1. When Jesus came, the kingdom was about to begin. John the Baptist taught that "the kingdom is at hand" (Matthew 3:1-2). Jesus, likewise preached the news that "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). He even made it clear that most of those who were following Him would "not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom come with power" (Mark 9:1).

2. The kingdom was to come when Christ ascended to the Father. Daniel 7:13-14 states, "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then 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 the one which shall not be destroyed."

Those who deny that Christ's kingdom has been established pervert this Scripture to say that Christ will receive His kingdom when He comes again in the clouds to establish His reign on the earth. But this passage doesn't say that! It tells us that Daniel saw the Son of Man coming with the clouds TO THE ANCIENT OF DAYS (God). Remember, Jesus ascended in the clouds to God (Acts 1:9,1). When Jesus ascended to God, He "seated at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church" (Ephesians 1:20-22). This dominion and authority and glory is exactly what Daniel said would be given.

3. Christ began His reign after His ascension. As Jesus was about to ascend, He announced, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). On the day of Pentecost the Apostles preached "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God...For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: `The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:33-36).

4. Christ's kingdom was established in the first century. Christians at the Colossian church were said to have been "delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Colossians 1:13). The Apostle John claimed to be part of the kingdom: "He made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father...I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 1:6,9).

5. The terms Church and Kingdom were used interchangeably. Some dispute the idea that the church is Christ's kingdom. Yet, Jesus used the terms interchangeably: "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..." (Matthew 16:18-19).

Scripture uses several words as ways of describing the church (a body - Ephesians. 1:22,23, a house - I Timothy 3:15, bride - Ephesians 5:23-32) none of these mean exactly the same thing. "Kingdom" describes the reign of Christ. His reign is technically over all, but the kingdom more specifically can refer to those who have subjected themselves to the reign of Christ (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:6,9).

Did God postpone the Kingdom? Those who believe that the kingdom was not established support their belief by suggesting that Jesus came offering the kingdom, but the Jews rejected Him as their king. The kingdom, they tell us, was postponed until Christ returns at which time He will finally set it up. Yet this doctrine is at odds with plain Bible teaching.

Psalms 2:1-3 predicted that when God sought to set His Son up as the Anointed (the Christ), that there would be those who would rebel against Him. "Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us."

What would God's response to this rejection be? Would He back down on establishing His Son as King? Would He let the rejection of some deter Him from accomplishing what He promised?  Verses 4-8 of Psalms 2 answers, "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession." Far from postponing His plans, God laughed at those who thought they could thwart the establishment of the Kingdom.

Those who teach that the kingdom has been postponed because of Jewish rejection should reexamine the accounts in the Gospels and Acts. Some Jews, perhaps many Jews rejected Jesus. But it is also true that the followers of Christ were JEWISH. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 the 3,000 who were saved were JEWS. The earliest members of Christ's church were JEWISH. The Apostles who revealed God's Word were all JEWISH. To leave the impression that the Jews as a whole rejected Jesus, simply doesn't square with the facts.