Matthew 4:23 (ESV)
23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
The ministry of Jesus can be summarized by three words—teaching, preaching, and healing. This is what Jesus spent His adult life doing. He taught His apostles, preached to the public, and healed the sick as a means of confirming His Messianic authority.
His preaching consisted of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. The word gospel meant good news, and when it comes to the kingdom of God, there is plenty of good news about which to speak.
The fact that the kingdom was near was good news. The false doctrine of Premillennialism is strongly exposed here. It teaches that the kingdom was postponed due to the rejection of Jesus as if His rejection caught God by surprise. Funny how Isaiah had so much to say about the Suffering Savior hundreds of years before He was even born (Isaiah 53). They then teach that the kingdom will finally be established sometime after the future rapture and seven years of tribulation. Does that sound like good news to you? If not, imagine how it would sound to people in the first century. That would just be news, not good news.
The good news was that the kingdom was near. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Later on, He told some of His disciples that they would not die until the kingdom came with power (Mark 9:1). Daniel said that this kingdom would break into pieces the physical kingdoms of the world and would stand forever (Daniel 2:44). Now, that is good news. Of course, the conquest would be spiritual, (not physical), capturing the hearts of men.
The good news of the kingdom would be that the King was coming. There could be no kingdom without a king, and the King of this kingdom would be “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). The good news is that this King would, not only be morally perfect (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 4:15; 1 John 3:5), but would also be a Royal Priest. Here is what Zechariah said about Him in this messianic prophecy:
Zechariah 6:13 (ESV)
13 It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’
That is good news! Our King would be our great High Priest as well (Hebrews 4:14-15), and by performing His priestly duties, give us the ability to “draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Thank God the kingdom has come and we are citizens of it, and one day our King is going to come and deliver up the kingdom to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24). Those found faithful will be in heaven with Him where true citizenship in the kingdom of heaven lies (Philippians 3:20). What wonderful news!
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.