In contrast to the kingdom of God which includes the elect both of men and angels whether in heaven or earth, the kingdom of heaven seems to be limited to the earthly sphere and excludes angels and other creatures, but includes those who profess salvation and who are outwardly identified with God whether or not they were actually saved. Heaven is beyond our ability to grasp. In the opening of that passage we call “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”. I would propose to you that the former definition of the gospel (“Jesus paid for our sin so that we could go to heaven someday”) is truncated, shortened, and cheap. Relation to the Old Testament (Daniel, etc. The concept of the universe as a divine kingdom over which God as King rules sovereignly is a familiar theme in the Scriptures (cp. A kingdom is nothing without a king and our King is Jesus Christ and we are told to seek first the kingdom above all things (Matt 6:33) and this really means that we must seek the King of that kingdom first and foremost. We enter into a lifelong process of growing into that aim. Mark 4:11 and Luke 8:10), Matthew 13:31 (cp. Jesus frequently talks about the Kingdom of Heaven as a present reality with a future final fulfillment. According to Matthew 13:43, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The distinction between the present and the future form of the kingdom rests, as does the entire case for premillennialism, on the normal interpretation of prophecy as being factual and subject to future fulfillment. Interestingly, Matthew is ⦠Yet we do know that Jesus himself did not make this term up. Could the reason some many self-identified “Christians” live poorly is because their gospel has more to do with going to heaven someday than becoming part of Jesus movement now? As previously indicated, the expression kingdom of heaven is confined to Matthew’s Gospel. By contrast, the kingdom of God when used of a spiritual kingdom includes only saved men and elect angels. It is of interest that, while Matthew normally uses the expression kingdom of heaven, there are six possible cases where the use of the word kingdom in Matthew refers to the kingdom of God rather than to the kingdom of heaven. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.â In fact, he is more explicit than that in Luke 11:20: âIf it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.â Premillenarians look for a future fulfillment. In this teaching, I will outline what Jesus meant with the words Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven, and how he proclaimed, explained, illustrated, and demonstrated that core message. Jesus also used this phrase to describe those who were a committed part of His movement. In the case of the Exodus, their King, the LORD, had broken in, and corrected a situation and set right something that he found to be against His will. The subject of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven will continue to confuse expositors of the Bible, if for no other reason, because its interpretation must necessarily be contextual with the word kingdom which does not always mean the same thing in different passages. However, Matthew uses the terms "kingdom of heaven" and "kingdom of God" interchangeably. Matthew, the former tax collector turned disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, often wrote about the Kingdom of Heaven. The kingdom of heaven is not a matter of meat and drink but rather a life of progressive righteousness and increasing joy in the perfecting service of my Father who is in heaven. (See for example Ephesians 1:10 and Romans 8:20-21). This has led some to the conclusion that at least in some passages the expression should not be taken as completely identical. This is a picture of profession, as the tares look like the wheat, but their true character will be revealed at the final judgment. This raises a whole new set of questions for those desiring to follow Jesus. At the end of the song…, “You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain,the place, O LORD, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. Generally speaking, premillenarians recognize a difference between the present form of the kingdom and the future millennial form of the kingdom. In this teaching, I will outline what Jesus meant with the words Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven, and how he proclaimed, explained,⦠The King of both of these is Jesus Christ but are t⦠“But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Acts 8:12, “And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.” Acts 19:8, “From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” Acts 28:23, “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Ephesians 5:5. The present discussion concerns the particular phrase the kingdom of heaven. also Luke 13:23 with Luke 13:28-29; Luke 18:24-26; John 3:3, 5); (4) kingdom of God subject to rapid growth (Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19); (5) kingdom of God to come with power (Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27); (6) kingdom of God likened unto children and childlikeness is a condition for entrance (Mark 10:14-15; Luke 18:16-17); (7) kingdom of God difficult to enter (Mark 10:23-25; Luke 18:24-25; John 3:5; Acts 14:22); (8) Christ to drink fruit of the vine with disciples in kingdom of God (Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18); (9) kingdom of God promised to righteous (Luke 6:20; 1 Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5; 2 Thess 1:5); (10) “birds,” representing Satan, lodge in its branches (Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:19 [note that Satan is not a branch, however]); (11) kingdom of God contains leaven, that is, evil in doctrine, externalism, unbelief, and worldliness (Luke 13:20-21); (12) kingdom of God inward and unseen rather than outward and seen (Luke 17:20-21), but the coming of the Son of man will be seen, however (cp. The Psalmist for instance wrote: “Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Ps 103:19, ASV). Early in his Gospel account of Christâs life he stated: âIn those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, âRepent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!