Building an Empire or Building a Kingdom

Dictionary.com defines an empire as “a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government: usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom.”

It defines a Kingdom as “a state or government having a  king  or queen as its head

anything conceived as constituting a realm or sphere of independent action or control: or the domain over which the spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ extends, whether in heaven or on earth.”

The scriptures continually teach us to build the kingdom of God upon the earth. Why does He not instruct us to build an empire when there are so many nations upon the earth? This question is easy. Ultimately, those who remain on the earth after His coming will be united in one faith and we will have one head. That head will be none other than our Savior and Creator of the world, Jesus Christ. Our goal in spreading the gospel is not to seek power or control over other people, dominating them as we spread from nation to nation but to spread the Lord’s love and atoning power to every nation on the earth.

Not being a Star Wars fan, I can’t quote any lines from the movies, but I am aware of the empire which Darth Vader seems to be trying to conquer at a great cost to human life.  President Hinckley commented about this kind of tragedy. He said, “We sometimes are prone to glorify the great empires of the past, such as the Ottoman Empire, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and in more recent times, the vast British Empire. But there is a darker side to every one of them. There is a grim and tragic overlay of brutal conquest, of subjugation, of repression, and an astronomical cost in life and treasure… I think our Father in Heaven must have wept as He has looked down upon His children through the centuries as they have squandered their divine birthright in ruthlessly destroying one another.”1

We are not here to divide and conquer but to bring peace, comfort, and solace to those in need. A kingdom suggests one nation led by one sovereign with one purpose, one goal and united as a people. The Lord taught us in D&C 38: 27 “…I say unto you, be  one ; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”

With our efforts, the Lord’s Kingdom is rolling throughout the earth. It will be established in all parts and only then will we have peace under His divine leadership. For now, Satan rages in the hearts of man, attempting to divide and conquer. For now, his empire exists to torment, to hurt and to lead men away into paths of unrighteousness. For now, we are subject to weaknesses and temptations. It is our responsibility to fight against his empire in favor of the Lord’s kingdom that peace may reign as we welcome our King, our holy Sovereign, the Savior back to the earth in a coming day.

1.“War and Peace,” President Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, April 2003