Fruitful Living
Kingdom of God (Part 1)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
INTRODUCTION
The concept of the Kingdom of God, also known as the Kingdom of Heaven, is a central theme in Christianity. It refers to the reign or rule of God over all creation, both in the present and in the future. The Kingdom of God is not limited to a specific physical location or realm, but rather encompasses the spiritual and moral realms where God’s will is acknowledged and followed.
OLD TESTAMENT
God rules sovereignly over all His works as King. He desires His rule to be acknowledged in a bond or relationship of love, loyalty, spirit, and trust. Not surprisingly, then, one of the central themes of the Old Testament is kingdom through covenant.
This theme is revealed on the first page of Scripture, when God creates man in His own image. According to the grammar of the original text, ruling over the creatures in verse 26b is a result of creating man in the divine image. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals.”
The fact that mankind is male and female prepares us for the command to be fruitful, and the fact that mankind is the divine image prepares us for the command to rule over the creatures.
The fact that mankind is male and female in and of itself has nothing to do with the divine image. Instead, we should understand the divine image according to the background of the ancient Near East, where the setting up of the king’s statue was the equivalent of the proclamation of his dominion over the area in which the statue was erected. Accordingly, man is set in the midst of creation as God’s statue. He is evidence that God is the Lord of creation. Man exerts his rule not in arbitrary despotism but as a responsible agent, as God’s steward. His rule and His duty to rule are not autonomous; they are copies. Hence, the concept of the kingdom of God is found on the first page of the Bible. Adam begins to rule the world under God by naming everything created on the earth, just as God ruled by naming everything created in the heavens.
Careful attention must be paid to the language of the promises given to Abraham in Genesis 12 that are later incorporated into the covenant made in Genesis 15. The first promise that God gives to Abram is that He will make him a great nation. The last promise is that in Abram, all the clans or families of the earth will be blessed. God speaks of Abram as becoming a great nation through three considerations:
1. The term “nation” emphasises a people as a political entity defined by cultural, ethnic, geographical, or social factors.
2. In 12:3, the nations of the world are not called “nations” but rather “clans” or “families”. The term family emphasises a people with no real political structure and in which no system of final governmental headship or rule operates.
3. The background to Genesis 12 is chapter 11. There we have the history of Babel, where we see complete confidence and naive optimism about human achievement and effort. Man is at the centre of his world, and he can achieve anything. This philosophy comes under divine judgement. By contrast, Genesis 12 presents us with a political structure brought into being by God, with God at the centre and God as the governmental head and ruler of that system.
In other words, we have the kingdom of God brought into being by the promises to and covenant with Abraham.
When Abram’s family does become a nation, God initiates with them the Sinai covenant or law of Moses as a means for the people to be rightly related to God, to each other as God’s true humanity, and to the creation as His stewards. Therefore, the covenant is the means for establishing His Kingdom. The book of Judges proves that although each person did what was right in his own eyes, nonetheless, the Lord ruled over His people as King. Later, God rose up a king after His own heart and made a special covenant with David. The Davidic Covenant was God’s king seeking to bring the people of God, and indeed all the nations, under this rule made explicit in the covenant. Thus, the king was the mediator of the covenant and the means of extending God’s rule.
When the people failed to abide by the covenant, the prophets and the wise men were sent by God to call the people back to the covenant, the terms of God’s rule. Zephaniah, for example, based his warnings on the covenant as found in Deuteronomy.
Zephaniah 1:2: “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” says the Lord, and Deuteronomy 32:22: My anger blazes forth like fire and burns to the depths of the grave. It devours the earth and all its crops, and it ignites the foundations of the mountains.
Moreover, the literacy structure of Zephaniah is chiastic, with chapter 2:11 as the centre of the book: “The nations on every shore will worship Him, everyone in its own land.” Zephaniah’s theology, then, can be summed up by the theme, kingdom through covenant.
Although the prophets sought to bring the people back to the covenant, the Sinai Covenant (the law of Moses) failed to achieve the goal of establishing God’s kingdom because it did not and, in fact, could not guarantee the obedience of the people of God. Hence, the prophets begin to speak of a new covenant in which God’s rule is guaranteed by an obedient people. As the failure of the Davidic line of kings became evident in history, the hope for a future king came more and more to the fore, along with the promise of a new creation—new humanity in a new heaven and a new earth.
The Old Testament ends (in the Hebrew Canon) with Chronicles, a book that focuses on good kings as the ideal of the future Messiah, in whom Yahweh will be truly Lord over His people and over all His creation. So the last words of the Old Testament call for a temple builder from among the people to make this hope a reality—likely the Messiah Himself.
“This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go there for this task. And may the Lord your God be with you!” (2 Chronicles 36:23)
STAY BLESSED!
By Dr. Joyce Aryee, the author
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Fruitful Living
Has man lost the essence of his creation? A reflective call to rediscover our divine purpose (Part 1)
Introduction: Rediscoveringour purpose
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and ask for His mercy. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his family, his companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the Day of Judgment.
