Was Jesus a failure? According to Dispensationalists, He was. They claim that because the Jews rejected Him He had to postpone the kingdom until a later date. But is this what Scripture teaches us?
At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, He announced, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). What time is He referring to? For the good student of the Word the answer is simple. Daniel had predicted four empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Then, "in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom" (Dan. 2:44). In the days of which kings? In the days of the Roman kings. Jesus later said, "There are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of god after it has come with power" (Mark 9:1). When the Pharisees asked Jesus about this kingdom, He stated clearly to them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed" and "behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst" (Luke 17:20-21). He said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36).
John MacArthur deliberately makes a big deal out of the use of the word "immediately" in Matthew 24:29, but he fails to make a big deal out of the words spoken in Mark 9:1 and Matthew 24:34 (among others). If these things are yet future, as Dispensationalists teach, then there must be a group of first century individuals still walking around today waiting for the fulfillment thereof. MacArthur makes a big deal out of the word "immediately" because it lends to his preferred beliefs. Every other passage that is clear on what it says, such as the two listed above, he will deliberately try to obscure or overlook entirely. This is poor treatment of the Scriptures, despite his claim to expositorily teach the Bible verse by verse.
Clearly, God's kingdom was set up during the first century, and it was not set up the way that Pharisees and Dispensationalists were thinking. It was a spiritual kingdom--not a physical kingdom. Daniel pretty much put the nail in the coffin on that issue when he said, "a kingdom which will never be destroyed" (Dan. 2:44). A physical kingdom can be destroyed, and that is precisely what Pre-Millennialism does by claiming a future millennium wherein those redeemed by God rebel against Him once more. Such teachings find no place in Scripture, let alone any support. Dispensationalists would do well to read and study their Bibles very carefully, rather than chewing on previously regurgitated nonsense that they've been spoon-fed to believe from their favourite ear-tickling false teachers.
If Jesus' plan was to set up an earthly kingdom like David's, He would have had armies of mighty men helping to make it a reality. But He clearly told Pilate, "If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, my kingdom is not of this realm" (John 18:36). Clearly, it was from the spiritual realm. Paul tells the Colossians that God has "transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col. 1:13). This kingdom was set up during the first century and we are part of that kingdom today.
At the beginning of Jesus' ministry, He announced, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). What time is He referring to? For the good student of the Word the answer is simple. Daniel had predicted four empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Then, "in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom" (Dan. 2:44). In the days of which kings? In the days of the Roman kings. Jesus later said, "There are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of god after it has come with power" (Mark 9:1). When the Pharisees asked Jesus about this kingdom, He stated clearly to them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed" and "behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst" (Luke 17:20-21). He said to Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36).
John MacArthur deliberately makes a big deal out of the use of the word "immediately" in Matthew 24:29, but he fails to make a big deal out of the words spoken in Mark 9:1 and Matthew 24:34 (among others). If these things are yet future, as Dispensationalists teach, then there must be a group of first century individuals still walking around today waiting for the fulfillment thereof. MacArthur makes a big deal out of the word "immediately" because it lends to his preferred beliefs. Every other passage that is clear on what it says, such as the two listed above, he will deliberately try to obscure or overlook entirely. This is poor treatment of the Scriptures, despite his claim to expositorily teach the Bible verse by verse.
Clearly, God's kingdom was set up during the first century, and it was not set up the way that Pharisees and Dispensationalists were thinking. It was a spiritual kingdom--not a physical kingdom. Daniel pretty much put the nail in the coffin on that issue when he said, "a kingdom which will never be destroyed" (Dan. 2:44). A physical kingdom can be destroyed, and that is precisely what Pre-Millennialism does by claiming a future millennium wherein those redeemed by God rebel against Him once more. Such teachings find no place in Scripture, let alone any support. Dispensationalists would do well to read and study their Bibles very carefully, rather than chewing on previously regurgitated nonsense that they've been spoon-fed to believe from their favourite ear-tickling false teachers.
If Jesus' plan was to set up an earthly kingdom like David's, He would have had armies of mighty men helping to make it a reality. But He clearly told Pilate, "If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, my kingdom is not of this realm" (John 18:36). Clearly, it was from the spiritual realm. Paul tells the Colossians that God has "transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son" (Col. 1:13). This kingdom was set up during the first century and we are part of that kingdom today.