the Son of Man whose reign will never be terminated.

I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed (7:13–14).

In brief, the millennial reign of Christ will never be superseded by another kingdom but will continue in different form throughout eternity.

The Prophecies of the Minor Prophets

The theme of a coming kingdom of God on earth to be established by the returning Son of God from heaven is continued in the Minor Prophets. Hosea predicted that David will rule in the last days: “For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or household idols. Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king, and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days” (3:4–5),

Hosea, though he lived years after the death of David the king of Israel, predicted that David would return. This resurrection of David is promised by several other prophets and is related to the second coming of Christ. That is when David will live and reign with Christ. The kingdom of God over which David will reign after the second coming of Christ was predicted by Ezekiel. “And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken” (Ezek 34:24).

Ezekiel confirms it again with these words: “And My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances, and keep My statutes, and observe them” (Ezek 37:24).

Jeremiah adds his confirming word. “But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them” (Jer 30:9).

In these passages it is clear that David is not Christ. The resurrected David who once reigned on the throne of Israel will serve as a prince under Christ, the King of kings.

The revival of the Davidic kingdom and the restoration of the cities and vineyards of Israel is graphically prophesied by Amos. “In that day I will raise up the fallen booth of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old” (Amos 9:11). The prophecy concludes:

Also I will restore the captivity of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them, they will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, and they will not again be rooted out from their land which I have given them, says the LORD your God (9:14–15).

This does not describe a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of the followers of Christ, nor does it refer to the eternal new earth. Instead Amos is writing about a literal kingdom on earth with cities and vineyards. This will be a literal Davidic kingdom.

A major prophecy is given in Micah 4:1–5:5, the early portion of which parallels Isaiah 2:1–5. Zion is declared to be the source of the law (Mic 4:2). Peace will characterize world government (Mic 4:3). This will be when “the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever” (Mic 4:7). As in many other promises of the coming kingdom, nothing in history or in the contemporary spiritual situation parallels these prophecies, or in any sense provides a reasonable fulfillment.

Zechariah 2:10–12 adds its testimony to the future joy and blessing of the kingdom.

Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. And many nations will join themselves to the LORD in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. And the LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

As in other prophecies, the center of the government will be Jerusalem and the central fact of the kingdom will be the abiding presence of the Lord on the earth.

Another confirming word is found in Zechariah 8:1–8.

Then the word of the LORD of hosts came saying, Thus says the LORD of hosts, I am exceedingly jealous for Zion, yes, with great wrath I am jealous for her. Thus says the LORD, I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain. Thus says the LORD of hosts, Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets, Thus says the LORD Of hosts, If it is too difficult in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, will it also be too difficult in My sight? declares the LORD of hosts. Thus says the LORD of hosts, Behold, I am going to save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west; and I will bring them back, and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.

Familiar predictions of Jerusalem as the center of God’s kingdom and the presence of the Lord and His blessing on His people are again emphasized in this prophecy. Zechariah 9:9–10 adds:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

This passage, like Isaiah 9:6–7, views both advents of Christ together. At His first coming, the nation welcomed Him as her King. But His crucifixion followed. Christ will nevertheless reign over Jerusalem when He returns again, “and His dominion will be from sea to sea” (9:10). Zechariah 14 describes in detail the return of the Lord, the battle of Jerusalem, the establishment of the kingdom, the change in the typography of the land, and the ultimate victory of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. As in other millennial passages, nothing in history, in the present age, nor in the eternal new earth corresponds to these events. Many other Old Testament passages bring confirming evidence to these passages that have been quoted. The kingdom of God, brought to the world by Christ in His second coming, is not taught merely by an isolated passage here and there; it is a major theme of Old Testament prophetic revelation.

Prophecies in the Psalms

Frequently in the Psalms as in the Prophets, references are made to God’s future theocratic kingdom. Psalm 2:6 predicts that Christ will be “installed [as] My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.” While Psalm 22 prophesies the crucifixion of Christ, Psalm 24 predicts His reign on earth.

Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory (24:7–10).

Many understand Psalms 45 and 46 to refer to the reign of Christ. Psalm 48 speaks of the future glory of Zion.

One of the clearest passages is Psalm 72. Although given in the form of a prayer, it will surely be fulfilled, as is evident for instance, in verses 7–8. “In his days may the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon is no more. May he also rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.” The universal submission of the kings of the world in the future theocratic kingdom is described in verses 10–11, “Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents, the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. And let all kings bow down before him, all nations serve him.” The psalm closes with the prayer, “And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen” (v. 19). It should be noted that this prophecy relates to “earth,” not heaven.

