A Brief Book Summary from Books At a Glance
by Steve West
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 The Law: Reviving Hope in the Kingdom
2 The Prophets: Foreshadowing the Kingdom
3 The Writings: Life in the Kingdom
4 The Gospels: Embodying the Kingdom
5 Acts and the Epistles: Kingdom Community
6 Revelation: Achieving the Kingdom Goal
Conclusion: Kingdom through Cross
Summary
Introduction
The kingdom of God is the thematic framework for the narrative in Scripture. Unfortunately, many evangelicals have a reductionistic, abstracted view of the kingdom. It is not merely an ethic, or an internal reality, or even simply God’s rule and reign: it is to be understood as tangible and concrete. In Scripture, trees are often used as images of kingdoms. This imagery communicates power and rule, and ties together people and place. It is essential that we understand the kingdom as “power, people, and place.” God’s kingdom is not intangible—the vision in Revelation is of a realm where God lives with his people. From the very beginning of Scripture, kingdom combines power, people, and place. Matthew begins by revealing that Jesus is the king, the son of David, the one who will restore the kingdom and bring about the new creation. Matthew’s Gospel is about the king and his kingdom, and it is this king who will fulfill all of God’s kingdom promises.
Chapter 1: The Law: Reviving Hope in the Kingdom
In the beginning, God created people and a place. Adam and Eve are created as king and queen to rule over the earth on behalf of God, the Great King. The serpent offered them a false kingdom, corrupting God’s creation, and Adam and Eve tried to usurp God’s authority. Through their sin they experienced removal and exile, and only a new king could bring about full restoration in the world. Genesis 3:15 gives a promise of struggle and victory, where two lineages war against each other; the rest of Scripture deals with the fulfillment of this promise of the conquering king who defeats evil. God invested royal authority into humanity, but Genesis shows a downward spiral of abuse and misuse, and God has to bring judgment on the earth.
Kingdom hope is revived with God’s calling of Abram. God promised him many offspring, a great nation, and land, and also said that kings would come from his body. It is through Abram’s seed that all nations on earth would be blessed. Scripture shows how God guards this lineage, and then how the promise of this seed narrows to Judah’s line. After redeeming his people from Egypt, God as their King gives them his covenant law. God’s law was given to his people as vice-regents, showing them how to live in community in his kingdom. Leviticus shows how to live as a holy people in a holy place, but because of failure and sin, atoning blood is necessary in the kingdom plan. God was bringing his people to the Promised Land, but the first generation who approached it rebelled against him, forfeiting their place. Concrete blessings and curses came for obedience or disobedience to God’s law. Of central importance was whether the people would love and obey their King. . . .
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