God is King of kings and LORD of Lords.
Psa 22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.
Gen 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Psa 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
Throughout the Bible God has allowed certain men or beings to be over his kingdoms. This never changes the fact that he is King of kings and Lord of lords.
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Consider these video games like “Sim City”where you build a city and act as God over that city. It’s kind of like that. God created everything and everyone. He lets his creation operate on their own freewill.
1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
The LORD is still king. He has always been supreme king. However he allows men to rule over His kingdoms, under HIM. There is a wicked television show called “Game Of Thrones.” Hollywood can’t get around the bible. The Bible is about a King and a Kingdom. It is “Gods Game Of Thrones.” It’s about someone going after a throne. God, the creator, is up in heaven and he can see his creation just like he is looking down at a board game. He can see his creatures fighting over THE KINGDOM. This is why I titled this study, God’s Game Of Thrones..” I’ve never seen the show so I didn’t have any idea what it was about. So I googled it! It is about “two families playing a deadly game for control over seven kingdoms and to sit atop an iron throne.”
The bible is about kings and kingdoms. It is about WHO IS ON THE THRONE. Even in your life today. Are you on the throne of your life or is God? Is the flesh, the world, and the devil on your throne? Or is God on your throne?
This world revolves around men trying to get on the throne of their field. Men are concerned with “who is the greatest.” This is in ANY FIELD. Even the disciples were concerned with this. Look at Matthew chapter 18.
Mat 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Mat 18:2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mar 9:34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.
Mar 9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the sameshall be last of all, and servant of all.
In every form of entertainment, sport, art, factory job, in the government, in churches, in the Baptist preaching world, in the YouTube world and everywhere else you have someone chasing the throne. Someone is wanting to be “the greatest.” Lebron James is chasing the greatness of Michael Jordan. A good portion of what you see on ESPN talks about Jordan vs James. In boxing someone is going for the HEAVY WEIGHT TITLE.
It has been like this the entire history of life. A man trying to get on the throne and the devil trying to get it back and keep a throne. You will see this throughout the Bible.
Before I go into detail on this, I want to quickly explain to you the difference in the two kingdoms. Many teach they are the same but the Bible shows a clear difference.
The Kingdom Of God is a spiritual kingdom. It is something that has always existed and came into being before the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of God cannot be taken over by man or by the devil. The kingdom of heaven can be taken over!
The door of the kingdom of God cannot be shut …like the Pharisees shut the door of the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 23:13)
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Notice it has spiritual things associated with it and not PHYSICAL.
(Matthew 6:31-33) “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? {32} (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. {33} But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
He says “seek ye first the kingdom of God.” This shows that the kingdom of God is direct opposite of the physical things mentioned in the verses we just read. Those things we desire, such as what we shall eat, drink, and the clothes we put on.
(Luke 17:20-21) “¶ And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: {21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
You can’t see the Kingdom of God, at least not yet, because it is not with observation. It is WITHIN YOU.
There is only ONE WAY to ENTER the Kingdom Of God.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
If you want to enter the Kingdom of God, you have to get saved. Entering the kingdom of God through believing the gospel and being born again is how you get “the image of GOD.” Remember that key phrase, “image of GOD.” This is associated with the Kingdom of GOD.
(2 Corinthians 4:4) “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
Jesus Christ is the “image of God.” He is King of the Kingdom of GOD. So when you were “born again” you were no longer “blinded by the god of this world”, you were “translated into the spiritual kingdom.”
Colossians 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Another great truth is that if the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are the same thing than flesh and blood could not enter into the millennial kingdom, which is a physical and visible earthly kingdom. It says in…
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
During Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry the “kingdom of God” was at hand. He was offering both kingdoms to the Jews.
“ The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15)
In John’s gospel, the apostle John records how Jesus told Nicodemus how to enter the kingdom of God.
Now, you realize the Kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom, you know the “kingdom of Heaven” is only a physical kingdom.
Many times men forget that there are three heavens. The first heaven is our atmosphere, the second heaven is where the stars are, and the third heaven is where God is. The kingdom
Of heaven is NOT referring to the third heaven.
