“The Old Testament prophets in plain language, and in glowing terms, foretold an era or age of universal righteousness and peace on this earth, under the reign of “Messiah the Prince.” That the disciples were not mistaken in their belief in such an “Earthly Kingdom,” ruled over by their promised Messiah is evident from the fact that Jesus never reproved them for holding such a belief. And after His resurrection, and previous to His Ascension, when they asked him if He would ‘at that time restore the Kingdom to Israel’ (Acts 1:6). He did not say — ‘You are mistaken in your idea of an Earthly Kingdom, but He said — ‘It is not for you to know the Times and Seasons. That is, when it should be set up.” Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth or God’s Plan and Purposes in the Ages.
Jesus himself tells us that He will return to set up His millennial kingdom:
Matthew 25:31-32:
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: (KJV)
Larkin also writes:
“The Apostolic Church was Pre-Millennial, and for over 200 years no other view was entertained. The writings of the “Church Fathers” abound in evidence of the fact. But about A.D. 250, Origen, one of the Church Fathers, conceived the idea that the words of scripture were but the “husk” in which was hid the “kernel” of scripture truth. At once he began to “Allegorize” and “Spiritualize” the Scriptures, and thus founded that school of “Allegorizing” and “Spiritualizing” interpreters of Scripture, from which the Church and the Bible have suffered so much. The result was that the Church largely ceased to look for the Lord to return and set up an earthly kingdom.”
“Kingdom now” proponents often use Luke 17:21 to support their point of view, but it may be based upon a mistranslation that has been carried forward from the KJV to the NIV.
“nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (NIV, emphasis mine)
Compare that with the NET translation:
“nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or “There!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (NET, emphasis mine)
And the NASB:
“nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst."
Context is everything when studying Scripture. In the previous passage, Luke 17:20, we read:
“Now at one point the Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was coming, so he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed,” (NET)
The NET translators point out that Jesus was talking to a group of hostile Pharisees. He would never have told them that the kingdom of God was within them!
Perhaps the strongest piece of evidence is how Jesus instructs us to pray in Luke 11:2:
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” (KJV, emphasis mine)
Only Christ Jesus can bring His kingdom. Let us pray that He brings it soon!
