The Coming of the Kingdom of God
February 16, 2022
Commentary
The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would appear (v. 20). Their question was legitimate but it was also tragic. Jesus had been ministering among them for three years and these men were still in spiritual darkness. They did not understand who Jesus was or what He was seeking to do.
Jesus says, “the kingdom of God is within you.” One thing for certain is that He was not telling those unbelieving Pharisees that the kingdom of God is in their hearts (v.21). It seems that He was saying,"Don’t look for the kingdom unless the King is first in your heart.” The Pharisees were so preoccupied with the great events of the future that they were ignoring the opportunities of the present. Still today we must resist looking to institutions or programs for evidence of the progress of God’s kingdom. Instead we should look for what God is doing in peoples hearts.
Having spoken to the Pharisees of His messianic kingdom, Christ now turns to the disciples to explain how men shall one day desire to see the kingdom, but will not be able to(v. 22). He compares the days of Noah and Lot to the time when He will return in judgment with power and glory. Both Noah and Lot lived in days of religious compromise and moral decline (vv. 23-37). In those days men went about without any thought of God. It will be the same when Christ comes back to set up His kingdom. In fact, the discerning believer can see on every hand how the days of compromise and moral decline are increasing, as it was in the days of Noah and Lot.
Application
Am I really looking, with great expectation, for our Lord’s return? Do I really want to see Him come or do I have things I want to do first?
Luke 17:20– 37 (NET)
20 Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
22 Then he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. 23 Then people will say to you, ‘Look, there he is!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ Do not go out or chase after them. 24 For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. 26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage—right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; 29 but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, anyone who is on the roof, with his goods in the house, must not come down to take them away, and likewise the person in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 There will be two women grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”
37 Then the disciples said to him, “Where, Lord?” He replied to them, “Where the dead body is, there the vultures will gather.”
Illustration: Passing Out Apricots in an Army Chow Line
A young psychology student serving in the Army decided to test a theory. Drawing kitchen duty, he was given the job of passing out apricots at the end of the chow line. He asked the first few soldiers that came by, “You don’t want any apricots, do you?” Ninety percent said “No.” Then he tried the positive approach: “You do want apricots, don’t you?” About half answered, “Uh, yeah. I’ll take some.” Then he tried a third test, based on the fundamental either/or selling technique. This time he asked, “One dish of apricots or two?” And in spite of the fact that soldiers don’t like Army apricots, 40 percent took two dishes and 50 percent took one! (Bits & Pieces, May 26, 1994, pp. 9-10).