The problem here is assumption. But first, let’s just read the text:

But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Let’s back up. Let’s look at the full context:

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, ²² saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?  For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.  But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

It is assumed that “they see the kingdom of God” is the Second Coming. While the Second Coming is the fullness of the kingdom, the Bible talks of the kingdom coming at the death of Christ. And death is very much the context here as Jesus talks about losing his life. But let’s back up to Daniel for a moment.

In Daniel 7:13-14 we read of the Son of God who will be worshiped by all nations and will establish a new kingdom.

 “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.
¹⁴ And to him was given dominion
    and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
    that shall not be destroyed.

He specifically says this Son of Man will have a kingdom that is eternal and will never be destroyed. But the question is when will this kingdom come?

Daniel answers that question. There are three sets of images that talk about the empires of the earth and then the coming of the kingdom of the Son of Man. The first empire being the Babylonians, the second the Medo-Persian Empire, the third kingdom as the Greeks, and then the fourth kingdom the Romans. And then, the new kingdom would come.

One of the visions of those kingdoms was of a statue of gold, silver, bronze, then a clay and iron mix. Then in Daniel 2:44-45 it says this:

And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,  just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

Like a giant countdown clock, Daniel gives us the timing of the new kingdom. It will be after the 4 kingdoms, and it will be like a stone that becomes a huge mountain that fills the whole earth (Daniel 2:31-35).

But when? Like when more specifically? Come on Daniel, tell us!

Ok…so Daniel does.

… an Anointed One shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (Dan 9:26).

What does it mean that the anointed one will be cut off and have nothing? It means he will be killed. And then it says the city will be destroyed and sacrifices and offerings will end (Dan 9:27). Which is exactly what happened in AD 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed.

So “cut off” means death. Now when you combine that with so much of the rest of the Old Testament, and you know that “covenant” ALWAYS includes blood and death, this language of kingdom and death and end of sacrifice and offerings is covenant language (Hebrews 9:15-22).

Now let’s go back to Luke.

What is the language here?

It’s death.

It’s about a cross.

It’s about losing your life.

Then we have the transfiguration. When Jesus shows himself as the dazzling man in white, with him are Moses and Elijah. These are not just two random men of history.

Moses represented the Law and the old covenant which the Jews held onto.

Elijah represented the Prophets who predicted the coming of the Messiah.

And what were they talking about?

And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

They were talking about “his departure”! In other words, they were talking about his death.

This is why Moses and Elijah were there. Elijah as a prophet could celebrate the fulfillment and coming of the kingdom. And Moses was there as the Law was fulfilled in Christ. Look what Luke says:

“The Law and the Prophets were until John [the Baptist]; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached” (Luke 16:16).

“Then he [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).

The kingdom here is not the Second Coming of Christ. Rather it is the ushering in of the new covenant and the new kingdom that was promises long ago. One that was specifically and clearly prophesied about in Daniel.

What does it mean?

It means that Jesus is the king of the new kingdom. And as Daniel said, it is a permanent kingdom. An everlasting kingdom. A kingdom in which the Son is worshiped by all peoples and all nations.

It also is an eternal kingdom. A permanent kingdom. Why? Because kingdoms only change hands when there is a death. But since Jesus rose from the grave, he will never die.

As we read in Hebrews 7:24-25, he stands as a priest before God. He makes intercession for man forever and ever.

he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.  Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Therefore he ALWAYS lives to make intercession for us before God. He is able to save us COMPLETELY and to the uttermost.

That is great news! Because there is no other kingdom I would want to be in other than kingdom of God – a kingdom of love, joy, peace and righteousness.