Many passages appear to suggest that Christ's Kingdom arrived in the first century. Is this true, or are we to look forward to this kingdom?
"Kingdom of Heaven"
- Matthew 3:2: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
- Matthew 4:17: "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"
"Kingdom of God"
- Matthew 12:28: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."
- Mark 1:15: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- Luke 11:20: "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you."
- Luke 17:20-21: "[Behold], the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
- Luke 10:9: "Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’"
- Acts 28:31: "Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."
- Daniel 2:44: "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever" (cf. Dan. 7:27).
Simply "Kingdom"
- Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
- Colossians 1:13: "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,"
- Psalm 103:19: "The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all."
The list of verses that suggest the kingdom has arrived seem quite numerous, including, but not limited to the following: Matthew 4:17, 6:33, 13:11, 16:19, 19:14, 25:34, Mark 1:15, Luke 12:32, John 3:3, 3:5, 18:36, Acts 28:23, Romans 14:17, etc. (There are many others.)
How should we view this matter, particularly in terms of Luke 11:20 (and perhaps Matt. 3:2)? Is the kingdom a future event, or has it "come upon us" now?
NOTE I have reordered the passages according to "Kingdom of Heaven", "Kingdom of God", and the more generic "Kingdom" for a bit more clarity.