The Old Testament reveals Israel’s growing hope for God’s Kingdom which was fulfilled by the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ

At the General Audience on 7 August the Holy Father gave the next catechesis in his continuing series on the Church. In this talk he considers how the Church was prefigured in the history of Israel, whose people were waiting for the Kingdom of God. The Pope spoke in Italian.

1. The revelation of God's eternal plan for the universal community of men, who have been called in Christ to be his adopted children, had its beginnings in the Old Testament, the first phase of the divine word to the human race and the first part of Sacred Scripture for us Christians. For this reason, catechesis on the historical genesis of the Church should first of all search for the foreshadowings of the future People of God in the sacred books which we have in common with ancient Israel. Vatican II shows us the path to follow when it says that the Holy Church, in which the Father determined to call together those who should believe in Christ, was "prepared in marvellous fashion in the history of the people of Israel and in the old covenant" (Lumen gentium, n. 2). In this catechesis we shall see how the Father's eternal plan is recognized particularly as the revelation of a future "Kingdom of God", which will come to pass in the messianic and eschatological phase of the economy of salvation.

2. "The Lord must rule over you", we read in the Book of Judges (Jgs 8:23). These are the words which Gideon, after his victory over the Midianites, addressed to the Israelites living in the region of Shechem who wanted him to rule over them and even to found a dynasty (cf. Jgs 8:22). Gideon's response in which he refused to be their king perhaps should be seen in relationship to the antimonarchical currents of another section of the people (cf. 1 Sm 8:4-20); but it remains an eloquent expression of his thought, and that of a large part of Israel, regarding the unique kingship of God: "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you. The Lord must rule over you" (Jgs 8:23).

This double tendency is found later in Israel's history, when there will be groups who want a king in an earthly and political sense. After the attempt of Gideon's sons (cf. Jgs 9:1ff.), we know from the First Book of Samuel that the elders of Israel asked the judge, who by now was advanced in age: "Appoint a king over us to judge us" (1 Sm 8:5); Samuel had appointed his sons as judges, but they abused the power they received (cf. 1 Sm 8:1-3). However, Samuel was particularly displeased because he saw in their request another attempt to take away from God his exclusive kingship over Israel. For this reason Samuel turned to God to consult him in prayer. It is written: "The Lord said in answer: 'Grant the people's every request. It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king' " (1 Sm 8:7). This is probably another example of a confrontation between the two tendencies—monarchical and antimonarchical—which belong to that period of Israel's formation as a politically united and established people. But it is interesting to note Samuel's partially successful effort, no longer as a judge but as a prophet, at reconciling the demand for a profane monarchy with the prerogatives of God's absolute kingship, which at least some of the people had forgotten: he anoints the kings given to Israel as a sign of their religious role, besides their political one. David will be the king who symbolizes this reconciliation of aspects and roles, and because of his great personal authority he will even become the Anointed par excellence, a figure of the future Messiah and King of the new people, Jesus Christ.

3. One must note, however, this intersection of the two dimensions of kingship and rule: the temporal and political dimension, and the transcendent and religious one, which is already present in the Old Testament. The God of Israel is a King in the religious sense, even when those who rule the people in his name are the political heads. The idea of God as King and Lord of all, inasmuch as he is the Creator, appears in the historical and prophetic books of the Bible, as well as in the Psalms. In the prophet Jeremiah God is called three times "the King whose name is Lord of hosts" (Jer 46:18; 48:15; 51:57); and several Psalms proclaim, "the Lord is king" (Ps 92 [93]:1; 95 [96]:10; 96 [97]:1; 98 [99]:1). This transcendent and universal kingship was first expressed in the covenant with Israel, the true act which established the proper and original identity of this people whom God chose and with whom he made a covenant. This is what we read in the Book of Exodus: "Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation" (Ex 19:5-6).

Israel's belonging to God as his people demands obedience and love in an absolute sense: "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength" (Dt 6:5). This first and supreme commandment represents the true constitutive principle of the old covenant. The destiny and vocation of Israel is defined by this commandment.

