Callum’s dad promised to build him a treehouse, and even when he had to leave for a business trip to France, that promise didn’t drift across the ocean. Callum never pictured a treehouse rising somewhere in Paris; he knew exactly where it belonged.
He understood his dad would build it in their own backyard when he came home—right there in the tree he could see from his bedroom window. The promise wasn’t about Callum going to France to climb up in his treehouse; it was about his dad building it for him right where he had always lived, and that was enough for Callum to wait with confidence.
Kingdom Come
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus taught his followers how to pray.
Matthew 6:9–10 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
See? The kingdom comes here; we don’t go to the kingdom.
Just like Callum’s dad promised a treehouse, God promised His people a kingdom of perfect goodness and justice—not far away somewhere in outer space with floating clouds and angels playing harps, but right here on earth.
The King
Jesus is God’s chosen King for the promised kingdom. After He returns and we are raised and given new bodies, Jesus will begin establishing that kingdom here on earth. And we will help Him.
A king and a kingdom had been promised to Israel for many years, and they waited for it to finally come. But when the King came with the offer of the kingdom to Israel, they refused to believe it and rejected both the King and the kingdom. In fact, they helped to crucify and kill their promised King, Jesus.
But that didn’t mean the promise of the kingdom would be set aside or forgotten. God will keep His promise to His people of a grand and glorious kingdom and a good, powerful, and perfect King when Jesus Christ returns.
Matthew 8:11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
When Jesus returns and we are brought to life and given new bodies, He will set up the kingdom on earth that God promised His people, Israel—then what? We’ll dig into that next.
Lucas was walking home from school when he spotted a man on the corner holding a cardboard sign that read “THE END IS NEAR.” People hurried past without looking, but Lucas stopped. The man’s shoulders sagged, his eyes heavy with worry, as if he’d been standing there a long time.
Lucas studied the sign, then looked up at him with a small smile. “I think you’ve got it backwards,” he said. “Actually, the beginning is near.” The man blinked, startled. Lucas added, “My mom says every ending starts something new. Maybe things aren’t ending—maybe they’re about to get better.” He waved and continued down the sidewalk, leaving the man staring at his sign, wondering if the boy might be right.
This world and this life are not all there is. The way things are now is not the way they will always be, because God is taking the world to someplace new and very exciting.
What comes after the end of the world? What will it look like as God completes His grand plan to bring His family into a new creation and into everlasting life with Him?
We’ll explore the three most important events, according to God’s promises, that are coming our way as the grand plan unfolds and comes to its completion.
The Return of Jesus Christ
The Kingdom of Heaven
Heaven on Earth Forever
Remember, “In the end, everything will be all right. And if it’s not all right, it’s not the end.”
Let’s look at the “everything will be all right” part together, up next.
Before moving on to the Gospels, the Good News of Jesus Christ and His kingdom, there are some other men and women in the Old Testament who plugged into God’s plan, that you can read about and see how they put themselves into the flow of God’s purposes.
Moses
Moses is an important leader in the Bible whom God chose to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and guide them toward the Promised Land. Moses’ story is found mainly in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Deborah
Deborah was a prophetess, judge, and leader of Israel. You can read her story in the Book of Judges, chapters 4 and 5.
King David
King David plays a big role in God’s grand plan because God chose him to lead Israel and promised that his family line would last forever. David’s story is found mainly in 1 Samuel (chapters 16–31) and 2 Samuel. Also, many of the Psalms were written by David.
Ruth
Ruth was a woman plugged into God’s purposes and in the family line of King David—and ultimately Jesus. Her story is found in The Book of Ruth (Ruth 1–4).
Here Comes Jesus
Next we’re going to look at the one who is the main player in God’s grand plan, the Promised One, Jesus of Nazareth.
Today’s post is an introduction to a new series of articles I’ll be writing for Bible Rebel. I’m calling this ongoing effort ‘Your Life And What Comes After‘.
I’ve been thinking about this project for years and am excited that the gestation period is now over and it’s time to birth the baby, knowing that the birthing process itself will take a considerable amount of time. I think I can get it done one weekly piece at a time over a year or so.