Like the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven was “at hand” when Jesus Christ was on this earth. Since the Jews rejected Jesus Christ and the kingdom of heaven, it was postponed. It is put off for a time while the church age takes place. Right now the kingdom of God is in operation and not the kingdom of heaven.
The Kingdom Of Heaven is a physical kingdom. This kingdom is only mentioned in one book of the bible. That book is the book of Matthew. I don’t believe it is a coincidence that the book of Matthew portrays Jesus Christ as KING, and at the same time, is the only book which says “kingdom of heaven.” Each gospel shows you a different look at Jesus Christ. I don’t believe it is a coincidence that Matthew reveals Jesus Christ as the King! Matthew shows you Jesus Christ as king coming from a kingly line. This is because he is going to be king over a physical kingdom of heaven. Mark shows you Jesus Christ as a servant. Luke shows you Jesus Christ as the son of man. John shows you Jesus Christ as the son of God. Matthew is the only one that says “kingdom of heaven” and just so happens that Matthew presents Jesus as KING.
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
If you look at the kingdom of God you will see that it cannot be taken by violence. It does not have anything to do with physical weapons. The ones we are fighting are spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
The weapons of our warfare are not “carnal.” Meaning they aren’t of the flesh. You can’t take over the kingdom of God by violence like you can the kingdom of heaven.
The kingdom of heaven can have both saved and lost people. See the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-30.
The kingdom of God is only saved people because you enter in by the new birth.
Not everyone in the millennial kingdom will be saved. So you will have lost people in the “kingdom of heaven.” You can see this clearly because Satan forms an army the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:8) and this is after they have lived in the millennial kingdom.
There are 13 places where the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are used interchangeably. This leads many to believe that they are the same kingdom. For example in places where Matthew’s gospel said “kingdom of heaven”, Mark and Luke will sometimes say “Kingdom of God.” This is because Jesus Christ is present and he is the king of both kingdoms who was offering both kingdoms to the Jews. In the millennial kingdom both kingdoms are present because the king of both kingdoms is present. Jesus Christ will be ruling a physical earthly kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. At the same time there will be glorified saints, the born again believers in glorified bodies, walking around on earth at the same time. That is your kingdom of God. The two kingdoms merge in the millennium.
Let’s take a quick overview of the kingdoms throughout the Bible.
In Genesis 1-3 you see God setting up his kingdoms. Adam is king over both kingdoms. He is king over the kingdom of God because he was made in the image of God. He is king over the kingdom of heaven because God gave him dominion over the physical earth. Hebrews 2:7 says Adam was “CROWNED with glory and honour.” He was “KING OF THE HILL.”
He has a “CROWN” and he has “DOMINION.” He names the animals. (Genesis 2:19) He can freely eat off of any tree in the garden except one. The world is his.
In Genesis 3-6 you have the devil trying to ruin the kingdom. He sees that crown of glory on the head of Adam. He gets Adam and Eve to sin by eating off the tree. Adam loses the kingdom of God because he loses the image of God when he sinned. Satan gets the power of death. Adam and Eve die spiritually that day.
In God’s game of thrones men have freewill. The spirits have freewill. He will let them move around as they please to an extent. However if Satan, the devil, which is lucifer, the former king, gets his way than he would kill everyone.
The kingdom falls into the hands of Lucifer AGAIN…
So the LORD raises up Noah, a just man, AND perfect in his GENEerations.
Satan tried to form a counterfeit kingdom in Genesis 6 but you see the LORD come through with Noah’s flood to wipe out Satan’s counterfeit race.
In Genesis 9, After the flood, the LORD gives the kingdom to Noah. He is told to be fruitful and multiply just like Adam and Eve. Noah kicks the devil out of the way and says “KING ME!”
It doesn’t take long for the devil to attack for the throne again. He gets Noah DRUNK! Things go down from here. It goes so far down That in chapter ten and Eleven you see man become extremely wicked and vile again. You see the Tower of Babel. You see Nimrod’s kingdom. He was a mighty hunter but also a wicked man. Man tried to reach new heights without God and build a tower to reach the second heaven. They were trying to make contact with those sons of God again. They tried to make themselves a name instead of giving glory to the name of God.
