The kingdom in Luke 1 is the eternal Davidic kingdom that the promised Son will rule over the house of Jacob.
In Luke 1:32-33 the angel announces that Jesus will receive the throne of His father David and reign over the house of Jacob forever. Les Feldick teaches this is the kingdom promised through the Abrahamic covenant, which Jesus came first to offer to Israel.
Luke 1:32-33 — This is the direct passage where Gabriel describes Jesus as the Son of David whose kingdom will have no end.
The Bible puts the kingdom in Luke 1 in the context of God's promise to David. In Luke 1:32-33 the angel tells Mary about her son Jesus: 'He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.' The kingdom is therefore explicitly tied to David's throne and to the house of Jacob, and it is described as everlasting. The New Testament record connects this King to David's line. Matthew's genealogy opens, 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham' (Matthew 1:1). The Old Testament background is also seen in Isaiah 11:1, which speaks of the branch from Jesse's roots, the family line of David from which the Messiah would come.
Les Feldick teaches that the kingdom in Luke 1 is not a new or church-age concept. It is the kingdom promised to Israel through the covenants, especially the Abrahamic covenant. He says the average churchgoer assumes Matthew 1 begins Christianity, but in reality this is still God dealing with Israel under the Law. The angel's announcement presents Jesus as the King who has come to fulfill the promises made to the nation of Israel. Les emphasizes that the King and the kingdom always go together: you cannot have a viable kingdom without a king, and a king is of no earthly use without a kingdom. Jesus is presented in the New Testament as the last possible Son of David who could be the King. He came to be Israel's King, and the kingdom is what was in view. Whenever the word 'kingdom' appears in Scripture, unless the text clearly shows otherwise, it refers to this same kingdom that will come as a result of the Abrahamic covenant, with Messiah ruling over Israel in the promised land. Within the 490-year prophetic program, Israel could have had their King and the kingdom. Les also connects the kingdom to the presence of the King: the kingdom of heaven was at hand because the King was here; when the King is present, the kingdom is just over the horizon.
Les Feldick says the church has generally assumed Christianity starts at Matthew 1, but that is not true. The opening of the New Testament is still an extension of God's dealings with Israel, based on all the Old Testament covenants and promises. Christ came, as the angel announced, first and foremost to fulfill the promises made to the nation of Israel. It was all Jewish and under the Law; even believing Jews still maintained Temple worship.
Les teaches that the kingdom comes out of the Abrahamic covenant. Matthew's genealogy stops at 'son of David, the son of Abraham' because out of that covenant the King was coming. Les explains that the promise concerning David's house and kingdom points to the royal line, and that whenever the word kingdom appears, it refers to the kingdom that will come as a result of the Abrahamic covenant—the kingdom over the nation of Israel in their promised land with Messiah as their King. All the other covenants are wrapped up in the Abrahamic covenant, and the promise is that God Himself in the Messiah would come to be their King.
Luke 1:33 says plainly, 'And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.' The kingdom is everlasting. Les Feldick refers to the beginning of eternity even within the thousand-year reign and points to the branch from Jesse in Isaiah 11 as the Messiah who will reign.
Les says you cannot have a viable kingdom without a king, and a king is of no earthly use without a kingdom. When Jesus came and John the Baptist presented Him as Israel's King, the long view was the kingdom. Likewise, the kingdom of heaven was at hand because the King had arrived; wherever the King is, you have the kingdom.
Israel is still the focus before Christianity
Les teaches that Luke 1 and the angel's announcement are not yet Christianity; Christ comes to fulfill promises made to Israel under the Law.
Christ as the last possible Son of David
Les explains Jesus' first advent is to be the promised King to Israel according to the covenants, and the genealogy makes Him the last possible Son of David who could be the King.
The kingdom in Luke 1 fulfills the Abrahamic covenant
Les connects Luke 1 to the Abrahamic covenant and the 490-year prophetic program; Israel could have had their King and the kingdom in that time frame.
The King has arrived in the New Testament
Les says the opening of the New Testament presents Jesus as the King of Israel; redemption is revealed later, but first He is the promised King.
The kingdom always refers to the Abrahamic covenant kingdom
Les defines the word kingdom in Scripture as the Messianic kingdom over Israel from the Abrahamic covenant, with a King from David's lineage.
The kingdom's eternity and the branch of Jesse
Les describes the Kingdom's attributes and identifies Christ as the branch out of Jesse's roots who will reign, showing the kingdom's eternal character.
The King makes the kingdom at hand
Les explains the kingdom of heaven was at hand because the King was present; when the King returns, the kingdom will be on earth.
King and kingdom are inseparable
Les teaches the Abrahamic covenant wraps up all covenants and promises the Messiah as King; a king needs a kingdom and a kingdom needs a king.
Luke 1:32-33: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
This is the angel's announcement that defines the kingdom Jesus would inherit—the throne of David and an everlasting reign over the house of Jacob.
Matthew 1:1: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Les uses this genealogy to show the King comes through the Abrahamic and Davidic covenant lines.
Isaiah 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
This verse is cited by Les to show the Messiah is the branch from David's father Jesse, the King who will reign.
Romans 9:4: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Les points to Paul's list of Israel's privileges to show the covenants are part of Israel's relationship with God.
The kingdom in Luke 1 is the kingdom Gabriel promises when he tells Mary that Jesus will receive the throne of His father David and reign over the house of Jacob forever. Les Feldick explains that this is the same kingdom promised through the Abrahamic covenant, the kingdom over Israel with Messiah as King.
In Luke 1, the angel presents Him first as the promised King of Israel. Les Feldick says the New Testament opens with the King making His appearance; later revelation shows Him as Redeemer. His first advent was to fulfill the promises made to Israel, though the cross was always in God's mind.
The Bible says it will not. Luke 1:33 states 'of his kingdom there shall be no end.' Les Feldick also refers to the Kingdom continuing into eternity, even while it is associated with the thousand-year reign.
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Came to Israel First — Luke 1 Explained