The Constituents of the Kingdom of God

Melchizedek (King of Righteousness, King of Peace [Salem]) Serving “Bread & Wine” to Abram after the “Battle of the Nine Kings” atop Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem

It is understood concerning both the constituents and the polity/administration of the Kingdom of God, as seen in Scripture, is comprised of all those willingly coming under the authority of the Almighty; and that both Testaments (viz. the First and New Covenants) affirm the administration/jurisdiction of that Kingdom to be under the headship of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (aka Yeshua Hamashiach)—past, present and future unto the literal reign of the Son of David, the Root of Jesse, the Bright and Morning Star:

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches (aka, “ekklesia”). I am the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Rev. 22:16). “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:” (Matt. 1:1) “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd . . . and My servant David shall be their prince forever . . . Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the LORD, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore” (Ezk. 37:24-28 excerpts). (See also: Matt. 15:22; 21:9; Mark 10:48; 12:35; Jo. 7:42; Rev. 5:5)

Likewise, we are keenly aware that prior to Abraham there were those who in conscience followed the Lord and found “grace [or “favor] in His sight” (e.g., Noah – Gen. 6:8); then from Abraham onward those who would be considered His elect (ultimately including Israel – both Judah and Ephraim/Israel) – were chosen by the Almighty to express His Covenant upon the earth as found in Deuteronomy 12:2:

“For you are a holy people to YHWH your God, and God has chosen you to be his treasured people from all the nations that are on the face of the earth.” “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be called Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you” (Gen. 17:5-7). OF KINGS AND KINGDOMS Ultimately, the Almighty’s “elect” – those so “chosen” would constitute on the earth THE UNITED KINGDOM OF DAVID as seen in Samuel’s text (1 and 2 Samuel). All twelve tribes of Israel were united under King David (1 Kings 2:11 – 7 years King David reigned over the 12 Tribes in Hebron and 33 years over the 12 Tribes in the City of David, Jerusalem). However, prior to this time, there were most definitely the “Kingdoms of this world” (Revelation 11:15); most obvious, was King Amraphel who was the first “king” mentioned in Scripture (Gen. 14:1, 9).

Thus, it was, upon the scene of fallen man, Babylon the Great’s association with “king of Babylon” entered the record—although Nimrod, that “mighty hunter against the Lord”, advanced the concept of the “kingdoms of this world” upon the plains of Shinar in Genesis 10:8.

It was he (king Amraphel) who was identified as the “king of Shinar” who invaded Canaan during Abraham’s time. “Shinar” was the region surrounding Babylon – the original home of Noah’s sons and where the Tower of Babel was built by Nimrod (Gen. 10:0; 11:2-9). How fitting then that “Amraphel” means “powerful people” (Strong’s P. 13/Names)[i] – or better yet: “Power to the People” - for it was the people who first, under Nimrod’s inspiration, built a tower to reach into the heavens in their quest to open a “gate” uniting earth and heaven, thereby breaking the dimensional divide:

“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another (i.e., the PEOPLE), ‘Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered aboard over the face of the whole earth’” (Gen. 11:1-4).

Yes, it was Nimrod who initiated the “kingdoms of this world” for we read: “Cush (the son of Ham – who also begat Canaan who was cursed in the “exposure” of Noah’s nakedness) begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before (lit. “against”) the LORD; therefore it is said, ‘Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.’ And the BEGINNING OF HIS KINGDOM WAS BABEL, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of SHINAR” (Gen. 10:8-10).

In Hebrew, the terms “Babylon” and “Babel” are intrinsically joined to such an extent that there is but one word for both of them (Babylon is Babel and Babel is Babylon). Therefore, Babel/Babylon upon the Plains of Shinar became associated with KINGDOM, whose “Mighty Hunter” was Nimrod its defacto King but was through this “powerful people” that KING Amraphel of SHINAR (King of Babylon) invaded the ultimate Promised Land with a direct assault against Abraham (Abram – Gen. 14:1-17). This King of Babylon (aka Shinar – King Amraphel) was united with other kings (Arioch, king of Ellasar; king Chedorlaomer [ancient Persia or Elam], king Tidal [king of nations]) – these four kings fought against the five kings of Canaan (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela) but these five kings were facing defeat until Abram “came to the rescue” for Abram “heard that his brother [Lot] had been taken captive by the four kings; therefore, he rose up and defeated them. The titles given these four kings, defeated by Abram, were seen headed up by the King of Persia (Chedorlaomer—Gen. 14:5), along with king Amraphel of Babylon/Shinar and by Title, King of Nations (Strong’s H#1471 or Goiim/Goim – i.e., “Gentiles”) and, finally, the king of Ellasar, king Arioch (also located in Babylon).

