Introduction to the Gospel of the Kingdom 

Matthew 3:2 (ESV)
2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17 (ESV)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mark 1:14-15 (ESV)
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Matthew 24:14 (ESV)
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The word “kingdom” is used 119 times in the gospels; with all four gospels using the word.
As a comparison the word "church" is used three times; all in the book of Matthew.

The point being that the Kingdom of God was a (or the) primary theme in the ministry of Jesus.
The Gospel of the Kingdom proclaimed to all nations triggers the end of the age.

So what was meant by the Gospel of the Kingdom?



The Gospel of the Kingdom - Son of Man in Daniel 7

Jesus' favorite title for himself is "Son of Man"; used 78 times in the gospels.
By way of comparison, Jesus refers to himself as “Messiah” 10 times in the gospels.

The reason to make note of this is that this was the central proclamation of Jesus about himself.

In Matthew 16:13:
Matthew 16:13 (ESV)
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

This is the main question and is to be a signpost pointing us to Daniel 7.

Daniel 7:13-14 (ESV)
13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

As you can see, Jesus is continually proclaiming that he is the "divine human" in Daniel 7.

"One riding on the clouds" is always God in the scriptures:

Psalm 104:1-3 (ESV)
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
2 covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent.
3 He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;

Deuteronomy 33:26 (NIV)
26 “There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty.

Matthew 24:30 (ESV)
30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Revelation 1:7 (ESV)
7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

So Daniel's vision stuns him because a man is riding on the clouds like God.
And he is given glory, dominion, and an everlasting kingdom.
Jesus was actually saying in the Great Commission that he is the son of man in Daniel 7.

Matthew 28:18-19 (NIV)
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Daniel 7 actually IS the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Four kings (beasts) will arise in the nations but be conquered by the son of man who will deliver his people from the beast and set them up to rule with him forever.

The Gospel of the Kingdom includes salvation but its central theme is the "son of man" and his coming kingdom and people.