The Victorious Kingdom of God
(Matthew 16:18)
Today, we don't hear a whole lot about the church as a victorious kingdom marching on to victory in this world. We do hear much about the church being taken out of the way and all hell breaking loose on this earth as the prophets of doom proclaim. The church instead of marching forth in victory seeks to escape this world and let Satan take over. At least that's what some of today's popular teaching seems to say. Yet, is that what the Bible teaches? Charles Spurgeon (1874) in commenting on Psalm 86:9 wrote, "'All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.' - David was not a believer in the theory that the world will grow worse and worse, and that the dispensation will wind up with general darkness, and idolatry. Earth's sun is to go down amid tenfold night if some of our prophetic brethren are to be believed. Not so do we expect, but we look for a day when the dwellers in all lands shall learn righteousness, shall trust in the Savior, shall worship thee alone, O God, 'and glorify thy name.' The modern notion has greatly damped the zeal of the church for missions, and the sooner it is shown to be unscriptural the better for the cause of God. It neither consorts with prophecy, honors God, nor inspires the church with ardor. Far hence be it driven." (The Puritan Hope by Iain Murray, p. xiv) Jesus saw the church not as a kingdom that would end in defeat but rather as a victorious kingdom marching forth into Satan's realm as a mighty tidal wave that could not be stopped.
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