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THE CHURCH and

THE KINGDOM

Part 1

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Many prophecies, and promises in the Old Testament have predicted the

Messiah, the coming of Jesus.

Here we will consider Jesus' trial and death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, where Jesus took His place at

the right hand of God, ruling His kingdom.

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John 4:7-26; "I who speak to you am he"Mark 1:15; "The kingdom of God is

near"Matthew 26:29; "Drink it anew in my

father's kingdom"John 18:36; "My kingdom is not of this

world"Luke 22:66-70; "Will be seated on the

right hand of the almighty God"

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THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND

In the above scriptures the statements about the kingdom say

that it is near, coming soon. Later in the study we will look at some passages that refer to the kingdom as being established in

the present tense.

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Jesus has indeed established His kingdom.

The people around Jesus were wanting to know when Jesus was going to come in

his kingdom. Most of them were thinking of an earthly kingdom of the

Israelites. They did not understand that it was to be a spiritual kingdom, that it was for all people, and that Jesus would rule

from heaven.

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The Kingdom of God was prophesied in the

Old Testament lets look at one of these in

the book of Daniel

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NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAMNEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM“Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar‘s

reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. Then the

king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell

the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream. Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in

Aramaic, O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.“

Daniel 2:1-4

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“The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, My decision is firm: if you do not make known

the dream to me, and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be

made an ash heap. However, if you tell the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive

from me gifts, rewards, and great honour. Therefore tell me the dream and its

interpretation. They answered again and said, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we

will give its interpretation.” Daniel 2:5-7

I. NEB. CONCEALS HIS DREAM (2:1-13)I. NEB. CONCEALS HIS DREAM (2:1-13)

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“The king answered and said, I know for certain that you would gain time, because you see that my

decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me, there is only one decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation. The Chaldeans answered the

king, and said, There is not a man on earth who can tell the king's matter; therefore no king, lord, or

ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean.” Daniel 2:8-10

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“It is a difficult thing that the king requests, and there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went out, and they began killing the wise men; and they sought Daniel and his companions,

to kill them”. Daniel 2:11-13

I. NEB. CONCEALS HIS DREAM (2:1-13)

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A. Uselessness Of False Religion (2:2, 12;)

1. Idolatry & Occult Condemned (Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Revelation 21:8).

2. Applies to Horoscope, Ouija Board, Tarot Cards, Channeling, Séance,

Charms, Transcendental Meditation, Etc.

3. Clear Difference (Acts 8:9-13; 13:5-12; 19:13-20).

I. NEB. CONCEALS HIS DREAM (2:1-13)

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B. When Tested, Found False (2:7-12; 1 John. 4:1)

1. Did any of these predict 9/11?

2. Modern claims (Acts 3:1-10 & 4:13-22)

2. GOD REVEALS THE DREAM (Daniel 2:14-24)

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A. He Knows Our Inner Thoughts (John 1:43-49; Psalm. 139:1-12, 23-24)!

B. His Word Reveals The Heart (Hebrews 4:12-13 ;1 Corinthians 14:23-25)

C. But We Can Have Confidence Before Him (1 John 3:19-24)!

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAMNEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM

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“...abide in Him; that, if He shall be

manifested, we may have boldness, and not

be ashamed before Him at His coming...”

(1 John 2:28-29).

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAMNEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM

3. DANIEL INTERPRETS THE DREAM (Daniel 2:25-45)

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A. Head of Gold = Babylon

B. Breast & Arms Of Silver = Medo-Persians

C. Belly & Thighs Of Brass = Greeks

D. Legs Of Iron With Feet Of Clay & Iron = Roman Empire

E. Stone Cut Without Hands = God’s Kingdom (John 18:33-37, Revelation 1:9;

5:9-10).

NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAMNEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM

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“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, "The secret which the king

has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the

soothsayers cannot declare to the king. "But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your

head upon your bed, were these:” Daniel 2:27+28

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"As for you, O king, thoughts came to your mind while on your bed, about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals

secrets has made known to you what will be. "But as for me, this secret has not been

revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our

sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart”. Daniel 2:29-30

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The Head of Gold“You, O king, are a king of

kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom,

power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men

dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand,

and has made you ruler over them all-you are this head of

gold.” Daniel 2:37+38

Babylon

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Chest/Arms of Silver"But after you shall

arise another kingdom inferior to

yours . . . Daniel 2:39

Medo-Persian

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Belly/Thighs of Bronze"But after you shall

arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then

another, a third kingdom of bronze,

which shall rule over all the earth.

Daniel 2:39

Greece

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Legs/Feet of Iron/Clay “And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron

breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that

crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and

partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw

the iron mixed with ceramic clay.” Daniel 2:40+41

Rome

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Legs/Feet of Iron/Clay “And as the toes of the feet

were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall

be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another,

just as iron does not mix with clay”. Daniel 2:42+43Rome

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“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which

shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all

these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the

bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold-the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this.

The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure. Daniel 2:44+45

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Head of Gold

Chest/Arms of Silver

Belly/Thighs of Bronze

Feet/Legs of Iron/Clay

Stone

Destroyed Im

age

Filled th

e Earth

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We can look back now and see the prophecies of the Old Testament,

listen to the teaching of Jesus while on earth, and understand that the Kingdom was about to become a

reality. It was to be a blessing to men from

then till the end of time

THE CHURCH and the KINGDOM