THE SETTING UP OF THE HEAVENLY KINGDOM, BUT WHEN ?

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

This subject has most probably been here before, but it tends to cross my mind regularly. It would be nice to approach it from the scriptural viewpoint, not the Watchtower viewpoint.

Luke 17 v 20 & 21.  

On being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming, he answered them: “The Kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness; ²¹  nor will people say, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For look! the Kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Now this was Jesus' words before he was put to death.   But after His resurrection he told his disciples (Matthew 28 v 18 )

 Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.

So whilst Jesus was here on earth He stated that the Kingdom of God was there amongst the people (meaning himself) and that ALL authority has been given to HIM.

Now, is it enough to know both of those things ? That Jesus is the Kingdom (or King of that Kingdom), and that HE had all authority since 33 C.E. 

Lets now consider the disciples / apostles.  2 Thessalonians 2 v 1

However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christa and our being gathered together to him,

What exactly does this mean ?  the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ  Is that the presence of Jesus at Armageddon ? 

our being gathered together to him    When ?  When Jesus appears at Armageddon / When Jesus takes the anointed remnant from the earth ? 

1 Thessalonians 4 v 13 through 18.

Moreover, brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who are sleeping in death, so that you may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope. ¹⁴  For if we have faith that Jesus died and rose again, so too God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in death through Jesus. ¹⁵  For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; ¹⁶  because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. ¹⁷  Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. ¹⁸  So keep comforting one another with these words.

This bit seems a little complicated. we the living who survive. will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death. 

the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call WHEN ? Is this at Armageddon. 

¹⁷  Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Is all of that going to happen in the one instance ?  Note it says 'together with them',  as if the 'dead' Anointed and the 'living' Anointed (obviously all as spirit beings), will all meet together in clouds / the air. 

Now if this is so, then the only part of the Kingdom in heaven right now is Jesus Christ. If the 'dead Anointed' are still in the grave and the 'living Anointed' (remnant) are still here on earth..........................

Jesus, whilst here on Earth, spoke of himself as being the Kingdom in their midst. AND, Jesus in 33 C.E. said he had been given ALL authority.  So it would seem from those scriptures that the Kingdom existed from at least 33 C.E. but possibly only consisted of Jesus Christ. 

The questions now follows of course, What does the Watchtower say happened in 1914 ? And, Where does the Watchtower say that the 1st Century anointed are right now ?