Isn’t Jesus supposed to reign over Israel?
Question:
How is it that the following verses define the church as the kingdom of Christ when it specifically states the kingdom of heaven? “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19).
It is also stated before the birth of Jesus that He will have the throne of His father David and He will reign over the house of Jacob: “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth" (Jeremiah 23:5).
God bless,
Answer:
The terms "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" are equivalent. See Are the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God different?
The Bible frequently uses different names to describe the same thing from different perspectives. This is because one name is not complete by itself. The kingdom is just another term for the church, seen from a different perspective. Where "church" speaks of the people who respond to God's call to come out of the world and to assemble as His people, the word "kingdom" sees these same people as citizens of a nation ruled by Christ. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (I Peter 2:9).
Jesus is currently reigning over his kingdom. "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth'" (Matthew 28:19). When we become Christians, we are added to his kingdom. "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14). Jesus reigns over the world, but he does not reign physically in the world. See How can Christ rule on David's throne while in heaven?
This kingdom has no end. "I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14). It won't end because when the world ends, Christ's kingdom goes to heaven to live with him. "But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under his feet. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all" (I Corinthians 15:23-28).
And Daniel also tells us that Christ's kingdom is over all nations, which includes Israel. Jesus is the heir of David, but he rules far more than just Israel. Speaking to the Gentiles, Paul said, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household" (Ephesians 2:19). Both Jew and Gentile are merged together into one kingdom.