ââ (Matthew 3:1-2, emphasis added throughout). Answer: While some believe that the Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are referring to different things, it is clear that both phrases are referring to the same thing. Luke 17:24); (13) kingdom of God not to appear immediately to the world (Luke 19:11-27); (14) kingdom of God characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17); (15) kingdom of God to be delivered to the Father (1 Cor 15:24); (16) kingdom of God inherited only by incorruptible beings (1 Cor 15:50); (17) Gentiles will be in the kingdom of God (Luke 13:29). True, such a brotherhood is in itself a new and amazing social phenomenon attended by astounding political and economic repercussions. “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. When one is a loyal subject of the King, he or she will desire to please this King in everything he or she says and does. Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 epic historical drama film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan.It stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Ghassan Massoud, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Iain Glen, Marton Csokas, Liam Neeson, Edward Norton, Michael Sheen, Velibor TopiÄ and Alexander Siddig.. The kingdom of heaven consists all of the following; joy, peace, patience, happiness, love, fear of God, righteousness, wisdom, understanding, purity, holiness, hate of evil, etc. In this passage it is clear that only those who are born again may enter the kingdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 15:50 additional confirmation is given in the statement, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” The context goes on to speak of the translation and the resurrection of the righteous. You cannot lack these (and many more) in you and claim to have the kingdom of heaven. • a fishing net (Matthew 13:47) Jesus would go on to perform many other acts of redemption and healing to show that the Kingdom had arrived on earth. The New Testament usage of the kingdom of God indicates at least seventeen descriptive facts related to this expression. Because of the similarity of the two kingdoms and the fact that heaven is sometimes used as an equivalent for God, the majority of scholars have taken the position that the terms are identical or at least are used as synonyms. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him…” (vss. The sphere of profession today, especially in the United States of America, is comparatively an easy state. Those thus gathered are not separated until the final judgment or the harvest, but are distinguished from all fishes in the sea by the fact that they are in the net. Narrowing the field of investigation to premillennialism, one is still beset by a bewildering lack of uniformity in interpretation. One of the principal areas of debate is the premillennial versus the amillennial concept of the kingdom. Countless books have been written in an effort to expound the precise meaning of the concept of the kingdom in the Scriptures. If the expression had been, “These are the sons of the kingdom of heaven,” it would obviously have destroyed the concept of the kingdom of heaven as a sphere of profession. • leaven (Matthew 13:33) You don’t really find it anywhere in the Bible. Have you ever heard someone say that? Jesus operated fully within the Hebrew matrix, language and people of His day. This article was taken from the Theological Journal Library CD and posted with permission of Galaxie Software. The Search OF the Savior: Why Jesus Came, Part 2 (Gal. The fact that Matthew goes out of his way to use the expression “kingdom of God” here in contrast to his normal expression “kingdom of heaven” is supported by the statement which clearly refers to the sphere of salvation rather than to the sphere of profession. …would the people of Jesus look different, live different, and become a better witness for the King of kings? The Scriptures also recognize earthly kingdoms over which God has allowed evil men to rule (Dan 4:17). Jesus Christ, Davidâs descendant, will reign with all subject to his righteous rule. According to Israel’s teachers, the first instance of the kingdom of God in the Hebrew scriptures can be found in the book of Exodus, in the “Song of Moses” where Israel is celebrating one of the definitive events of their history: The rescue from the harsh bondage of Egypt. Proclaiming the kingom’s arrival with His arrival, Teaching His followers how to live in the kingdom as His follower, Demonstrating it with acts of healing and redemption, The Person of Himself, for the King had arrived, The Power of redemption breaking in (through the Holy Spirit) to restore. Those who distinguish the kingdom of heaven from the kingdom of God do so on the principle that the kingdom of heaven seems to include not only those who are saved, but some unsaved men who profess salvation. The âkingdom of heavenâ is a term used frequently by Jesus, though never defined by him. It is clear that the gospel narratives are reports in which the messages of Christ are condensed and to some extent interpreted under the guidance of the Spirit. In Matthew 6:33 the Authorized Version uses the expression kingdom of God, but the revised versions follow the better Greek text and use simply the word kingdom. Concisely then, for the sages of Israel, the “kingdom of heaven” became of a way of saying that God had broken into the world with a redemptive, restorative, saving act. We see and example of this in the parable of the prodigal son, where, upon confessing his sin, the prodigal says to his father, “I have sinned against you and against heaven.” The prodigal was not saying that he sinned against a place, but against the LORD Himself. The Kingdom of Heaven is not just in heaven, it is here on earth too. In fact, it was to be their very first priority: “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). It is probable that the reference is to the kingdom of God, for the passage states: “But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt 6:33 ASV). Much that is obscure in the present age will be open for all to see in the millennium. A good example of this is The Kingdom of God by John Bright, the 1952 Abingdon-Cokesbury award winner. