The Doctrine of the Kingdom - Part 2

The Dispensational View
The growth of Dispensationalism can probably be attributed most greatly to Liberalism as to anything else. Dispensationalism grew not because of its minor doctrines, many of which have been rejected by present-day Dispensationalists, but because of its major doctrine of the authority and inerrancy of Scripture. People of the early Twentieth Century embraced Dispensationalism in reaction against Liberalism. And for that reason it is quite possible that other doctrines were not investigated as closely as needed, as has been evidenced by the abandoning of some doctrines in recent years (e.g. Modern Dispensationalism, Progressive Dispensationalism, etc.).

Traditional Dispensationalism taught that Christ came to establish an earthly kingdom. He came offering this kingdom to the nation of Israel, but they rejected it and therefore God’s plan was postponed. Dispensationalists assert that not only did God not yet establish His Kingdom among men; he has two people of His own. They assert that the Church is God’s people in the New Testament and the nation of Israel is God’s people in the Old Testament. The lines are kept distinct. Israel is not the Church and the Church is not Israel. Furthermore, they draw a distinction between the term “Kingdom of God” and “Kingdom of Heaven.” Ladd points out that this begins “from the premise that all Old Testament prophecies to Israel must be fulfilled literally.” Therefore, the “Kingdom of God”, according to Dispensationalists, is the rule of God over all, while the “Kingdom of Heaven” is the earthly rule that Jesus offered but was rejected. It is this kingdom that He will establish on earth, as a literal, earthly monarchy when He returns the time after the next, seven and a half years after the Rapture. Furthermore, the Sermon on the Mount is not prescribed for the present dispensation, but will be the Law for the Kingdom of Heaven in the later dispensation.

Therefore, according to Dispensationalists, the Kingdom is yet to come. The Kingdom will be a literal, earthly Kingdom. Christ will rule in an earthly manner. Yet there are problems that arise when this view is examined. First, in Matthew 25:31-46 is written the establishment of the Kingdom. In verse 34 he gives the Kingdom that is the inheritance to the sheep on the right. He separates the sheep on the left and sends them to eternal judgment (v. 41). Yet, according to the Dispensational view, there shall be unbelievers in the Kingdom (see also Rev. 20:7-10 where it speaks of Satan’s deception at the end of the Thousand Year Reign.) Their literal method of interpretation cannot render a solution to this. Furthermore, Luke 11:20 and 17:21 state that the Kingdom itself is in the midst. Of course, the response would be that this is the Kingdom of God not the Kingdom of Heaven (which is mentioned only in Matthew and is arguably a synonym of the term “Kingdom of God”). Additionally, Dispensationalists claim that the pearl of great price in Matthew 13:45 is the Church and the field is Israel. However, literal interpretation could not render this result. Additional examples could be provided, but suffice to say that Dispensationalists interpret Scripture literally when it fits their theological framework and they do not when it is not fitting. The only exceptions to this observation are those theological positions of traditional Dispensationalism that have been abandoned by modern-day Dispensationalists recognizing the truth of Scripture. It should also be stated that Dispensationalists make the same accusation against Covenant Theologians regarding the system of theology governing their hermeneutic.

Finally, it was noted that Dispensationlists claim Jesus came to earth to offer His kingdom to the nation of Israel, but that Israel rejected it. But has God ever worked that way? Did He give the Law “hoping” that the nation of Israel would abide by it perfectly and be saved? Did He establish the Jewish monarchy to save the nation politically? Did He send the prophets to give the nation of Israel a “chance” to repent? The answer is most clearly “NO!” God foreshadowed the salvation he was to bring, that only He could bring, to mankind in greater and greater detail through history. What man could not accomplish through the Law to save himself, Christ could accomplish for all God’s people by perfectly fulfilling it. That which David could never have done, no matter how perfectly he ruled or how willing his subjects were to him, Christ sovereignly and mightily does through His Kingly office. What no prophet could do in the hearts of a stubborn people, Jesus Christ accomplished and the Holy Spirit works to regenerate people’s hearts of stone and turn them into hearts of flesh. Christ’s entrance into the world was to die and thereby establish the Kingdom, not simply offer it as some impotent religious figure. In fact, he did not offer His kingdom; He established His kingdom, as the sovereign of all!