In today’s increasingly materialistic and turbulent world, a profound question echoes louder than ever: Has man lost the essence of his creation? It is a question that compels every thinking soul to pause and reflect deeply.
In the midst of scientific breakthroughs, booming technology, and economic pursuits, we must ask ourselves: are we fulfilling the sacred purpose for which we were created? Are we still living as stewards of Allah on earth, or have we strayed from our divine assignment?
This article explores the Qur’anic foundation of man’s creation, the noble position he holds, and the deviation from this divine path in modern times. It further calls for a return to spiritual consciousness and outlines practical steps to help realign mankind with his intended purpose.
Man: Allah’s Vicegerent on Earth
The Qur’an states: “And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent (Khalifah)…’” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30).
This declaration marks the beginning of man’s honorable journey on earth. Mankind was created from clay, as recorded in Surah Al-Hijr:
“And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. And the jinn We created before from scorching fire. And [mention] when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.’ So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Surah Al-Hijr, 15:26-29).
This prostration of angels was not to worship Adam, but to recognize the honor Allah had bestowed upon man. It signified a spiritual hierarchy in which man, though of earthly origin, carries a divine trust and responsibility.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasized this dignity. He taught that every human is born upon the natural disposition (fitrah) and bears the potential to fulfill their purpose as a servant of Allah and custodian of His creation.
The Purpose of Creation
Allah did not create man in vain. The Qur’an states clearly: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:56).
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (Surah Al-Bayyinah, 98:5).
Another profound verse underscores that life was not created aimlessly:
“And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.”(Surah Sad, 38:27).
These verses convey that creation is intentional, meaningful, and divinely ordained. The essence of man’s creation lies in his recognition of Allah, his conscious submission to the Divine Will, and his dedication to a life of worship, service, and ethical living.
Worship in Islam is not confined to rituals alone but extends to every aspect of human existence—how we earn, govern, lead our families, engage with society, and preserve the environment. Every righteous deed done with sincerity for Allah’s pleasure becomes an act of worship.
Imam Al-Ghazali explains in Ihya Ulum al-Din that true worship stems from knowledge of Allah and a heart that submits lovingly to His will. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah likewise stresses that man’s highest honor lies in fulfilling the purpose of servitude (`ubudiyyah) to Allah, which brings inner peace and divine elevation.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) demonstrated this perfect balance of worship and engagement in worldly affairs. He was a husband, a leader, a statesman, and a worshipper who said: “The most beloved deeds to Allah are the most consistent, even if they are few.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6464)
Living in harmony with this divine purpose not only brings personal fulfillment but also collective peace. Conversely, neglecting it results in moral confusion, injustice, and spiritual emptiness.
Therefore, recognizing and living by our purpose is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the key to real success in this life and salvation in the Hereafter.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
Fruitful Living
Trusting God with our anxieties (final)
Jesus not only instructs us not to worry — He explains why worrying is counterproductive to our well-being:
❖ Worry is blind. It refuses to learn from nature, history, or personal experience. Birds and flowers testify to God’s faithfulness. The history of Israel is filled with God’s miraculous provision — from Egypt to the Red Sea to the Promised Land (Deut. 8:14–15).
❖ Worry refuses to learn the lesson of life. Time and again, God has helped us bear the unbearable and overcome the insurmountable. He strengthens us even when we reach the breaking point — and keeps us from breaking.
❖ Worry is irreligious. It stems not from our external circumstances, but from a heart full of fear and distrust. Yet Scripture declares:“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” — Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)
The antidote to worry: El shaddai
Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” One of the most comforting names of God is El Shaddai, which first appears in Genesis 17:1 and appears 218 times in the Bible.
❖ El means “Strong One.”
❖ Shaddai means “The Breasted One.”
Together, El Shaddai paints a picture of God as:
❖ Our Strong Nourisher
❖ Strength Giver
❖ Satisfier
❖ All-Bountiful Supplier
❖ Fulfiller of Needs
❖ The Life-Giver who brings dead things back to life
(e.g., Abraham and Sarah conceiving Isaac at 150 and 90 years respectively)
In knowing who God is, we find the courage to release our anxieties. If He is truly El Shaddai — strong, sufficient, and sustaining — then we are safe in His hands.
Practical steps to peace
In Philippians 4:6–7, we are given a divine prescription for peace:
1. Stop being anxious and fretful. Recognize the emotional and spiritual toll of worry.
2. Go to God in prayer about everything. Nothing is too big or small.
3. Pray for yourself. God is your Father — your relationship with Him is personal.
4. Thank Him as you pray. Gratitude builds faith and reminds us of His past faithfulness.
When we do this, God’s peace — not the world’s peace — will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
CONCLUSION
We are living in uncertain times. Pressures abound and anxieties easily multiply. But as children of God, we are called to walk a different path — one of quiet confidence, steady trust, and daily surrender.
God’s Word is clear: worry doesn’t help — but trust in God brings peace. Let us shift our focus from fear to faith, from anxiety to adoration. Let us anchor our hearts in the unchanging character of El Shaddai — our Almighty God — and rest in His perfect care.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, the author