Consequently, we could readily say that the King of Babylon (Amraphel) – the Gentiles (Tidal – of “nations”) – was defeated by God’s chosen, Abram (Gen. 15 – via “blood covenant”), in the “Battle of the Kings of this World.” It is immediately after Abram’s victory over these kings and their kingdoms, if you would, Abram is greeted by another figure. This figure is the antithesis of the Kingdoms of this World, for he is MELCHIZEDEK KING OF SALEM who greets Abram atop Mt. Moriah where Solomon’s Temple was to be built—the same geological formation where Golgotha, the place of the skull, where Jesus was crucified. This Melchizedek “brought out bread and wine (to offer to Abram); he (Melchizedek) was the priest of God Most High . . . and he blessed him (Abram) and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of HEAVEN and EARTH; and blessed be God Most High Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.’ And he (Abram) gave him (Melchizedek) a tithe of all” (Gen. 14:18-20).

Allow me to insert this observation: This Melchizedek announces “God Most High, possessor of Heaven and Earth” to Abram. This “possessor” who alone occupies and unites heaven and earth can be seen in Jacob’s Ladder described in John 1:51 whereupon Nathanael was told by Yeshua:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” – that dimensional divide is shattered only by the Son of Man (ascending – bringing Man into God; viz. earth) and Son of God (descending – bringing God into Man; viz. heaven) . . . for initially He, the Lord Jesus, was acclaimed by Nathanael as: “You are the Son of God! (bringing God to man – heavenly) – You are the King of Israel!” (bringing Man to God – earthly) (John 1:49).

Therefore, this Melchizedek, blessed Abram in the Name of the God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, Who delivered the enemies of Abram into his hand; yes, this Melchizedek (Grk. Form “Melchisedec”) whose priestly “order” (Psa. 110:4) is amplified in the book of Hebrews to be none other than:

“So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: ‘You are My son, today I have begotten You.’ As He also says in another place: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’; who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:5-11). “Where the forerunner has entered for us [into the Holiest of All], even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 6:20). Yet, this High Priest, Melchizedek, is likewise KING of Salem (Peace) and KING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, FIRST being translated (i.e., the name “Melchizedek”) ‘king of righteousness,’ and then also king of Salem, meaning ‘king of peace,’ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life but made like the son of God, remains a priest continually” (Heb. 7:1-3). We must elaborate upon this KING-PRIEST, Melchizedek for He supersedes the priesthood of Levi for: “Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him” (Heb. 7:10) – i.e., Levi, via Abraham, paid tithes to Melchizedek! Consequently, “Perfection” cannot be obtained through the Levitical priesthood: “. . . (for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. For He (Melchizedek) of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which NO MAN has officiated at the altar . . . For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the POWER OF AN ENDLESS LIFE. For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” (Heb. 7:11-17). To suggest that this KING-PRIEST (Melchizedek) reigns over a Kingdom is no conjecture—it is a phenomenal, glorious, divine fact – for now we see, where Paul could say to the saints in Rome in that he knew full-well the superiority of the New Covenant (Better Covenant—Heb. 7:22) over the First Covenant ( – “for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Heb. 7:19 and Heb. 9:15—First Covenant). Yes, that “Better Covenant, New Covenant, Better Hope was secured by the very Blood of the Everlasting Covenant (Heb. 13:20-21) – the PERFECT SACRIFICE for Sin to suffice the righteous requirements of the Law by Him Who alone is King of Righteousness, King of Peace (Heb. 9:11-15); therefore, foreseen after the defeat of the Kingdoms of this World – Babylon/Babel/the Nations – we view the Kingdom of God: “For the KINGDOM OF GOD is not eating and drinking, but RIGHTEOUSNESS (King of Righteousness) and peace (King of Salem) and joy in the Holy Spirit (the expression or manifestation of the Kingdom of God in GLORY)” (