4. Israel is aware of this fact and experiences her relationship with God as a type of submission to her own King. Psalm 47 says: "Mount Zion ... is the city of the great King" (Ps 47[48]: 3). Even when Yahweh allows the establishment in Israel of a king and dynasty in a political sense, Israel knows that this institution retains a theocratic character. By divine inspiration the prophet Samuel designates Saul as the first king (cf. 1 Sm 10:24), and later David (cf. 1 Sm 16:12-13), from whom descends the Davidic dynasty. As we know from the books of the Old Testament, the kings of Israel, and later of Judah, frequently transgressed the Commandments which were the fundamental principles of the covenant with God. The prophets intervene against these transgressions with their warnings and reproaches. The history of these interventions shows clearly that between the kingdom in an earthly and political sense and the demands of God's reign there are divergences and conflicts. This explains the fact that, although Yahweh maintains his faithfulness to the promises made to David and his descendants (cf. 2 Sm 7:12), history also describes cases of plotting in order to rule over "the kingdom of the Lord commanded by the sons of David" (cf. 2 Chr 13:8). It is a conflict which continues to clarify the messianic meaning of the divine promises.

5. In fact, almost as a reaction to the disappointment experienced in regard to the political kings, there was a growing hope in Israel for a messianic king, an ideal sovereign, about whom we read in the prophets, especially in Isaiah, that "his dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgement and justice, both now and forever" (Is 9:6). Isaiah dwells on his prediction of this sovereign, to whom he gives the names of "Wonder-Counsellor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of peace" (9:5), and describes his kingdom as an earthly and utopian paradise: "Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.... There shall be no harm or ruin ... for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea" (11:5-6, 9). These metaphors are intended to bring out the essential element of the prophecies regarding the messianic kingdom: a new covenant which God will make with man for his benefit and salvation.

6. After the exile and the Babylonian captivity, the vision of a "messianic" king takes on even more clearly the sense of a direct kingship on God's part. Almost as if to overcome all the disappointments which the people experienced with their political sovereigns, Israel's hope, nourished by the prophets, turns towards a reign in which God himself will be the king. It will be a universal kingdom: "The Lord shall become king over the whole earth; on that day the Lord shall be the only one, and his name the only one" (Zec 14:9). However, even in its universality this kingdom will retain a connection with Jerusalem. Isaiah predicts: "The Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem" (Is 24:23). "On this mountain he will provide for all peoples a feast of juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines" (Is 25:6). Here, too, one sees a metaphor for the new joy in the fulfilment of ancient hopes.

7. The eschatological dimension of God's kingdom is accentuated more and more as the time of Christ's coming approaches. The Book of Daniel, especially, emphasizes this aspect of the future age in the visions which he describes. We read: "As the visions during the night continued, I saw one like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; when he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, he received dominion, glory and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed" (Dn 7:13-14).

Thus, according to Daniel the future kingdom is closely connected with a Person who is presented as one like a "son of man"; this is the origin of the title which Jesus will attribute to himself. At the same time Daniel writes that "the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High" (Dn 7:27). This text recalls another one in the Book of Wisdom which says: "The just ... shall judge nations and rule over peoples and the Lord shall be their King forever" (Wis 3:1, 8).

8. These sayings are all glances into the future, glimpses of the mystery towards which the history of the old covenant is heading, a history which now appears ready for the coming of the Messiah, who will bring it to completion. Beyond the enigmas, dreams and visions a "mystery" continues to be more clearly delineated. Every hope is directed to this mystery, even in the darkest hours of defeat, captivity and exile.

That which arouses our interest and admiration in these texts is the fact that the hope for the Kingdom of God continues to be clarified and purified in terms of a direct reign by the transcendent God. We know that this kingdom, which includes the person of the Messiah and the multitude of believers in him, as foretold by the prophets, has found on earth an initial realization, that is imperfect in its historical dimensions but is continually striving towards a full and definitive completion in the eternity of God. The Church of the new covenant moves towards this final fullness and all are called to take part as the children of God, heirs of the Kingdom and co-workers of the Church which was founded by Christ as the fulfilment of the ancient prophecies and promises. All are called to participate in this Kingdom which is intended for them and, in a certain sense, is realized by means of them. Therefore, all of us are called to build up the body of Christ (cf. Eph 4:12). It is a great mission!