Well yes, that's a great passage to quote in this regard. It doesn't set aside the passages about Israel's inheritance of the Millennial Kingdom, nor about the inheritance of Christian nations of the Millennial Kingdom. But it does point out that unless there is a true spiritual conversion, the fallen flesh will disqualify anybody in the Millennium from inheriting God's eternal Kingdom, even while it rules on the earth. They will die, and be only a temporary inhabitant of that Kingdom age, and will not inherit it for eternity.
Your view of Rev 11 seems strange, with all due respect. It is talking about the inception of the Messianic Kingdom, and not just the Kingdom of the Father! And if that's when Messiah's reign begins, then it must be a future Kingdom, not yet here.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:33:
“seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
As an American citizen you owe your allegiance to the American flag. But there is a higher allegiance. That is to Christ, because He is your King. The kingdom of God overrides every earthly kingdom. You are a Christian 1st, and an American 2nd.
When someone gets saved they enter into the kingdom of God, which is a spiritual kingdom and incorporates the whole domain over-which the Lord Jesus Christ exercises spiritual control. This kingship refers to the whole realm in which the rule of man becomes the rule of God; it is the area where the law of God and of righteousness are pre-eminent.
In John 3:3 Jesus declared:
“Except a man be born again (or born from above),
he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
We experience the kingdom of God through supernatural birth from above whereby we are supernaturally changed from a child of darkness to a child of God. Be assured, we cannot change ourselves. It must be a new birth.
Jesus continues in John 3:5,
“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
One can only “see” and “enter” the kingdom of God by grace through faith. None of us can earn it. None of us deserve it. Before you pat yourself on the back, remember even faith is a gift from God.
Ephesians 2:8-9:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
How do I know that the king is reigning in my heart?
We get a clue in Romans 14:17-18. It says,
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ (1)
is acceptable to God, and (2)
approved of men.”
As natural men we sometimes get captivated with earthly matters or earthly needs. We have a habit of letting them become the focus and our main concern.
The kingdom of God is not primarily directed toward the physical needs of man but rather his spiritual needs.
The kingdom is summed up in 3 words:
· righteousness
· peace
· joy
This passage nails the lie of those that believe the kingdom of God is some physical temporal kingdom that can be naturally observed or enjoyed. It is not that! It is rather a spiritual kingdom, which is spiritually enjoyed.
This is the very reason why the Pharisees missed Jesus and missed the kingdom. They had a wrong perception of it.
Scripture shows us the proof that you have entered the kingdom of God.
· If you have experienced the righteousness of Christ you can consequently manifest the righteousness of Christ.
· If you have experienced the peace of Christ you can consequently manifest the peace of Christ.
· If you have experienced the joy of the Lord you can consequently manifest the joy of the Lord.
There should be a major difference between the character of those that are under divine authority and those that are not under divine authority. Don’t tell me that it is difficult to differentiate between the two. I don’t believe it.
B.H. Clendinning says: “The kingdom of God is the Holy Ghost in you, making Jesus Lord over every faculty of your being. That is the place where your … reason for living is to do the will of God.”