The certainty of the fulfillment of God’s covenant with David that his throne would continue forever is presented in Psalm 89. “I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant, I will establish your seed forever, and build up your throne to all generations” (vv. 3–4). David’s throne is an earthly throne, not the Father’s throne in heaven.

The unconditional character of this covenant and its certain fulfillment is stated in Psalm 89:28–37.

My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, and My covenant shall be confirmed to him. So I will establish his descendants forever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his sons forsake My law, and do not walk in My judgments, if they violate My statutes, and do not keep My commandments, then I will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. But I will not break off My lovingkindness from him, nor deal falsely in My faithfulness. My covenant I will not violate, nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful.

The universal worship of Christ in the theocratic kingdom on earth is the subject of Psalm 96. Likewise Psalm 98 describes the future righteous reign of Christ as seen in verse 9, “He is coming to judge the earth, He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.” In Psalm 110:1 Christ is instructed to sit at the right hand of the Father until the time for his earthly rule comes.

All major sections of the Old Testament that deal with the prophetic future speak frequently of this earthly kingdom which on the one hand is distinguished from the present age, and on the other, from the eternal new earth.

Major Features of the Kingdom of God on Earth

Detailed again and again in these messianic prophecies of the coming kingdom are major features which could be fulfilled only by Christ ruling on earth after His second coming. These items are repeated again and again:

1. The theocratic kingdom of God will be an earthly kingdom.
2. Jesus Christ will be the King of kings and Lord of lords.
3. David will be resurrected to serve as a prince under Christ.
4. The kingdom will be over the entire earth, not simply the land once conquered by Solomon.
5. The kingdom will be characterized by righteousness, justice, and peace.
6. Israel will be regathered to her own land.
7. Jerusalem will be the capital of the world, in the center of God’s dealings with the world.
8. Gentiles will also be blessed in the kingdom period.
9. The kingdom, while political, will also foster and support a high level of spiritual life with the Holy Spirit in much evidence.
10. Christ will be visibly present on His earthly throne.
11. The whole earth will know about the Lord, and missionary activity will thus be unnecessary.
12. The earth will be at least partially relieved from the curse and will once again display Edenic splendor.
13. Society in general will prosper, with justice making possible a perfect society.
14. Many changes will occur in the earth with the topography of Israel changed, Jerusalem elevated as a city, and desolate areas made productive.

Alternative Interpretations of Millennial Passages

As indicated in the previous article in this series,[6] two divergent interpretations of the millennial passages have been offered as a substitute for the literal, premillennial coming of Christ and the kingdom of God to follow. The most recent of these is postmillennialism, an interpretation which has largely risen in the last few centuries. Existing in various forms, it contends in general that the conditions described in this kingdom on earth will be brought about through preaching the gospel. Actually nothing is further from the truth. it would be impossible to produce the detailed fulfillment of these prophecies by any man-made program or human effort in preaching the gospel. It requires the power of God and the return of the Lord from heaven. A more complete study of postmillennialism has already been offered by this writer in a previous publication.[7]

A second major alternative interpretation is that of amillennialism, which exists in three forms: (1) the historic Augustinian type of amillennialism, which says these prophecies are fulfilled in the present age prior to the second coming of Christ; (2) a more recent form of amillennialism, which says the prophecies are fulfilled in a nonliteral way for the believer in heaven (in the intermediate state) prior to the creation of the new heavens and the new earth; (3) a combination of the other two forms, that interprets some kingdom passages as being fulfilled in the present age, some fulfilled in their intermediate state during the present period, and others yet to be fulfilled in the eternal state in the new heavens and the new earth.

The variety of approaches of the amillennial view, which is essentially a denial of a literal millennium on earth, is its own commentary. None of these views provides any reasonable literal fulfillment of the passages. Amillennial writings, which sometimes boldly state that not a single verse in the Bible teaches a kingdom of God on earth following the second coming of Christ, usually avoid the many Scriptures which have been cited in this article. Amillennialism nevertheless has appealed to many scholars in the ancient as well as in the modern church. But that theory does not provide an adequate explanation of these passages. Amillenarians often simply avoid passages that would contradict their conclusions or dismiss them by asserting dogmatically that the premillennial interpretation is wrong.

