Jesus Christ has instituted a kingdom that is radically different from all human kingdoms.
He made this explicit statement in John 18.36; “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” In a different context, the apostle Paul used similar wording: “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh.” This is because the battle between good and evil is primarily unseen; although of course it overflows into the world which is seen and physical.
The physical order promotes the strong over the weak, prefers men to women, and adults to children. The rich dominate the poor; wealthy western countries look down on poorer majority world countries, etc. These are all long-established, but that does not make them right.
And, there are many scriptures, in Old and New Testaments, which confirm a different, an upside-down way of thinking.
‘From the lips of children and infants, you have ordained praise.’ (Psalm 8.2).
In the prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2);
- ‘the bows of warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength’ (v4)
- ‘those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more’ (v5)
- ‘she who was barren has borne seven children, but she has had many sons pines away’ (v5)
- ‘He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honour’ (v8)
And echoed in the prayer of Mary (Luke 1);
- ‘He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed’ (v48)
- ‘He has brought down rules from their thrones but has lifted up the humble’ (v52)
- ‘He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty’ (v53)
Psalm 8 is quoted in Matthew 21.16, where the words were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God’s way was always to turn upside down the natural order. And Christ confirmed this.
And, back to Psalm 8; verses 1 and 9 bookend this promise: ‘Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! – this is how God’s glory is expressed.