By Steven Norris
When you hear the word, “kingdom,” what comes to mind? Do you think of names like Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, or King Arthur? Do you conjure up mythical kingdoms like those of Middle Earth in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings?
The word “kingdom” it is an undeniably political term. A kingdom has a king, territory, citizens, laws, and an army. These are not typically the things that come to mind when we think of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Yet, for the people of Israel, “kingdom” language had a very specific reference point in their history.
The covenant praise made to Abraham was that God was going to create from Abraham’s descendants “a great nation” (Genesis 12:2). The covenant with David was that God would place his descendent on the throne for eternity (2 Samuel 7:16). Time and time again, however, the Israelites had been slaves to one kingdom or another — Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans.
When Jesus is called “messiah,” it was expected that he would reestablish the throne of David, free the Israelites from their captivity, and establish peace and prosperity. Jesus’ earthly ministry was centered on the kingdom. His first sermon was short and to-the-point: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” His parables often started with, “the Kingdom of Heaven is like…” Wherever Jesus goes, the kingdom starts breaking out all around him — the sick are healed, the demonic are cast out, the dead are raised, and Jesus has power over nature. Gentiles, women, tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners are included among Jesus’ followers because the kingdom is at hand.
When we pray, “Your kingdom come…on earth as it is in heaven,” we are saying four very specific things. First, we are saying, “Jesus, come back. Finish what you started as you establish your kingdom on earth.” Second, we are praying that Jesus will establish his kingdom within our hearts. We are asking for God’s plan for our life, not our own. Third, we are praying for the kingdom in history — in the world around us. We want justice, peace, and love to reign in the world. We want an end to oppressive structures, enough food for the hungry, water for the thirsty, clothes for the naked, healing for the sick, and freedom for the slave. Finally, we are making an announcement about the role of the Church. As a group who has pledged allegiance to a different sovereign, we want the church to be a foretaste of the heavenly kingdom.
At the end of the day, to pray for God’s kingdom is to answer the call to conversion. It is to recognize that there is a king, and I am not it. It is to respond to the invitation to serve something greater than ourselves. It is to tear down the boundaries we have put up to separate us, to exchange allegiance to the kingdom of this world for allegiance to the kingdom of God, and to live as aliens and strangers in this world. To pray “your kingdom come” is to recognize that there is one rightful king — the Lamb who sits on the throne, reigning forevermore.