After Noah you get into the story of Abraham. Abraham is the one God wants to use to make his earthly kingdom. In Genesis 12 Abraham is promised a seed. This seed would get the kingdom of heaven. A literal, visible, physical kingdom on earth. From Abraham would come Issac, Jacob, and the nation of Israel.
You are also introduced to a very mysterious character around this time named “Melchizedek.” He is a king of three thrones. He has a throne in the city of “Salem.” He was also “king of righteousness” and “king of peace.” Since the kingdom of God is “righteousness, Joy, and peace” Melchizedek is the first man since Adam to be crown holder of the kingdom of God. He is a mysterious character.
Melchizedek passed the crown of the kingdom of heaven over to Abraham.
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Gen 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Notice Melchizedek passing the physical kingdom over to Abraham. When Abraham dies the kingdom passes to his seed, it went to Isaac then to Jacob which is Israel. The rest of the book of Genesis, from Abraham and onward deals with the formulation of the nation of Israel.
With Jacob came the twelve tribes. God narrowed it down to one tribe that would be promised the kingdom. That is Judah. Genesis 49:10 says “the sceptre shall not depart from Judah.”
At the end of Genesis you will find Israel is in Egypt. When you get to the book of Exodus, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is threatened by them because there is so many of them running around.
At this time God has already been preparing a man named Moses to take over the kingdom. You will read in Exodus where Moses and Pharaoh go back and forth. Moses and the magicians go back and forth. The LORD plagues Pharaoh and Egypt through Moses and Aaron.
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy show you the LORD setting up the kingdom of heaven. He wanted them to go and possess the promised land of Canaan. Through their unbelief they wouldn’t take the land and ended up wondering forty years. You see in these books how signs and wonders are associated with the LORD trying to get Israel to BELIEVE his words. The signs and wonders are associated with the kingdom of heaven and not the kingdom of God.
Then you get to Joshua. This is where Israel finally gets into the land. They received the promises given to Abraham about the land.
In the book of Judges you see where Israel
Begins to rebel against the LORD. Every man was doing what was right in his own eyes. The LORD would allow them to be taken by their enemies. Israel would then call on the LORD. Out of compassion on his people the LORD would send them deliverers or judges. The book of Ruth also took place during this time.
You get into the books of the Kings. 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 kings, 1 and 2 chronicles. These books deal with the establishment of the kingdom of heaven.
Israel wanted a king. God wanted to be the king of their heart. However, God gives them what they want. He gives them king Saul. So now King Saul has the kingdom. He is a wicked king. He is a type of the antichrist and king David is a type of Jesus Christ.
After Saul you have King David and then David’s son Solomon. This was Israel’s greatest time under these two Kings. The beginning of Solomon’s reign is a picture of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ because he had complete peace at that time.
During the time of these books of the kings the wisdom books are written. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. These were primarily written by two Kings. David and Solomon. The book of Job is also a wisdom book that was most likely written during the time of Genesis.
After king Solomon you read of king ,after king, after king. Sometimes they are good and sometimes they are bad. The nation falls apart because of wicked rulers.
Even though during this time you have great prophets preaching against the sins of the people they still turn from the LORD their God. You will see prophets like Obadiah, Jonah, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk.
Jeconiah was a wicked king. After him the LORD takes away the kingdom from Israel.
Jeremiah 22:28-30 says Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not? O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.
At that time the kingdom of heaven disappears from the earth.
Then you have king Zedekiah who wasn’t a real king because the kingdom had already been taken. He has controversy with Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. He ends up with his eyes gouged out and his sons murdered.
The time was 606 BC. the nation of Israel was over and the times of the gentiles began.
During the captivity you have prophets like Jeremiah, Ezekiel, And Daniel preaching the word of the LORD.
When you get to the end of 2 Chronicles the power is in the hand of Cyrus king of Persia.
