Pentecost writes further under "THE THEOCRATIC KINGDOM OFFER WITHDRAWN AND POSTPONED AFTER THE REJECTION BY ISRAEL":
"It has been shown in tracing the theme of the Gospel of Matthew that the pivotal point in the Lord’s ministry to Israel was reached in the twelfth chapter, where the rejection of Israel by Christ, because of their announced rejection of Him, and the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom is recorded. Gaebelein, speaking of the events in chapters eleven and twelve, says: “It is the great turning point in this Gospel and with it the offer of our Lord to Israel as their King, as well as the offer of the Kingdom ceases.” Barnhouse notes the importance of the event recorded in Matthew 12:14- 15:
The hatred in the hearts of the religious leaders had come to the point where they held a council against Him, how that they might destroy Him (Mt. 12:14). It was then that there occurred an act, so dramatic and so significant that we must not fail to see it. We read that “when Jesus knew it”—knew that they were holding a council against Him—“He withdrew Himself from thence” (v. 15). It was a sad day for Israel. When the Messiah of Israel withdrew Himself from His people, there could be nothing but bitterness left in their cup."
The rejection of Jesus as Israel's King and Messiah was a rejection of the kingdom promised in the old testament scriptures. Further, as we have seen, their acceptance of Jesus as Lord and King will occur in conjunction with Christ' second coming.
Pentecost continues:
"Because the nation has rejected Him, the Lord announces the severance of every natural tie by which He was bound to the nation (Matt. 12:46-50).
From this announcement of the Lord concerning the rejection of the nation a definite movement may be traced in the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom. In the parables (Matt. 13: 1-50) the Lord outlines the program in the development of the theocratic kingdom during the period of the King’s absence, and announces the inception of an entirely new, unheralded, and unexpected program—the church (Matt. 16:13-20). He prepares the disciples for a long delay in the kingdom program as it relates to Israel (Luke 19:11-27). He promises the second advent, at which time the kingdom program with Israel will be resumed (Matt. 24:27-31), and gives the nation signs that will herald His second advent (Matt. 24:4-26). He prepares the disciples for their ministry in the new age (John 14-16), but promises them participation in the kingdom, despite its delay (Matt. 19:28-30; Luke 22:28-30). The Lord even gives to the disciples a miniature and premature picture of the second coming of Christ to establish His kingdom (Matt. 16:27-17:8). Thus we see the Lord is preparing the disciples for the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom and the institution of a new program and age before the kingdom program is consummated."
We are in the time of Christ' absence and in the time when his kingdom has been delayed until his second coming. His kingdom is to some extent realized by every individual Jew or Gentile, or by the church, but the full realization will occur when Christ comes. So Paul connects Christ future appearing with the coming of the kingdom. (II Tim. 4: 1)
Pentecost continues:
"In the Lord’s public ministry there is a progression of announcements that assert the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom. The announcement of the woes upon the leaders of the nation (Matt. 23) signifies that they have no expectation but that of judgment. The statement of the Lord is final:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord [Matt. 23:37-39].
If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation [Luke 19:42-44]. …Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled [Luke 21:24].
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof [Matt. 21:42-43].
There are two explanations of the “nation” to whom the kingdom of God was now to be given. (1) The first explanation understands the word nation as “generation” and would interpret the passage thus: the kingdom of God, which is being offered to this generation, will no longer be offered to this generation of Israel, but will be offered to that generation of Israel living in a future day before the advent of Christ, which manifests belief in the coming of Messiah by their works. This is to say that the kingdom, then being offered, will again be offered to Israel prior to the second advent. This is in keeping with the promise that the gospel of the kingdom will be preached again and accepted by a remnant in Israel (Matt 24:14). (2) The second explanation interprets the word nation in reference to the Gentiles, to whom the good news would go after the death of Christ and through whom the kingdom program would be developed (the mystery program of Matt. 13) until its final realization at the second advent.
Whichever of these two views be adopted, the Lord’s word still constitutes the announcement of the withdrawal of the offer of the kingdom to Israel at that time because of their rejection of Him as Messiah."
