But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God. Luke 9:27
Bible scholars differ as to who they think the Lord Jesus was referring to in this verse. Many believe He was speaking of the three disciples who accompanied Him on the mount of transfiguration, as recorded later in the chapter. Those disciples certainly saw the Lord Jesus in his glorified appearance. Some believe He was pointing to the day of Pentecost and the advent of the Holy Spirit’s arrival to work in the hearts and lives of believers. Yet others have different ideas. What do I think? Personally, I don’t think it really matters; that was a long time ago and all of the people who were listening to the Lord Jesus at that time have tasted of death. I am more interested in what this verse means to us today in terms of its relevance to you and me. Will we see the kingdom of God before we die?
Actually, if we are saved, we have entered into the kingdom of God. So every believer has seen, to a certain extent, the kingdom that the Lord Jesus was speaking about. But among believers, there is a broad range of appreciation of the kingdom, a great difference in how well Christians view it. We can tell those who have a clear view of the kingdom by how much they speak of it, by how well they talk the language of it, by how anxious they are to know more of it. Another way to determine how well the believers view the kingdom of God is by how much attention they pay to the kingdom of this world.
The more we know of the kingdom of God, the greater its attractions will be. And yet, the world has its attractions, too. There are pleasures great and small. There are entertainments, achievements, knowledge, wealth, and power that can be very appealing. And the more that these appeal to the believer, the more the attractions of the kingdom of God will be hidden from view. But it doesn’t make much sense, does it, for us to have a more clear view of the kingdom from which we have been removed than we do of the kingdom into which we have been translated forever?
To see the kingdom of God is to see the King. All of Scripture describes to us the Lord Jesus. And it is his desire that we would come to know him better and better, through His Word and through His people. The lives of faithful believers allow us to get an idea of what the Lord Jesus is like. Spending time with them in talking about the things of the Lord will sharpen our focus on the kingdom of God.
How well do we see the kingdom of God today? Or are there things of this world that are blocking our view? -Jim MacIntosh