This Gospel of the Kingdom
Bob Yandian
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)
Will The Rapture Occur Only When The World Is Evangelized?
I believe the coming of Jesus for His Church is very soon. Based on world conditions compared to scriptures, I believe it won’t be long before Jesus returns for us, and the unbelieving world will enter seven years of the Tribulation. But there are many who challenge me on this thought based on our opening scripture which says the end will not come until all nations have heard the gospel. These Bible teachers and ministers refer to statistics telling us which nations and people groups have not been reached with the gospel and must be reached before Jesus can return and remove all believers.
My belief has always been that this verse refers to the tribulation. But, other than the contexts, I had no real definitive answer. The gospel will be preached in every nation of the world and then the end of the tribulation will come. If this verse is saying that Jesus cannot come back for His church until every nation has heard the gospel, it is the only verse that teaches it. No other verse teaches worldwide evangelism before Jesus comes to take believers to heaven.
If Matthew 24:14 is referring to the end of the Church Age coming when all nations are evangelized, then Paul was confused when he made statements thinking he himself would see the coming of Jesus for the Church (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). He was just beginning to see the Gentile cities and nations evangelized and included himself in the number who would be taken, “we who are alive and remain, shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
The Key is The Title – “This Gospel of the Kingdom”
This title for Jesus’ message, “this gospel of the kingdom,” was used to introduce Jesus’ message in the beginning of His ministry. The gospel of the kingdom included salvation and healing to the Jewish people. The first mention of this gospel of the kingdom is:
“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23).
“Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35).
“After John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand (very close)” (Mark 1:14-15).
What is the Kingdom?
Although the present kingdom is certainly found in the Church, this kingdom (Luke 17:21). Jesus was not referring to the church or the church age, but the millennial kingdom. Jesus will one day introduce His one-thousand-year reign over the earth. It will be introduced at the end of the Tribulation, at the second coming of Jesus, after the Battle of Armageddon and the judgment of the nations.
Then Jesus will remove Satan, fallen angels, demons, all unbelievers, and the curse on nature. The Church Age will have ended at the rapture and the seven years of the Tribulation will have ended the Jewish Age. The earth will enter the time of the Kingdom of God on earth.
What is the Gospel of the Kingdom?
The gospel of the kingdom anticipated the coming millennial kingdom. The one-thousand-year reign of Jesus on earth. The gospel of the kingdom was preached only to the Jews. “Jesus came to His own and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11).
“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).
“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But rather go to the lost sheep of the house Israel” (Matthew 10:5).
The Gospel of the Kingdom is Only to be Preached during the Age of Israel
Daniel’s seventy weeks (490 years) stopped at the cross at 69 weeks (483 years) and has one final week to go (7 years of the Tribulation). The Church age has been inserted between Daniel’s sixty-ninth and seventieth week.
There is still seven years left of Jewish time (one week) and that will be the Tribulation, Daniel’s seventieth week. After Jesus rose from the dead, the gospel of the kingdom was put on hold.
The disciples of Jesus knew the millennium was close. Only seven years from the very day Jesus was crucified. After Jesus’ resurrection, they questioned Him before He arose to heaven and said, “Lord, will you at this time, restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus answered, It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:6-7). Jesus had already indicated to them future events such as the dispersion of the Jewish nation and the destruction of the temple. So, Jesus let them know it was changed, but they did not realize it until after the Day of Pentecost.
The Age of Israel ended abruptly at the resurrection of Jesus and will resume after the Church is removed. Then the gospel of the kingdom will be preached again for seven years.
What is the Title of the Gospel We Preach Today?
Everything on God’s prophetic calendar changed after the resurrection of Jesus. The Day of Pentecost introduced the Church Age and a whole new section of the Bible was added. The epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James, Titus, and Jude. These books were written for the nations and were to be taken to them. The gospel of the kingdom was shelved, and the gospel was introduced. After Jesus rose from the dead and before He left to be seated in Heaven beside the Father, He gave commands of what the disciples were to preach. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel, to all creation” (Mark 16:15). They fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia and to the surrounding region. And they were preaching the gospel there (Acts 14:6-7). The gospel is preached to all. The gospel to the uncircumcised (Gentiles) was given to Paul and the gospel to the circumcised (Jews) was given to Peter (Galatians 2:7).
Our gospel points to the coming of Jesus for the Church. Once the Church is gone and Daniel’s seventieth week begins, the tribulation, the gospel message, will announce the coming millennial reign of Jesus again.
What Are God’s Instructions to You Today?
Go into all the world and preach the gospel, believe on Jesus as your savior and Lord, and you will be saved. Then, LOOK UP, your redemption is very close. The rise of evangelism at the end of the Church Age will keep increasing and encompass the entire world during the worst times the earth has ever seen. Where sin does abound, grace does much more abound.
