He Must Reign, Lesson 6.4

‘He Must Reign’: The Kingdom of God in Scripture

Lesson Six: ‘The Key of David’: Church and Kingdom in the New Testament

Lesson Objectives

  1. To understand the characteristics and identity of the kingdom of God as it is portrayed in the New Testament epistles and the Book of Revelation.
  2. To see how the Church is identified with the kingdom in the New Testament.
  3. To understand how the Church, as it is portrayed in the New Testament, bears the characteristics of the Davidic kingdom.

IV. Discussion Questions

1. What does the kingdom of God mean in the preaching of Jesus and in the proclamation of the early Church?

2. What does it mean to say that Jesus is "the son of David"?

3. How does the Church fulfill the covenant mission given to Israel?

4. How does the Church, as it is portrayed in the New Testament, bears the characteristics of the Davidic kingdom?

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Lesson Outline

  1. Kingdom and Church
    1. Review and Overview
    2. The Beloved Son
  2. The Covenants of Promise
    1. The First-Born
    2. Kingdom of Priests
  3. The Key of David
    1. The Light to the Nations
    2. Davidic Kingdom Restored
    3. The Kingdom Come
  4. Study Questions

Other Lessons

  • Lesson One: A Throne Established Forever
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To begin to appreciate the significance of God’s covenant with David for understanding the content and meaning of the New Testament.
    2. To understand the biblical idea of the monarchy and the Old Testament background for the Davidic covenant.
    3. To understand the basic outlines of the promises made to David and the shape of the Davidic kingdom under both David and Solomon.

    Begin Lesson One

  • Lesson Two: Looking for the ‘New David’
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the basic outline of Israel’s history in the centuries between the collapse of the Davidic kingdom and the beginning of the New Testament era.
    2. To appreciate how the collapse and disappearance of the Davidic Kingdom shaped Israel’s hopes and beliefs in the five centuries before Christ.
    3. To understand how God’s covenant promises were interpreted by Israel’s prophets and how those prophecies were understood in the last centuries before Christ.

    Begin Lesson Two

  • Lesson Three: The Son of David in Matthew’s Gospel
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand the symbolism Matthew uses to convey the truth that Jesus Christ is the perfect Son of David.
    2. To see how the baptism of Jesus corresponds to the anointing of the Davidic kings.
    3. To understand how Matthew sees Jesus’ kingdom as the fulfillment of the promises in the prophets.

    Begin Lesson Three

  • Lesson Four: The Throne of David, His Father
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To see how Luke emphasizes Jesus’ lineage as Son of David in the infancy narrative.
    2. To see how Jesus appears in public as the Son of David throughout Luke’s Gospel.
    3. To understand how, at the climax of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus takes his place as heir to the kingdom of David.

    Begin Lesson Four

  • Lesson Five: The Spread of the Kingdom in Acts
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To understand how Jesus’ parting words to His disciples form a map of the ideal Davidic kingdom.
    2. To see how the structure of the Acts of the Apostles follows that map.
    3. To see how Luke paints the nascent Church as the Davidic kingdom perfectly restored.

    Begin Lesson Five