"The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." (Luke 17:20b, 21-- Amplified Bible)
The difference between, "the Kingdom of God," and, "the kingdoms of this world," in this present age is that the latter come, "with signs to be observed or visible display." The former does not. Oh, it will come, and it will, "be observed," but not so in the present age. If at His first coming Jesus would have come, "with signs to be observed or visible display," it may have impressed the shallow for a short period of time. Yes, Jesus did miracles. Some may not like this, but miracles are to help people come to faith; they are not the source of faith. Faithless people need to "see" something. Faith people do not. Abraham, "went out, not knowing where he was going." Moses, "endured as seeing Him who is invisible." Faithless people are slaves to, "the kingdoms of this world," because those kingdoms can be seen, and give the illusion of taking care of them, mothering them.
Some day, "The Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, will, "come with observation....Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him"----------- but not now. In this age, Jesus came to call those who, "hunger and thirst for righteousness," people of faith as Simeon, "just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel," to call those who respond to the One who came among us as a humble Galilean carpenter, humiliated at the cross, not as some "charismatic" warrior, responding to demands for miracles, fleeting signs, circus-seekers as Herod.
The blessed are not those who say, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." The blessed people, the people who will, "eat and drink at [Jesus'] table in [Jesus'] kingdom," are and always have been, "those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I accept what I have not seen. Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
