And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21 KJV)
This is another one of those verses I never understood until recently. I have seen many signs of Christ’s imminent return for many years, signs that he gives us in Scripture. In addition many types and shadows of Scripture appear to be on the verge of fulfillment. For example, we stand at the precipice or have recently entered the seventh millennial day of creation, the Day of Rest. Second, this seventh day coincides with the much prophesied “third day” we constantly see in the Bible. Prophetically, the third day and the seventh day are the same day, the day of resurrection. This is the day when the manchild, the overcomers of creation will be revealed. Third, if God does not soon act, then the historical truth of Jesus will pass into myth as Satanic rulers stomp out all reference to truth in the world. So, what can Jesus mean when he says that the Kingdom of God does not come with observation?
First, realize the context. Jesus was speaking two thousand years ago to the religious elite of his day. It was an absolute fact that the Kingdom was not coming then, even though many observed profound supernatural signs that seemed to indicate that it was. Just after this statement Jesus told the Pharisees when the Kingdom would be coming, the time when the world would again be as in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot. And how was it then? “Every thought of men’s hearts was evil continually.” He spoke of the days we live in now. The Kingdom of God did not begin to physically reign over earth two thousand years ago and Jesus knew that it would not. Thus, “The Kingdom of God does not come [in your day, Pharisees] with observation [even though you see things which make you think that it is at hand].” Instead, said Jesus, “the kingdom of God is within you.”
And from those days mystical Christians gazed into their bellies trying to find that magical kingdom. Men separated into communes, cut themselves off from the world, and mounted lofty pedestals to subdue their flesh and seek this inward kingdom. But, this is not what Jesus meant.
Jesus said, “O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34 KJ2000) And he said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45 KJ2000) And he taught, “Are you also yet without understanding? Do you not yet understand, that whatsoever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly, and is cast out into the drain? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies….” (Matthew 15:16-19 KJ2000)
Yes, the Kingdom of God is within you, within in. What is deep inside of you? What have you fed upon these days and years since you came to know Christ? When you are alone and you know no one sees you, what do you do? What now dwells in your heart, the inner you? It’s easy to tell. When provoked, hurt, or angry, what comes out of your mouth? The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Satan, the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of Sin?