The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament

When Jesus Christ began his ministry of three and a half years nearly 2000 years ago, he went about preaching the Kingdom of God. “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). Later, when he sent his disciples out he commanded them to preach, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:7).

The good news concerning the establishing of the Kingdom of God was the focal point of Christ’s ministry. The underlying theme of the entire Bible is in the establishment of the world ruling government or Kingdom of God. All of God’s true servants have looked forward to the establishment of God’s Kingdom. It has been a subject of primary concern to all of them, without exception, from the very beginning (Hebrews 11:13-16). These all sought the promise — the same promise every Christian should seek, an inheritance in God’s Kingdom (Hebrews 12:28).
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Worship of the Dead?

Heathen cultures and religions in many parts of the world involve some form of worship directed toward dead heroes or ancestors.

Religious observances such as Hallowmas, which begins on the evening of October 31, or Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve), preserve to one extent or another, depending on the region, widespread ancient customs and superstitions directly associated with the worship of the dead. As does the “secular” observance of Halloween itself.

Does God’s Word have anything to say about customs involving worship of the dead? Should Christians participate in the Halloween custom?

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The Two Covenants — Part 1

In the world of professing Christianity exists mass confusion regarding God’s laws — his commandments, and how they relate to salvation, eternal life in the Kingdom and family of God.

By understanding the place of the Old Covenant in God’s plan, and how it relates to the New Covenant, much of this confusion, if not all of it, can be replaced by an understanding of the vital importance of obedience to the commandments of God in terms of salvation, as well as temporal happiness and blessings for all, and how they apply today.

“The Two Covnants — Part 1” audio recording by Rod Reynolds, COGMessenger is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

God of Justice

Jesus Christ is coming soon to administer his government over the entire world, according to Scripture. Among the qualities of that government to rule all nations, we are assured, is justice. What makes God, the God of the Bible, “the God of justice”?

Please note: A reference is made in this sermon to II Kings 3:28, which is a not the scripture intended. The correct reference is I Kings 3:28.

The Two Covenants (Part 4)

What is the nature and effect of sin? Why is the Holy Spirit essential to salvation? How are these questions related to the “Old Covenant” that God made with Israel? Continue reading to find the answers!

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