It is a prayer for the promised earthly kingdom over which Christ will reign, not a request to leave the earth for heaven.
Les Feldick teaches that the kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom on earth—a kingdom that is spiritual, physical, and political, and that will be set up when Christ returns. The KJV of Matthew 6:10 says 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,' showing that the location of the coming kingdom is the earth itself, centered on Jerusalem.
Matthew 6:10 — This verse contains the exact petition 'Thy kingdom come... in earth' and is the foundation of the question.
Psalm 2:8 — Les cites this verse to show that the Messiah's inheritance is the nations and the uttermost parts of the earth, not heaven.
Isaiah 2:1-2 — Les points to this passage to show the kingdom established on the mountains with all nations flowing to Jerusalem in the last days.
Scripture links the coming kingdom to this earth. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven' (Matthew 6:10). The petition is not a request for believers to leave the earth and go to heaven; the phrase 'in earth' marks the location of the kingdom. The Old Testament prophets describe an earthly kingdom in the last days. Isaiah writes, 'The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it' (Isaiah 2:1-2). Psalm 2:8 adds, 'Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' These verses show that the kingdom of God is an earthly kingdom centered on Jerusalem and extending to all nations.
Les Feldick takes 'Thy kingdom come' as a prayer for the literal, promised earthly kingdom. He insists that the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom on earth—'It's the same kingdom' (clip 6). When John the Baptist preached 'the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' he was pointing to Jesus, who had just appeared; 'He is the essence of the kingdom.' The kingdom is not merely a spiritual, ethereal, invisible reality; it is spiritual, physical, and political, and it will come to fruition when Christ returns and sets it up on the earth (clip 6). Les connects this kingdom to the Abrahamic covenant. Whenever the word 'kingdom' appears in Scripture, unless the text clearly shows otherwise, it refers to the kingdom promised through that covenant—the kingdom over the nation of Israel in their promised land, with their Messiah, a descendant of David, as King (clip 4). The kingdom is not limited to Israel; Psalm 2:8 promises the Messiah the nations as His inheritance, so it includes the whole human race (clip 3). Its location is the earth, not a distant heaven. Les says the heaven believers will be intrinsically involved in is going to be on this earth, with Christ ruling and reigning from Jerusalem, the city of peace (clip 2). Isaiah 2 places Jerusalem at the center of the last-days kingdom, where all nations flow (clip 5). He also notes that the prayer in Matthew 6 is not the Lord's Prayer but the disciples' prayer (clip 0).
Les says yes: 'this kingdom of heaven is going to be the kingdom on earth. It's the same kingdom.' He traces this to John the Baptist's announcement that 'the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' John was pointing to Jesus, who was about to begin His earthly ministry—'He is the essence of the kingdom.' The kingdom is not only a spiritual and invisible reality; it is spiritual, physical, and political, and it will come to fruition when Christ returns and sets it up on the earth. So 'Thy kingdom come' is a prayer for that same kingdom to be established on earth.
Les emphasizes that the kingdom will be on the earth, not somewhere in a distant heaven. He says, 'the heaven that you and I are going to be intrinsically involved in if we're a believer tonight, is going to be on this earth. Christ is going to rule and reign upon the earth from the city of Jerusalem, the city of peace.' The Old Testament confirms this earthly location. Isaiah 2 places the Lord's house on the mountains above the other nations, with all nations flowing to Jerusalem; Psalm 2:8 gives the Messiah 'the uttermost parts of the earth' rather than heaven as His possession.
The King is the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Les says 'wherever the King is, you have the Kingdom'—when the King was present on earth, the kingdom of heaven was 'at hand.' The kingdom promised in the Abrahamic covenant requires a King from the lineage of David, and that Messiah will rule over the nation of Israel.
No. Les points to Psalm 2:8: 'Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance... the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' He then says, 'it isn't just going to be an Israeli Kingdom, it's not just a Jewish Kingdom, but it's going to include the whole human race.' The kingdom is basically over the nation of Israel when their Messiah is King, but the inheritance extends to the Gentiles and the whole earth.
Disciples' Prayer, Not the Lord's Prayer
Les clarifies that the prayer in Matthew 6 is the disciples' prayer, giving the context for the petition 'Thy kingdom come.'
The King Makes the Kingdom at Hand
Les teaches that when the King was present on earth the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and the coming kingdom will be on earth, not in a distant heaven.
An Earthly Kingdom Ruled by Christ from Jerusalem
Les teaches that the promised kingdom will be on this earth and that Christ will rule and reign from Jerusalem, the city of peace.
The Nations as the King's Earthly Inheritance
Les uses Psalm 2:8 to show the Messiah's inheritance is the nations and the uttermost parts of the earth, proving the kingdom is earthly and includes Gentiles.
The Kingdom Promised Through Abraham and David
Les identifies the kingdom as the one promised through the Abrahamic covenant, centered on Israel, with Messiah as King from David's line.
Jerusalem at the Center of the Last-Days Kingdom
Les points to Isaiah 2 to show that in the last days the Lord's house will be established above the mountains with all nations flowing to Jerusalem.
Kingdom of Heaven Is the Kingdom on Earth
Les explains that the kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom on earth, and it is spiritual, physical, and political, set up when Christ returns.
Daniel 2 Explained: The Stone Kingdom That Fills the Earth
Well, it's so true, but this kingdom of heaven is going to be the kingdom on earth. It's the same kingdom. Now tonight during the church age we've got to go look at Scripture. Keep your hand in Daniel. Go back with me to Colossians. You remember when John the Baptist began his ministry, what was the crux of his message? The kingdom of heaven is what? At hand.
Matthew 6:10: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
This is the exact verse behind the question, showing that the coming kingdom is tied to the earth.
Psalm 2:8: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
This verse promises the Messiah the nations and the earth as His inheritance, supporting the earthly nature of the kingdom.
Isaiah 2:1-2: The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
This passage places the future kingdom on earth with Jerusalem at the center and all nations flowing to it.
Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray for the coming of the promised kingdom on earth. Les Feldick explains that this is the same kingdom John the Baptist said was at hand—the kingdom that will be set up on earth when Christ returns and reigns as King.
The King James Version uses 'in earth' in Matthew 6:10. The meaning is the same—the kingdom will be established on this earth. Les says the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom on earth, and believers will be part of it when Christ returns.
Les teaches that Christ will rule and reign upon the earth from Jerusalem, the city of peace. Isaiah 2 points to Jerusalem as the center in the last days, with all nations flowing to the Lord's house.
Yes. Psalm 2:8 promises the Messiah the nations as His inheritance. Les says the kingdom is not just an Israeli or Jewish kingdom; it includes the whole human race, though it is centered on Israel and Jerusalem.
Watch the Teaching: The Disciples' Prayer Explained: Matthew 6 Verse by Verse