Jesus really did establish His kingdom. He gave Peter the keys to the kingdom (Matt. 16:19) and Peter opened the doors of the kingdom on Pentecost, following Christ's resurrection from the dead (Acts 2). The brethren, both Jews and Gentiles, were "translated" into the kingdom of God's dear son (Col. 1:13). But the premillennialists, while denying the existence of the kingdom now, affirm that God will give it to the Jews at the second coming of Christ. But consider the words of Christ. Speaking to the Jews of His own day, He said, "Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matt. 21:43).

The premillennialists have it exactly backwards. They have a much more optimistic picture for the Jews than Jesus had. They say that Jesus will give it to the Jews - He said He would take it from them. By rejecting Christ as King, national Israel forfeited all rights to the kingdom. The millennialists say that by rejecting Christ, they also guaranteed themselves another opportunity to have the kingdom. But Jesus refutes their error in this passage.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 14, p. 421
July 21, 1983