Recently, I’ve begun a series of studies that discusses the nature of Jesus’ Second Coming and what was to be established at that coming. I’ve shown that the Jews looked for the establishment of a Messianic kingdom that would destroy their enemies, and, in the context of the first century AD, rid them of the oppression of Rome. In other words, they looked for the Messiah to establish a physical kingdom on earth, in Jerusalem, ruling from a physical throne. Jesus totally, and emphatically rejected that idea (John 6:15), which, on its face, seems to disqualify the dispensational point of view that the offer of the Kingdom was postponed due to the Jews’ rejection of Jesus. However, Jesus rejected them, and their idea of a kingdom, before they rejected him (cf. John 12:34).
Nevertheless, most Christians today believe that Jesus did set up a spiritual Kingdom in the church.[1] However, all agree that Jesus’ Second has yet to occur, but when Jesus returns he will destroy the heavens and the earth and reign in a renovated creation, i.e. a new heavens and a new earth.[2] What this means is, that the present spiritual reign of Christ will become a physical reign, whereby he reigns from a physical throne, located in physical Jerusalem in a physical Kingdom. Is this Biblical? That is, are there scriptures in the Bible that would support this claim? I don’t believe there are, and such a claim contradicts the Lord’s method of revealing truth. The physical or the types are the shadows of the spiritual (Colossians 2:16-17).
No one could be a part of the kingdom of Israel, unless he had been literally circumcised in his flesh. However, in Christ, all are circumcised spiritually, having cast off the sins of the flesh (Colossians 2:11). The physical Tabernacle (or Temple) was a shadow of the heavenly or spiritual (Hebrews 8:1-5). Moreover, the physical sacrifices offered in the Temple foreshadowed the spiritual (Romans 12:1-2; Hebrews 13:5; 1Peter 2:5).
Paul put it in a slightly different light. Notice what he claimed in his first letter to the Corinthians:
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:42-49 – emphasis mine)
Paul tells us that the natural is first, and then comes the spiritual. We are sown a natural body, but we are raised a spiritual body. We first bear the image of Adam, but afterward we bear the image of Jesus, our second or last Adam.
Therefore, if this is the modus operandi of God, i.e. from physical to spiritual or natural to spiritual, how do the futurists’ idea of a Jesus coming in a physical body to sit on a physical throne, in physical Jerusalem to reign in a physical kingdom have any merit whatsoever in the word of God. Where would we find such a doctrine in the Bible?
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[1] Premillennialism, Postmillennialism and Amillennialism all agree that the Church is the spiritual Kingdom of God during this present age. At the end of this age, Jesus’ Second Coming occurs and he establishes his Kingdom on earth. How that occurs is explained according to the eschatology of each.
[2] Some Amillennialists believe Christ simply destroys the heavens and earth and believers go to be with him in heaven.
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