The kingdom of God will be a real, visible kingdom established on the earth when Christ returns, and it will be simultaneously spiritual, physical, and political.
Les Feldick teaches that Scripture reveals only one kingdom — the kingdom Christ will set up on the earth at His return. It will be spiritual in its complete righteousness and freedom from sin, physical in its transformed creation and animal life, and political because Christ will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords over the whole earth. Believers today are already citizens of this kingdom, which is presently in heaven and will be brought to earth by Christ when He returns.
Isaiah 11:6-9 — Les points to Isaiah 11 to show the kingdom's physical transformation, when wild and domestic animals will live peacefully and children will play safely among them.
Daniel 2:44 — Daniel's prophecy of the stone kingdom describes the earthly kingdom God will set up that will crush all other kingdoms and fill the earth.
Daniel 7:14 — This verse describes the Son receiving an everlasting kingdom, and all people, nations, and languages serving Him as King of kings and Lord of lords.
John 3:3 — Les uses Jesus' words to Nicodemus to show that a person must be born again to enter the literal, physical, political kingdom that is coming.
Colossians 1:13 — Believers are now translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, which is presently in heaven and will come to earth with Christ.
The Bible speaks of an earthly kingdom that God will establish. Daniel 2:44 says that in the days of the Gentile kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed; it will break in pieces and consume all other kingdoms and stand forever. Daniel 7:14 describes one like the Son of man receiving dominion, glory, and a kingdom, and all people, nations, and languages serving Him with an everlasting dominion. These passages point to a real, visible kingdom over which Christ rules. Isaiah 11:6-9 describes the physical transformation of that kingdom: the wolf dwells with the lamb, the leopard lies down with the kid, a little child leads them, and the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord. John 3:3 and Colossians 1:13 show that entrance into this kingdom requires the new birth and that believers have already been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son.
Les Feldick teaches that "the kingdom is the kingdom is the kingdom" — there is only one kingdom in Scripture, and it is the kingdom that God the Son will bring from heaven and set up on the earth when He returns. It is not an ethereal, invisible realm only, although it certainly has a spiritual dimension. Les describes it as spiritual, physical, and political all at once. Spiritually it will be a kingdom of righteousness, holiness, sinlessness, with no death and no curse. Physically it will be visible on the earth, with transformed animal life — the wolf and the lamb dwelling together and children playing safely among wild animals — and with productive land and no poverty or famine. Politically it will be a worldwide kingdom because Christ will rule over the whole planet as King of kings and Lord of lords from Jerusalem. Les also stresses that believers today are already citizens of this kingdom because they have been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, which is presently located in heaven. When Christ returns and brings the heavenly kingdom with Him, believers will be with Him and will rule and reign with Him over the glorious kingdom.
No. Les Feldick says the kingdom is not merely a spiritual, ethereal, invisible kingdom, although the spiritual aspect is involved. He explains that the kingdom is spiritual, physical, and political, and it will come to its fruition when Christ returns and sets it up on the earth. Even Jesus' statement that the kingdom is "within you" does not make it only inward; Les teaches that Jesus meant a person must have an inner spiritual relationship with God in order to become part of the literal, physical, political kingdom that is one day coming on the earth.
Les says the citizens of the kingdom who fill the earth will be normal flesh-and-blood people who will have children, work, and produce — but in the absence of sin and in the absence of the adversary, under the perfect righteous rule of Christ the King. The kingdom will cover the whole earth, not just Palestine, and the earth will be glorious and productive. Weapons will be beaten into plowshares, and there will be no want, no poverty, and no famine. The animal kingdom will be transformed, so the wolf and lamb dwell together and children play among wild animals safely.
Les says Christ will rule and reign upon the earth from the city of Jerusalem, the city of peace. His reign will be over the whole planet, not just the land of Israel. He will be King of kings and Lord of lords, and the kingdom that Daniel prophesied will cover the whole earth. The kingdom will be a visible, viable, governmental, political kingdom when He takes that throne.
Les teaches that church-age believers are already citizens of the kingdom because Colossians 1 says they have been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, which is presently located in heaven. When God the Son leaves heaven and brings the heavenly kingdom with Him to set up the earthly kingdom, believers will be with Him. If a believer is truly, genuinely born from above, he will rule and reign with Christ over that glorious kingdom.
The Kingdom Today: In Heaven with Christ Until He Returns
Les explains that the kingdom of heaven is the same kingdom that will be set up on earth; since Christ is currently in heaven, the kingdom is presently in heaven with Him, and it is spiritual, physical, and political.
Spiritual, Physical, and Political — All in One Kingdom
Les summarizes the kingdom as spiritual (righteousness, holiness, sinlessness, no death, no curse), physical (wolf and lamb dwell together, children with wild animals), and political (Christ as King of kings over the whole earth), and says believers will rule and reign with Him.
Flesh-and-Blood Citizens Under Christ's Perfect Rule
Normal flesh-and-blood people will fill the earth during the kingdom, having children, working, and producing, but in the absence of sin and Satan, under Christ's perfect righteous rule; believers will not be part of that flesh-and-blood population but will interface with them.
The Heavenly Kingdom Becomes the Earthly Kingdom
Believers today have been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, which is now in heaven; when Christ returns He will bring that kingdom with Him and set up a visible, governmental, political kingdom as King of kings and Lord of lords.
One Kingdom, Already Home to Believers
Les repeats that the kingdom is the kingdom is the kingdom; there is only one kingdom in Scripture, and it will be set on the earth, with believers already citizens and part of it when the Son returns.
Christ Rules from Jerusalem
The kingdom is promised to be on the earth, not only a distant heaven; Christ will rule and reign from the city of Jerusalem on the earth.
The Kingdom "Within You" Means an Inner Relationship, Not an Inward-Only Kingdom
Jesus' statement about the kingdom being within does not mean the kingdom is invisible; it means you must have an inner spiritual relationship with God to become part of the literal, physical, political kingdom coming on earth.
Daniel's Stone Kingdom: A Physical, Political, Worldwide Kingdom
The kingdom Daniel prophesied will be on the whole earth, glorious and productive; swords will become plowshares, there will be no war, no famine, no curse, and Christ will rule over the planet.
Isaiah 11:6-9: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
This passage describes the physical peace and transformation of the animal world during the earthly kingdom.
Daniel 2:44: And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
This verse shows that God Himself will establish an everlasting earthly kingdom that replaces all human kingdoms.
Daniel 7:14: And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
This verse portrays Christ receiving universal dominion as King of kings and Lord of lords.
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.
Les uses this verse to show that a spiritual relationship with God is required to enter the literal kingdom.
Colossians 1:13: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
This verse shows that believers are already citizens of Christ's kingdom, which is presently in heaven.
Les says yes. The kingdom of heaven is going to be the kingdom on earth — it is the same kingdom. He repeats that "the kingdom is the kingdom is the kingdom," meaning there is only one kingdom in Scripture, and it will be set up on earth when Christ returns.
Les teaches that since Christ returned to heaven, the kingdom went with Him into heaven. Believers have been translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son, and that kingdom is presently located in heaven. When Christ returns, He will bring the heavenly kingdom with Him and set up the earthly kingdom.
No, according to Les. He says believers will not be part of the flesh-and-blood population that fills the earth during the kingdom; instead, they will be with Christ and will rule and reign with Him, interfacing with that population.
Yes. Daniel 2:44 says the kingdom God sets up will never be destroyed and will stand forever. Les also says this promised kingdom will go right on into eternity, but it will be on the earth with Christ ruling from Jerusalem.
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