In this session, I will explore the confusion that John the Baptist and the disciples experienced when Christ did not set up his messianic kingdom while he was on this earth. They knew their Scriptures and were expecting Christ to overthrow the tyrannical Roman government and establish a Jewish-led kingdom in its place. John the Baptist was perplexed and despondent when Herod imprisoned him. Where was the liberty to the captives? Where was the reign of justice that the Messiah was supposed to usher in?
The disciples even made fools of themselves by their jockeying for positions of power in what they thought was the imminent reign of Christ. Much later, we find the apostle John writing the book of Revelation, which does indeed describe a future 1,000-year messianic kingdom on this earth before the eternal new heavens and new earth. Even today, many Christians remain perplexed about the missing messianic kingdom.
