Introduction

We’ve been discovering the Kingdom of God over the past two weeks, and I’m really excited about our third week, because it’s where the Old Testament meets the New Testament. This week, we will discover the Kingdom of God as it is presented in the Old Testament. We will dive deep into the Scriptures to see what it looks like when God becomes king over His people.

Now, Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Christians properly revere and honor the King of the Kingdom. Would it be laid out for us in the Old Testament as well? Remember, the Old Testament is the Bible Jesus used. When Jesus is quoting Scripture, He is quoting the Old Testament. What’s more, the Old Testament is the Bible that the first-century Christians used. The apostle Paul and the apostle Peter searched the Old Testament to develop their understanding of the work of Jesus. So we will discover today how the Old Testament was preparing God’s people long ago to receive the King of Kings.

We will dive deep into the Scriptures to see what it looks like when God becomes king over His people.

The Exodus Story

You remember the Exodus story. The book of Exodus tells us how God’s people moved from slavery to freedom. How God's people discovered the glory in the majesty of their God––the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And in the Exodus story, we find the Kingdom of God presented subtly at first, and later in a bold and outright way. Exodus tells us the true story of how God used Moses to free the people of Israel from Egyptian slavery. Remember the ten plagues of Egypt? The beauty and the terror of the Passover? The thrill of crossing the Red Sea?

Perhaps you remember that the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry land, but when the Egyptians tried to do the same thing, the Red Sea crashed in on them. In the blink of an eye, the greatest military power on earth was defeated. On the other side of the Red Sea, the people of Israel watched in amazement as they saw the work of God happen right before their eyes. After the army of Egypt had been defeated, the people of Israel sang a song of praise. Now, the song was not like one of our praise songs this morning. This was a wild celebration. The people of Israel thought they were going to die, only to see God rescue them in dramatic and miraculous fashion. In Exodus chapter 15, the people of Israel sang what we now know as “The Song of Moses.” We would think of it as a strange worship song, because it talks about the horse and the rider being thrown into the sea. It talks about how the story of Israel’s freedom will instill fear in all of their enemies. But I want call your attention to the very last line in the song: “The Lord will reign forever and ever.” (Exodus 15:18)

This is the first mention of God's Kingdom the Old Testament. What’s that you say? You don’t see the Kingdom of God in this verse? Look closely: As this worship song draws to an end the people sing, “The Lord will reign forever and ever.” That one word, reign, is the beginning the Kingdom of God theology in the Old Testament. Only a king can reign. The people of Israel were singing and shouting that God was their king and that God would be their king forever and ever.

God received this praise and confirmed it this message again when He spoke from Mount Sinai in Exodus chapter 19. As God prepares to deliver the 10 Commandments to the children of Israel, here is what He says: “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:4-6)

Do you see the Kingdom of God in the Exodus story now? As God describes His rescue of the people of Israel, God himself declares His purpose––that the nation of Israel would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium