Publisher's Synopsis
While translating the Bible into Boko, a language of Benin Republic in West Africa, Dr Jones grappled with the meaning of the expression 'kingdom of God'. It seemed impossible to find an expression in Boko which would convey the correct meaning in its various contexts. What could it mean to enter or inherit the kingdom of God? Why did Jesus say the kingdom of God is near, or among people? How do we expect the prayer 'your kingdom come' to be worked out? Jesus said we should be concerned above all with God's kingdom, and yet on questioning Christians and pastors, local and international, I few people are able to explain the meaning and relevance of the kingdom of God. Those who do know something usually interpret the kingdom according to their view of the millennium, resulting in very different interpretations of end-time events. Some interpret the kingdom as God's sovereignty over the universe, others as 'God's rule in our hearts', 'Christ's present salvation and its benefits', or 'the new life in Christ'. Many think of heaven as our destination, and the kingdom becomes a shadowy doctrine, rather than the glorious truth that God has made the saints to be a kingdom of priests who will reign with the Messiah over the earth. This new look at the theology of the kingdom of God clarifies many of the riddles concerning the kingdom and presents a new understanding of Jesus and his ministry as the Messiah. The book explains clearly what Jesus meant by this unique and cryptic phrase, and it makes sense in every context. The kingdom is truly a pearl of great price to be eagerly awaited as the return of the Messiah draws ever nearer.
