When it comes to a clear view of the Two Kingdoms, a person can be left to think that it is a New Testament concept.

The train of thought follows like this – since the Right-Handed Kingdom was ushered in by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, then the Left-Handed Kingdom distinction originates with the early Church. A thought that often chases this train is that the Old Testament does not have much to say about the Two Kingdoms.

The Right-Handed Kingdom has always been about Jesus. However, Old Testament believers looked ahead to the Savior King just as modern believers look back at the cross of Christ. The Kingdom of God has always been about faith in Jesus. As a result, the Old Testament highlights many instances of the Two Kingdoms at work in the lives of God’s people.

One instance is within the book of Ezra.

The first chapter of Ezra begins with a pagan king declaring God’s people could rebuild the house of the Lord (1:2-4). This fact alone could be unpacked with insights, but let’s give our attention to the response to this political leader’s action.

“Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem” (1:5).

Our Triune God stirred in the civic realm (two of the twelve tribes) and in the spiritual community (the priests and Levites) for the people’s benefit. The Lord will move and work out His purposes. We can pray for the Lord to move our political leaders of all levels, while at the same time, we can ask our Savior to move our local congregational leaders.

When we benefit from a reminder of the Lord’s view of the Two Kingdoms, Ezra gives a great place to see it at work.