God’s first choice people will have understood from prophecies like this that a divinely appointed king would come effectively to restore the Davidic dynasty, ushering in a time of peace, justice and security focused on the race of Israel. What they will not have expected, even though His death could be understood retrospectively as being foretold in the Fourth Song of the Servant609 is that their longed-for messiah would be executed, resurrected and returned to heaven leaving the Jewish nation still under the control of her political oppressors. Our Jewish fathers in the faith would quite reasonably have expected the political aspects of prophecy to have been fulfilled for, after all, it is what their Scripture
and ours affirmed. Even the preacher of righteousness who was sent by God to “prepare the way of the Lord”, having himself been placed in prison became disillusioned and confused enough to ask:
“Are you the coming one or should we look for another?”610
Jesus’ reply to John’s disciples who had visited his prison throws further light on the present and future context of what Matthew calls “basileain ton ouranon” – the reign or kingdom of the heavens; whilst Luke and Mark, referring to the same concept use “basileain tou theou” – the reign or kingdom of God:
“So He replied to the messengers, go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor”611.
From this, the imprisoned prophet was to understand that the Kingdom of God/heaven was in the process of initiation. Symbolically at least it represented the overthrow of Satan, the one responsible for leading the world astray612 and blinding men’s minds to the truth of the gospel613, as well as being responsible for physical sickness614 and more mysteriously, the one who has been granted the power of death615 and harnesses the souls of the wicked616. Until Satan is placed out of harm’s way, God’s Kingdom cannot be fully realized.
Jesus’ ministry was evidence that the Kingdom of God was underway: this is what it would be like when Israel’s God came to reign on earth617: the healing of souls, but also the healing of bodies, society and ultimately the whole world. But that is not how it has panned 609 Is53
610 Lk7:20
611 Lk7:22
612 Rev12:9
613 2Cor4:4
614 Lk13:16; 2Cor12:7
615615 Heb2:14
616 Cf. Mt13:39; 15:13
617 Cf. Is52:7
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out. The miraculous healing activity has not been in evidence since the end of the apostolic age. The fate of “the prince of this world” was sealed on the cross618 but the fulfilment of his demise was deferred, for he still deceives its people such that they are more inclined to worship Mammon than JHWE. Further clues to the nature of the Kingdom are provided by another statement of our Lord:
“And from the days of John the Baptist till now, the kingdom of the heavens suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.”619
Jesus was referring to what John Baptist had earlier had to contend with when he was less than over-welcoming towards some who had come to him for baptism:
“Brood of vipers! Who taught you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance!”620
These were some of the Sadducees and Pharisees who had come to be baptized in the name of the coming Messiah, believing it would as the prophet said, give them final immunity from the punishment they deserved. The Jews had expected the Old Testament prophecies to be fulfilled through an administration to be established by God’s anointed one (not necessarily a deity), and that he would physically stay at the helm whilst the predictions were realized. The reason this did not come about was partly Israel’s failed historical mission as light to the Gentiles but also what Jesus came to refer to as “this faithless and perverse generation”, who even after His ascension to glory rejected the apostolic witness to His Kingship621.
As outlined in the opening chapter, Old Testament prophecy has been subverted by the fact that a universal church has been formed to replace Israel as priesthood for the world622. Jesus superseded the Temple and the Mosaic Covenant to provide a new and living way by which those who were now to make up “His peculiar people” could be spiritually united with Him and sanctified to serve as kings and priests within that Kingdom. He had become the surety of a better covenant with the Torah being replaced by the royal law of love for neighbour written on tablets of flesh in the believer’s heart623; whilst the blood of bulls and goats had been replaced sacramentally by something more precious to be appointed for sprinkling, which not only remits sin and pardons but has power to cleanse the conscience from dead works so as to serve the living God624. That was the Good News, but there was also a downside.