Jehovah's Witnesses claim that the Kingdom of God (invisible, apparently) is already here and it is not the church. Are there different definitions of "the Kingdom," and if so which is/are relevant today? What exactly are the Jehovah's Witnesses talking about?

The Witnesses claim that Jesus came to earth to set up the kingdom, but failed. As a result, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries God secretly visited the earth and set up an invisible society, selecting his faithful witnesses, who now meet in "Kingdom Halls." Yes, there are different definitions, or aspects, to the kingdom, and disciples do not always speak clearly about the meanings.

Kingdom = realm. In one sense, the realm of our King is the entire universe, and thus his kingdom is universal. Everyone is in it, whether or not he wants to be! In Matthew 12:28 we read that the kingdom was present in the personal ministry of Jesus Christ. See also Luke 17:20-21.

Kingdom = rule. In another sense, the kingdom comprises the willing subjects of the King. On earth this has special meaning for the church, since disciples of Christ make up the church.

For more on this, let me recommend a book to you: The Reign of God was written by Jim McGuiggan (Fort Worth: Star Bible Publications, 1992).

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