Here is a general outline of what I’ll be covering in upcoming articles and the overall content and purpose of this series:
God’s Grand Purpose and Plan
The believers role in God’s Grand Purpose and Plan
Heaven, hell, and the end of the world
Who is the King and what is the Kingdom of Heaven
Your calling in light of everlasting life
The ‘Your Life And What Comes After‘ series will be a work in progress and a journey of discovery – for the reader as well as for the writer.
I’m finishing reading and studying The Greatness of the Kingdom by Alva McClain. Highly recommended as a master class on what Yeshua meant when he repeatedly said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
It’s not possible to understand the ministry of Yeshua, the plan of God, the role of Israel, or the overall theme of God’s Word and plan for His creation if you don’t understand what the phrase “the kingdom of heaven” means.
Here are some quotes from McClain on the topic:
The Universal Kingdom
“In the universal and providential sense, the kingdom of God has already come and the will of God is being done on earth. This rule of God, in fact, has always existed and has never been abrogated or interrupted. … On the basis of blood-redemption it will put down at last all rebellion with all its evil results, thus finally bringing the kingdom and will of God on earth as it is in heaven. When this purpose has been accomplished, the mediatorial phase of the kingdom will finally disappear as a separate entity, being merged with the universal kingdom of God.” From LifeCoach4God
Biblical Continuity with Prophecy
“In announcing the approaching advent of ‘the kingdom of heaven,’ Jesus had in view the very kingdom which the prophets had foretold.” From LifeCoach4God
Present and Spiritual Expression
“Thus, as Christian believers, we actually enter the kingdom prior to its establishment on earth, something so remarkable that it is spoken of as a translation (Col 1:13).” From LifeCoach4God
Restoration to Israel
“Therefore, until Israel is where he ought to be, both religiously and politically, there can be no thorough and permanent solution of the international problems.” From Goodreads
In Part 1 of this series we asked whether Jesus and Paul taught the prosperity gospel and we listed some examples of current ‘health and wealth’ preachers.
Let’s start by taking a closer look at some of those prosperity gospel teachers’ own prosperity.
Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen, the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, has an estimated net worth that varies across sources. Some reports suggest his net worth is around $100 million (Celebrity Net Worth), while others estimate it to be approximately $40 million to $60 million (Wikipedia).
Additionally, some sources claim his net worth is as high as $180 million (CA Club India).
Osteen resides in a 17,000-square-foot mansion valued at $10.5 million in the River Oaks neighborhood of Houston. He has stated that he does not receive a salary from Lakewood Church, which has an annual budget of $70 million, relying instead on income from his best-selling books and related products (Wikipedia).
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland, a prominent American televangelist and founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, has amassed significant wealth throughout his career. Estimates of his net worth vary widely:
$300 million:
As of 2024, his net worth was estimated at $300 million ( scmp.com).
Celebrity Net Worth also reports his net worth to be $300 million (Celebrity Net Worth).
$750 million:
In 2021, the Houston Chronicle referred to him as the wealthiest pastor in America, allegedly having a net worth of $750 million (Wikipedia).
$760 million:
The New York Post reported his net worth to be $760 million (nypost.com).
These discrepancies highlight the challenges in accurately assessing the net worth of high-profile individuals, especially those with diverse income streams and private financial dealings. Copeland’s wealth primarily stems from his extensive ministry operations, including television broadcasts
It’s important to note that net worth estimates for both Osteen and Copeland can vary based on different sources and may not always reflect the most current information. You’ll find similar net worth data for some of the other prosperity gurus online.
What did Jesus teach?
Well, it seems pretty clear to me, or anyone else with a lick of common sense, that when Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you…” he didn’t have $10 million mansions, private luxury jets, and massive piles of cash in mind.
But what did he have in mind? Read the context:
Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV) “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
You don’t need an advanced degree in theology or philosophy to understand the plain words spoken by our Lord here. All you need is basic reading comprehension.
What things “shall be added to you”? Mansions? A fleet of luxury fishing boats? A hoard of gold coins? No, the “things” are the necessities of life like food and clothing.
Does he teach that you can’t or shouldn’t have more than the necessities? No, but our Lord’s message is clear that the desire for God’s righteousness is muddied and distorted when we focus on the riches of this age instead of His kingdom.
It’s impossible to have total reliance on God when one has lots of cash and cars and jets and Swiss bank accounts to fall back on, right?
We’ll look at the Apostle Paul’s teaching to the Church regarding this topic in Part 3.
