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KINGDOMBITE # 9

THE KINGDOM: IMMINENT

   I have this day, in my study, while engaged in seeking to consume the Kingdom one bite at a time, made what to me is an astounding etymological discovery (never mind the word, it simply means “study of words”),
    I know this is confusing but allow me to throw this other word into the mix, sounding the same as “eminent” and “immanent, the word, “imminent”! 
   No lesser than Webster’s New World Dictionary (from which the other words were defined) gives this word’s meaning as “likely to happen without delay; impending”.  Well hello “at hand” . These words are used in the declaration of the Kingdom by John the Baptist, “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2).”
   There are many opinions about this term “at hand”, most of them based on whatever predisposition one has taken on whether the Kingdom is now or later. Parenthetically, let me declare, from where I stand, that it is both!
   As a single word “imminent” is as near “at hand” as it could possibly be, Remember, it means “likely to happen without delay; impending”.  Such is the Kingdom of God, it is near, so near, in fact at it is at hand or reachable.  Every day this Kingdom does happen again and again as it is accessed and released.  So to summarize the last three KingdomBites, the Kingdom is:
“Eminent”, high, lofty, prominent, distinguished/  
“Immanent”, operating within; inherent; present throughout the universe
“Imminent”, likely to happen without delay; impending.
Consult your Bible for Kingdom descriptions, then look at these words through the eyes of God’s Word.
Consider!

Jack Taylor

KINGDOMBITE # 8

THE KINGDOM: IMMANNENT

Another word, sounding the same as the previous “eminent” as used in the last bite, is the word “immanent”. The word may be defined as “operating within; inherent; present throughout the universe, said of God”.  This is a powerful descriptive word relating to the Kingdom.  There is a key attribute of God (aren’t all His attributes “key”?) referred to as “immanence”.  It stands to reason that if God is immanent, then His Kingdom is likewise immanent.  It has come to me in the midst of this study (just now!) that this one word stands as a perfect description of the Kingdom of God.  I would ask a further word of the
“dictionarians” (the ones who coined and defined the word): Can you think of the name of an entity or person rather than God who fits this description?  If not, I rest my case __ there is none like He or His Kingdom.  They stand alone as “immanent”!
Two of Robert Farrar Capon’s observations on the implications of the parables to the Kingdom are that (1) The Kingdom has inherent energy and power and  (2) The Kingdom is at work all the time, everywhere in every way.  This, in a word is, immanace.
   I say “hurrah” for immanence!
   At this present, throbbing moment the King and his Kingdom are present within each of us and, at the same time, present and operating throughout the world and entire universe!  
   You best think about this but, before you do, open up for another word by the same sound that I just discovered.  Next KingdomBite please.