“LET YOUR KINGDOM COME”

Jesus Christ had God’s Kingdom in mind when he said in his model prayer: “Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place . . . on earth.” (Matthew 6:9, 10) Yes, God’s Kingdom will ensure that God’s will is done on earth, not the will of power-hungry or selfish humans.

God’s Kingdom is also called “the Kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 5:3) The reason? While it will rule over the earth, it will not rule from the earth but will rule from heaven. Think what that means. This world government will not require material or financial support. What a relief that will be for its human subjects!

As the term “kingdom” suggests, God’s Kingdom is a royal government. It has a King​—Jesus Christ—​who received his authority from God. Concerning Jesus, the Bible says:

• “The government shall be upon his shoulder . . . Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”​—Isaiah 9:6, 7, King James Version.

• “To him there were given rulership, honor, and a kingdom, that the peoples, nations, and language groups should all serve him. His rulership . . . will not pass away.”​—Daniel 7:14.

• “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord [God] and of his Christ.”​—Revelation 11:15.

In fulfillment of Jesus’ model prayer, God’s Kingdom will fully accomplish God’s will on earth. Under it, all mankind will learn how to care for the planet so that it will be healthy again and teem with life.

WHEN WILL GOD’S KINGDOM COME?

The Bible foretold a number of striking events that would signal that God’s Kingdom is coming soon. Those events make up a composite “sign” that includes international warfare, famine, disease, many earthquakes, and an increase in lawlessness.​—Matthew 24:3, 7, 12; Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:2-8.

Another prophecy states: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . . disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, . . . puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4) Traits such as these have always been manifest to some extent. But now they are commonplace.

Those prophecies began to be fulfilled in the year 1914. Indeed, historians, statesmen, and writers have commented on how the world changed after that year. For example, Danish historian Peter Munch wrote: “The outbreak of the war in 1914 is the great turning point in the history of humanity. From a bright epoch of progress, . . . we entered an age of disaster, horror, and hatred, with insecurity everywhere.”

On the positive side, those conditions are like a storm before the calm. They show that Kingdom rule over all the earth is near. In fact, Jesus included this positive element in his sign of the end: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”​—Matthew 24:14.

That good news is a central theme of the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Indeed, their leading journal is entitled The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. It regularly discusses the wonderful things that God’s Kingdom will do for mankind and the earth.