An illustration of this is the discussion by Jay Adams in his work, The Time Is at Hand. This book does mention some passages which seem to teach premillennialism but often his references are only a sentence or two, a footnote here and there, or a strong assertion that the premillennial view is wrong. Of 14 references to Isaiah, 9 are simply references in footnotes. In 2 sentences in a footnote he dismisses 11 passages in Isaiah as being already fulfilled, and he claims that his interpretation “can hardly be questioned.”[8]

Amillenarians in their interpretation of millennial passages have several alternative explanations: (1) they declare them conditional and therefore never to be fulfilled; (2) they declare them historical and already fulfilled; or (3) when historical fulfillment is doubtful, they say they will be fulfilled in the new earth. But with one voice they declare that it is impossible to find their fulfillment in an earthly millennial kingdom. There is a growing tendency among amillenarians to refer millennial passages to the new earth as this eliminates the difficulty of finding historic fulftllment for many such prophecies.

Adams provides another illustration. In regard to numerous passages on the millennial Jerusalem he writes, “Was Christ to rule in Jerusalem? Of course! And that is precisely what he does. Today he reigns and rules from that ‘Jerusalem which is above’ (Gal 4:26); from that heavenly ‘Mount Zion’ to which the writer of Hebrews says that believers ‘have come’ (Heb 12:22).”[9]

Certainly all recognize that Hebrews 12:22 refers to the new Jerusalem in the eternal state (and it could conceivably be in existence now). But does this satisfy the many references to a millennial Jerusalem? Again Adams writes, “Come to a millennial city? Come up to a literal mountain? A physical throne? An earthly temple? Of course not.”[10] Why does he say, “Of course not”? The answer is that it would teach a millennial kingdom.

All of Adams’s references to the millennium in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Nahum, and Malachi are discussed in footnotes. He avoids giving a detailed exegesis of pertinent passages. A reading of the many Old Testament passages previously quoted reveals that they do not disappear simply because a footnote says a literal interpretation is impossible and a nonliteral interpretation is “of course” the only proper one. Even his claim that the amillennial interpretation is transparently the only possible one is supported by too scanty a New Testament confirmation.

In defense of Adams, it may be pointed out that he is attempting only a relatively small paperback discussion of a large problem. But the sweeping dismissal of alternative views and the failure to recognize that there is a variety of contradictory amillennial interpretations are all too characteristic of amillenarians’ discussions. The fact is that the many allusions to an earthly kingdom yet to be fulfilled in the future are too detailed to dismiss them that easily.

It is not the purpose of this article to provide a detailed refutation of amillennialism. The writer has sought to do that in his work, The Millennial Kingdom, which is confirmed by the extensive work of J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, both of which have been mentioned earlier. The goal of this discussion is to call attention to the many detailed prophecies related to the millennium which premillenarians feel have never been satisfactorily explained by the amillennial approach. Premillenarians believe that it is honoring to Scripture to allow it to mean what it appears to mean when taken literally and that it is just as wrong to explain away prophetic passages about the millennium as it is to explain away historic passages referring to the virgin birth, the resurrection of Christ, and other central doctrines of biblical faith.

The familiar cry of amillenarians is that the New Testament confirms their interpretation of the Old Testament. The next article in this series will deal with the New Testament doctrine of the kingdom of God.

Notes

1. J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958), pp. 427-45.
2. Rutgers states, for instance,”Again the New Testament gives plain indication that Christ will remain in heaven until the end of the world. That kingdom will not be one of earthly, material felicity and blessing, but spiritual. In Christ and His true disciples that kingdom is already established, and in harmony with the confession of the church of all ages, not to establish an earthly, Jewish kingdom, Himself visible and bodily reigning in this semi-earthly, semi-heavenly realm of material existence, but for judgment. An unprejudiced reading of the Scripture renders one universal judgment, one universal resurrection. Nowhere is there intimation of a millennial reign intervening” (William H. Rutgers, Premillennialism in America [Goes, Holland: Oosterbaan and Le Cointre, 1930], pp. 286-87). Hoekema states, “That the millennial reign depicted in Revelation 20:4–6 occurs before the Second Coming of Christ is evident from the fact that the final judgment, described in verses 11-15 of this chapter, is pictured as coming after the thousand-year reign….it is obvious that the thousand-year reign of Revelation 20:4–6 must occur before and not after the Second Coming of Christ” (Anthony A. Hoekema, The Bible and the Future [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.. 1979], p. 227).
3. Pentecost, Things to Come, p. 427.
4. Ibid., pp. 428, 433.
5. Ibid., pp. 435-37, 441.
6. John F. Walvoord, “Basic Considerations in Interpreting Prophecy, Part 1 of Interpreting Prophecy Today,” Bibliotheca Sacra 139 (January-March 1982):4-7.
7. John F. Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom (Grand Rapids: Dunham Publishing Co., 1959), pp. 18-36.
8. Jay Adams, The Time Is at Hand (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1970), p. 63.
9. Ibid., p. 27.
10. Ibid.