If you know the Bible as a whole, you will realize that the “coming inhabited earth” will be this earth in the coming age with God’s kingdom. Psalm 2:8 says that God has given to Christ the nations to be His inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. Revelation 11:15 says, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” The day is coming—perhaps it will be soon—when the nations, the kingdoms, of the earth will become the kingdom of Christ. According to Daniel 2:35, at the time of the coming back of the Lord Jesus there will be on the earth nations represented by an image of iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold. All of these elements represent the earthly kingdoms. Suddenly a stone “cut out without hands” (Dan. 2:34) will descend out of heaven and will break in pieces the iron, clay, brass, silver, and gold. Daniel 2:35 reveals that “the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” This stone which becomes a mountain is the kingdom of God.
The stone “cut out without hands” that breaks in pieces the earthly kingdoms is Christ. Christ is not only the foundation stone (Isa. 28:16), cornerstone (Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11), topstone (Zech. 4:7), and living stone (1 Pet. 2:4) for God’s building; He is also the stumbling stone (Matt. 21:44; 1 Pet. 2:8) to the unbelieving Jews and the smiting stone to the nations (Matt. 21:44). Firstly, for the believers, He is a stone for God’s building. As the stone for God’s building, He is the foundation stone, cornerstone, topstone, and living stone to produce us as stones for God’s building (1 Pet. 2:5). Secondly, in relation to the unbelieving Jews, He is a stumbling stone. The unbelieving Jews have stumbled over Him. Do not think that the Lord Jesus is always kind to everyone. To the unbelieving Jews, at least, He will be the stumbling stone. Thirdly, to the Gentiles, the nations, the Lord will be the smiting stone that descends out of heaven to smite all the kingdoms of the earth into pieces (Dan. 2:34-35, 44). This smiting stone will become a great mountain, meaning that the Lord Jesus will become the kingdom filling the whole earth. This kingdom, the great mountain that fills the whole earth, is Christ Himself. At that time, the earth will be the Lord’s kingdom. This is what Hebrews 2:5 refers to as the “coming inhabited earth.” The “coming inhabited earth” denotes the earth having become the Lord’s kingdom in the next age. This may happen soon.
This “coming inhabited earth” in the coming age is not subjected to angels. In other words, God never ordained the angels to rule over that earth. He has ordained man to rule over the earth in the coming age. Based upon this fact, the writer of Hebrews shows us that man is superior to the angels. In this aspect, that of ruling over the earth in the coming age, man is superior to the angels.
In His economy, God intended from the very beginning that man should rule over the earth. From eternity past, God determined to have man ruling over the earth. According to the Bible, at the time of creation, God determined that man should exercise His authority over the earth. This is clearly mentioned in Genesis 1:26-28.
There are three chapters in the Bible that belong together—Genesis 1, Psalm 8, and Hebrews 2. All of these chapters share one main point—that God has ordained man to rule over His created earth. Why has God ordained man to rule over the earth? Because God needs a realm, a sphere, a dominion, in which He can exercise His authority. Without such a dominion in which He can exercise His authority, it would be difficult for God to express His glory. The expression of His glory needs a dominion. Suppose God had no authority on earth. How could He come to express His glory? Do you remember the conclusion of the Lord’s prayer? It is, “For thine is the kingdom, and the authority, and the glory” (Gk.). Once there is the kingdom, there is the authority. Then God is able to express His glory. The kingdom is for the authority, and the authority is for the glory. If God has no kingdom, then there can be no exercise of His authority and no expression of His glory. The Lord’s prayer was for the kingdom. In that kingdom there would be the exercise of authority and the expression of glory.
God’s purpose is constant and eternal. God’s purpose is from eternity to eternity. God has never changed His purpose of having man exercise His authority on earth that He might have a dominion as a sphere in which He can express His glory.
The church life today is a dominion. Every local church is a dominion where God’s glory is expressed. This is why today’s church life is the kingdom (Rom. 14:17) on a small scale. Although it is not the kingdom in full scale, it is at least the kingdom in small scale, signifying the same things in the same principle. The proper church life is God’s kingdom where He exercises His authority that He might express His glory. This was His purpose in creating man.