2 Chrinickes 36:22-23 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.
The kingdom went to the devil after Jeconiah. Now everyone who gets world domination gets power from the devil. That is why the devil says what he says to Jesus Christ in Luke 4:6.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. (Luke 4:6)
The kingdoms have been delievered to the devil so the devil is called “the god of this world” in 2 Cor 4:4. Jesus Christ himself calls him “the prince of this world” in John 14:30. Jesus even says satan has a kingdom in Luke 11:18. Ephesians 6:12 shows us that the devil and his minions are “rulers of the darkness of the this world.” Job 41:34 calls him “king over all the children of pride.”
So from 606 BC until the time of Jesus Christ there was no kingdom of heaven on this earth. Also there was no kingdom of God available since Adam fell unless the mysterious mister Melchizedek possessed the crown of the kingdom of God.
At 606 BC the kingdoms of this world are turned over to the devil and the Gentiles run the earth.
You will see the Jews return to the land in the book of Ezra to rebuild the city and in Nehemiah you see them rebuilding the wall and temple. However this doesn’t mean they got the kingdom back. During this time you have Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi as the prophets. The Jews were still under gentile power.
Then you get to The gospels. You see John the Baptist step on the scene. He jumps up on the back of his pick up truck, or his stump, or his soap box, or on top of a Pharisees back and says “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2) Another time he said “the kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mark 1:15) This is because the king of both kingdoms was present, Jesus Christ. At the first coming he came to offer both kingdoms to the Jews. It is consistent with the Bible. When the first Adam showed up back in Genesis, both kingdoms were present. Now, when the second Adam shows up(Jesus Christ) both kingdoms are present.
John and Jesus Christ preached the Kingdom of Heaven as a coming political institution. They also preached the kingdom of God to individuals to get their heart ready to receive the kingdom of Heaven.
The Jews reject Jesus Christ. They crucified their messiah. So the kingdom of heaven is gone and the gentiles still control the kingdom through the devil. The kingdom of God remains on earth through the body of Christ. That is the church. The church is made up of every born again believer.
So at the first coming of Christ he offers both kingdoms to Israel. They reject Jesus Christ and you have the postponement of the kingdom called “the church age.”
The LORD gives Paul direct Revelation. He becomes the minister to the Gentiles. (Romans 15:16) In his epistles we are introduced to doctrines that were not made known to saints in the Old Testament. (Ephesians 3:3-5)
One of the things Paul reveals to the church is the rapture. One day the church is going to be raptured out. You can read about this event in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15. When we are raptured out the “kingdom of God” leaves the earth.
Then at this time you will have a false kingdom of heaven established by the anti christ during what is commonly referred to as the tribulation. This is “Daniels 70th week.” This time period lasts seven years. This time period goes back to God dealing with Israel. The first part could be titled “the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:5-8) the last half could be called “great tribulation” or “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” (Matthew 24:21, Jeremiah 30:7)
At the end of the tribulation the king of Kings and LORD of Lords comes back and brings in BOTH KINGDOMS. He brings in the kingdom of God because the church(the glorified believers) come back with him and he brings in the kingdom of heaven and rules on a physical, visible, literal throne. This is the millennial reign.
During the millennial reign the kingdom of God is in full manifestation because the glorified saints are present. The kingdom of heaven is in full manifestation because Jesus Christ is on the throne in Jerusalem.
In Matthew 6:10 Jesus tells the disciples to pray…
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
When Jesus Christ brings in the millennial kingdom his WILL will be done on earth as it is IN HEAVEN!
When you get out into eternity you have the kingdom of God through the body of Christ reigning in glorified bodies. You also have the kingdom of Heaven because the nation of Israel is populating the kingdom of heaven.
So The Bible starts with someone fighting over a throne and ends with people on thrones. A kingdom and Kings is the main subject of the Bible.
Revelation 22:15
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: AND THEY SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER.
With this overview of the kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven. Let’s go through the Bible and look at these kingdoms and kings. Let’s also look at the covenants, dispensations, and everything else in it as well
