Understanding the Kingdom of GodSample

The King's Heralds

In times past, kings, rulers, and emperors had heralds (or messengers). Heralds were servants tasked with proclaiming the king's decrees to all who lived under his rulership.

When someone succeeded to the throne, heralds were sent out to proclaim the new king's reign. All who heard the message were summoned to give their allegiance to the new ruler. Heralds symbolically carried the presence of the king with them. They represented the king everywhere they went. If someone were to harm the messenger, it communicated rebellion against the king. What you did to the messenger, you also did to the king.

We find the same idea when we look at the story of the early Church. The King has conquered and is now enthroned in heaven at the Father's right hand. He then sends out His disciples as heralds. They become witnesses of His reign and are commissioned to make disciples of all nations. They are to proclaim Jesus' worldwide rulership and summon all to give their allegiance to Him as King. But the King also leaves His presence with His heralds: The Holy Spirit.

As said earlier, the Holy Spirit is God's life-giving presence here on earth. The disciples are not left as orphans. They receive God's presence and power. Just as God's life-giving presence flowed from Eden and the Temple in Jerusalem, His presence now flows from the Church into all the world. Just as Adam and Eve (and Israel) were tasked with spreading the good reign of God on earth, so now the Church spreads the Gospel of the Kingdom to all nations. God's promise to Abraham is being fulfilled: All the nations shall be blessed! All the nations shall be saved!

In Acts 2, Jesus pours out His Holy Spirit on the Church. Peter receives boldness and preaches the very first Gospel sermon. If we could summarise his message in one sentence, it would be this: The God of the universe has resurrected Jesus, His Messiah, and given Him all power and authority. There is conviction in Peter's message, and all who hear are summoned to give their allegiance to Jesus as the one and only King. Three thousand souls are saved. God's new Creation begins to spread into all the earth, and the gates of Hell can not prevail against the onslaught!

The book of Acts tells us that we, as the Church, are God's heralds. We are commissioned to spread the Good News everywhere and summon all people to faith in Jesus Christ. Reflect on the people in your life who do not know God. Make it a priority to tell them about Jesus.