First, let us notice two times in the above texts where our Lord uses the word "till" or "until" in regard to the time when the kingdom will be restored to Israel. The kingdom will not be restored to Israel "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." The kingdom will not be restored, and Christ will not come again, until the nation is converted, until they say "blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
Pentecost continues in Chapter XXVII titled "THE KINGDOM PROGRAM IN THE PRESENT AGE":
"That God is continuing the development of His over-all theocratic kingdom program has been presented previously in the study of the parables in Matthew 13. It was entirely unknown in the Old Testament that a great interval of time would intervene between the offer of the kingdom by Messiah at His coming to the earth and the reception of that offer. The parables of Matthew 13 reveal the whole course of the development of the theocratic kingdom from the rejection of the King by Israel during His first advent until His reception as Messiah by Israel at His second advent. In commenting on Luke 19:11-27, Peters develops the whole program. He writes:
Jesus uttered this parable “because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear.” In His reply there is no intimation…that the Jews were mistaken in their idea of the kingdom, and that, if modern notions are correct, the Kingdom had already come and was established. If this had been so, then the answer of Jesus would be cruelly irrelevant; but with the proper conception of the Kingdom it is finely consistent and forcibly expressed. For there is (as there could not be) no declaration that they were wrong in believing that the Kingdom which they expected, the Messianic, was still in the future. They were only mistaken in the opinion, carefully announced, “that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear.” Now the parable is given to correct this belief in the immediate setting up of the Kingdom, but only after an undefined period of time had elapsed. For He represents Himself as a nobleman, who, having a right to the Kingdom, goes “into a far country to receive” (to have His title confirmed) “for Himself a Kingdom, and to return.” During His absence His servants “occupy till I come.” Then after an interval of time, not definitely stated, the period having come to enter upon His reign, having received the Kingdom, He returns, judgment follows, and those who rejected Him (saying, “we will not have this man to reign over us”) are destroyed. Here we have: (1) the Jews thought that the Kingdom would now appear; (2) but it was not nigh, for (a) He would leave, (b) they had refused His proffered reign, (c) those, however, who were devoted to Him should “occupy” until He returned, (d) during His absence there was no Kingdom, being gone to receive the power to reign; (3) He would return and then manifest His acquired power…in the establishment of His Kingdom. Thus we have the absence, and then “the appearing and Kingdom” of Christ."
Why did Jesus in Acts 1: 6-7 not answer the question of the apostles by saying "there is to be no restoration of the kingdom to Israel"? Or why did he not say "the kingdom is being replaced by the church"? Amillennialists say that the question by the apostles manifested their misunderstanding about the nature of the kingdom and that the reason why Christ answered the way he did was because he was in a hurry to depart into the heavens and would save correcting them to another time and by the later teaching of the Holy Spirit. I find that totally untenable however for several reasons. Let us notice these comments from the commentaries of Albert Barnes and John Gill:
"It is not for you to know - The question of the apostles respected the time of the restoration; it was not whether he would do it." (Barnes)
"...when should be the time, the day, and hour of the coming of the son of man, when he shall set up his kingdom in a more glorious manner, and the kingdoms of this world shall become his; or when the kingdom shall be restored to Israel." (Gill)
I believe these two comments are spot on.
In concluding this short series I want to address a common objection by Amillennialists about the nature of the promised kingdom of God. One of the adjectives they use to deny a literal kingdom on earth is the word "political." They deny that the kingdom of God will be a political rule on earth, believing that such a description denies that the kingdom is spiritual. But, nothing could be further from the truth.
Political (or governmental) Rule
The Kingdom that will be realized when Christ comes again will see a mass conversion of the Jews and the destruction of those Jews who refuse to submit to him. This kingdom will also involve the Jewish nation becoming leaders over the Gentile nations in the next age to come (or the millennium). It will be a literal kingdom and political, and involve the elimination of sickness and disease, and of death for many, and also a new heavens and earth. The church also will be in a leadership position in that age. So we read in the Book of Revelation:
"The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father." (Rev. 2: 26-27)
We see this repeated in the twentieth chapter where we read where the resurrected saints are seated on thrones. We also see it in connection with the second coming of Christ in Rev. 11: 5 where the text reads:
"Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.'"
That shows that the reign of Christ and that of his people is 1) yet future, and 2) involves political rule over the nations of the earth in the millennial age of the kingdom.
Another verse that shows us the political aspect of the reign of Christ and his people is seen in the prophecy of Daniel who wrote:
"Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him." Dan. 7: 27)
Though some Amillennialists want to say that this prophecy has been fulfilled in the church institution, it is clear that it is not. The "kingdoms under heaven" denotes every nation and its governments and its fulfillment is seen in Rev. 11: 5 and occurs in the time of Christ' coming again (or his Apocalypse). This taking over the political rule or government of the nations of the world is also described by the prophet Isaiah when he wrote:
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end." (Isa. 9: 6-7)
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