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 16:18) On the testimony, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus builds His church.As long as His church stays in Him, the gates of hell shall not prevail against His church. In some sense it may include all creation, when used as a universal rule, and when used as a spiritual rule, those who are saved in the kingdom of heaven. The general character of Matthew 13 is that it is dealing with the external aspect of the kingdom, or Christendom in its largest dimension, rather than with the body of the saved particularly. The facts are to the contrary, as it is purely an exegetical problem. If we understood the gospel as the arrival of Jesus’ kingdom, where we have covenanted with Jesus to…, …learn His teachings, walk in obedience to the King, to love God by loving our neighbor, and proclaim the healing of the cross and resurrection starting now, for “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”…. The precise character of the kingdom and its place in the unfolding of the divine plan of God remains, however, in controversy. In a word, it is the issue as to whether the present form of the kingdom, whether it be kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven, is the predicted millennial form. Among conservative scholars there is general agreement that God is sovereign over the universe. The dispensational distinction does not stem from the difference in meaning of the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven, but rather from the distinction between the present forms of these kingdoms and the future forms of these kingdoms. It was difficult for a Jew even to make an outward profession of faith because it would mean loss of friends, family, and wealth. In a similar way, while in many parallel passages the same affirmation can be made of the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God, it is in passages where distinctions may be observed that the contrasts are indicated. But it was not a kingdom with human glory like David's or Solomon's, but one with spiritual glory like the Kingdom in the Wilderness, where the King himself dwelt in the midst of his people. Since we understand that God is the Creator of all things, the extent of His realm must be the whole world. Jesus took this well-known term and made it His own, proclaiming that the “kingdom of heaven is at hand” at the initiation of His public life and ministry. It is also sometimes called the âKingdom of Godâ or âReign of God.â The problem arises, however, in that certain features are mentioned of the kingdom of heaven which seem to contradict statements in some passages relating to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven is neither a social nor economic order; it is an exclusively spiritual brotherhood of God-knowing individuals. Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades of the 12th century, and there he finds himself as the defender of the city and its people. Obviously casting out demons would not necessarily prove the coming of a professing kingdom, but indicates the reality of the power of the true kingdom of God. The kingdom of God was one of Jesusâ most talked about topics, but itâs hardly a well-grasped concept for believers today. Many would answer that the gospel is that Jesus died on the cross for your sins so that you can go to heaven someday. It is a spiritual kingdom which extends to every heart and life that acknowledges his kingship and obeys his commands. The following is an excerpt from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Matthew 3. By means of His death on the cross and victorious resurrection he would provide the ultimate means of healing, redemption and restoration for those wishing to become a part of the Kingdom of Heaven. In contrast to the kingdom of heaven, however, the kingdom of God, when used in a spiritual sense, is entered only by new birth. We can conclude that Jesus opened his ministry with these words to say that the King-Messiah had arrived in the person of Himself. ~ Jesus, The Urantia Book, (137:8.13) Generally speaking, most liberal theologians as well as conservative amillenarians have found the kingdom of heaven to be equivalent to the concept of the kingdom of God and fulfilled in a spiritual rule of God in the hearts of those who put their trust in Christ. Another confirmation is found in 1 Corinthians 15:24, where the kingdom is declared to be delivered by Christ to the Father as a token of His victory. John F. Walvoord, long-time president of Dallas Theological Seminary, was one of the most prominent evangelical scholars of his generation. The fact is that Christ probably spoke in Aramaic, and this would require translation as well as condensation. To illustrate the nature of His movement, he compared it to: • a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31) Ps 72). However, challenging this sovereignty is the kingdom of evil, directed by Satan. Much of the confusion in the argument concerning the meaning of the kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God has arisen, from the mistaken judgment that the distinction between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God is a dispensational one. This kingdom was established by the Crusaders after they had captured the city in 1081. The same basic concept is also brought out in the parable of the dragnet in Matthew 13:47-50; where the net, which is compared to the kingdom of heaven, gathers of every kind. Mark uses the word gospel in this way because the good news about Jesus includes his birth, life, teaching, miracles, death, resurrection and acension. The precise character of the kingdom in the present age as well as the precise character of the kingdom in the millennial period, however, is still subject to various definitions. 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