Times of the Gentiles, Part 2 - Mediatorial Kingdom (Genesis 1:26-28)a

© 2020 Tony Garlandb

Dominion Mandate

  1. Passage: Genesis 1:26-29

    26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:26-28)

Mediatorial Kingdom

  1. Defined

    The Mediatorial Kingdom may be defined . . . as: (A) the rule of God through a divinely chosen representative who not only speaks and acts for God but also represents the people before God; (B) a rule which has especial reference to the earth; and (C) having as its mediatorial ruler one who is always a member of the human race. [Alva McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom, 41]

  2. Prophet, Priestly, Kingly roles - we are focusing on rule

  3. Recommend books

    1. An enduring classic: The Greatness of the Kingdom by Alva McClain1

    2. A recent comprehensive treatment: The Coming Kingdom by Andy Woods2

    3. Companion course: The Coming Kingdomc by Andy Woods

Mediation gone astray

  1. The Fall - Satan usurped mankind’s role

    5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for [this] has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” (Luke 4:5-6)

  2. The Flood - the flowering of the evil of mankind without established government (no legal system or judicial system, lacking capital punishment)

  3. The tower of Babel - first mention of the term “kingdom”

    The beginning of [Nimrod’s] kingdom was Babel . . . (Gen. 10:10)

    1. Significantly: the first autonomous human kingdom is associated with Babel — a theme which leads to Neo-Babylonia under Nebuchadnezzar and eventually to future Babylon under the Beast (or Antichrist)

  4. God works with an elect nation—beginning with Abraham and extending down to Jacob (Israel)

    1. Moses - functioned somewhat like a “king” over the theocratic nation of Israel

      1. 4 Moses commanded a law for us, A heritage of the congregation of Jacob. 5 And He was king in Jeshurun, When the leaders of the people were gathered, All the tribes of Israel together. (Deu. 33:4-5)
      2. ‘And you [Israel] shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These [are] the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel. (Ex. 19:6)  

    2. God was to be viewed as the king, but eventually the people asked for a king like the other nations

    3. Passage: 1 Samuel 8:4-9

      4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day-with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods-so they are doing to you also. 9 “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” (1S. 8:4-9)

    4. God chooses Saul, who is subsequently rejected (1S. 15:26; 16:1), which then leads to the anointing of David as king (1S. 16:13; 2S. 2:4; 5:3)

David’s rule provides the basis from which God will establish a truly just mediatorial kingdom through a perfect descendant of David

Sat Jan 18 19:03:51 2020

SpiritAndTruth.org Scan Coded

Endnotes:

1.Ref-0183
2.Ref-1519

Sources:

Ref-0183Alva J. McClain, The Greatness Of The Kingdom (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1974, c1959). ISBN=0-88469-011-3e.
Ref-1519Andy Woods, The Coming Kingdom (Duluth, MN: Grace Gospel Press, 2016). ISBN:978-1-939110-21-3f.

Links Mentioned Above
a - See https://spiritandtruth.org/teaching/Times_of_the_Gentiles/002_Mediatorial_Kingdom/index.htm.
b - See https://spiritandtruth.org/id/tg.htm.
c - See https://spiritandtruth.org/teaching/52.htm.
d - See https://spiritandtruth.org.
e - See https://spiritandtruth.org/id/isbn.htm?0-88469-011-3.
f - See https://spiritandtruth.org/id/isbn.htm?978-1-939110-21-3.