What is the Kingdom of God
Many of us believe that we know what the kingdom of God is based on our
denominational beliefs, religious upbringing, and theological training. Many
believe it is a future event that will take place after the final judgment;
where all mankind will stand before God to be judged according to their works.
There are also those that believe that the kingdom of God is a physical
kingdom, in which only those who observe the traditions of certain religions
have access. While others believe that kingdom of God is a spiritual realm and
a present reality for the saints of God.
GOD PROMISED AN ETERNAL KINGDOM
God promised his people an eternal
kingdom where a king would reign forever, and those who believed in him would
become kings and priests in his kingdom, and will reign in the earth (Rev.
5:10). Many find it impossible to believe that the kingdom of God is a present
reality for the saints of God. That's because the kingdom of God is a
spiritual kingdom, and it's difficult for our natural minds to comprehend
something that cannot be experienced with our physical senses. The reality of
the kingdom of God can only be experienced by those who are connected to the
spiritual realm of God.
GOD PROMISED AN ETERNAL HOME IN HEAVEN
Some believe that the Kingdom of God
and Heaven are the same. However, the kingdom
of God and Heaven are two separate events. According to scripture, God promised his people a place where they will spend eternity (John 14:1-3). Heaven is the
actual place where the saints of God will spend eternity (Rev. 21:10-21). Therefore, Heaven is a future inheritance of the saints; it is the eternal home where the
saints will go when they transition from this life.
THE BIBLE DEFINES THE KINGDOM OF GOD
The first mention of the kingdom of
heaven in The Bible is Matthew 3:1-2 which reads, “IN those days came John
the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Most of the books of the New Testament
use the phrase kingdom of God, but the gospel of Matthew also uses the phrase
kingdom of heaven. When the kingdom of heaven is mentioned in this article, it
is referring to the kingdom of God. The following definitions of the kingdom of
God will help us to understand the universal rule of God’s kingdom.
The HarperCollins
Bible Dictionary defines the "kingdom of God" as "The reign of God, or
the realm over which God rules or will rule." God is spirit, and he rules and reigns in a spiritual kingdom.
Strong’s Concordance translates “kingdom” as G932, basileia; from the root word G935 which is defined as properly, royalty, i.e. rule, or a realm, kingdom, and reign (Blue Letter Bible). The Blue Letter Bible records the Outline of Biblical Usage of G932 when referring to the kingdom of God as follows:
I.
Royal power,
kingship, dominion, rule;
a. Not to be confused with an actual kingdom but
rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom;
b. Of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah;
c. Of the royal power and dignity conferred on
Christians in the Messiah’s kingdom
II.
A kingdom, the
territory subject to the rule of a king;
III.
Used in the New
Testament to refer to the reign of the Messiah.
The Bible describes the reign of Jesus Christ as
recorded in Daniel 7:14 which reads, "And there was given him dominion,
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve
him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and
his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
When referring to the "kingdom of God," Strong’s translates “of God” as
G2316, theos; meaning of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially the Supreme
Divinity (Blue Letter Bible). The Blue Letter Bible records the
Outline of Biblical Usage of G2316 as: 1. The Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost); 2. Spoken of the only
and true God; refers to the things of God, his counsels, interests, things due
to him (Blue Letter Bible).
Jesus responded to a scribe’s question
about the first commandment with the words of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 which reads, “Here,
O Israel; the LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God
with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
When referring to the "kingdom of Heaven," Strong’s translates “of heaven”
as G3772, ouranos; meaning the sky (Blue Letter Bible). The Blue Letter Bible records the Outline of
Biblical Usage of G3772 as:
The region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal
and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings (Blue
Letter Bible).
The Apostle Paul writes in his letter
to the Colossians, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven,
and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and
for him.”
We can further understand the kingdom
of God by looking at the primary message of The Bible. From the book of
Genesis to the book of Revelation, we find that the focal point of The Bible
is God’s desire to be reconciled with mankind. To accomplish this, God
established a plan of salvation in which mankind is reconciled to God through
Jesus Christ. The mission of Jesus Christ was three-fold; he was to give his
life for the sins of mankind, be the vehicle through which the Holy Ghost is
given to mankind, and establish God’s kingdom on earth. In Isaiah’s prophecy of
the promised Son, he says that God will establish his (Jesus’) kingdom with
judgment and justice forever (Isa. 9:7).
JESUS DESCRIBES THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Jesus Christ, the highest authority on
the kingdom of God, describes it as a present reality for the saints of God. Jesus
connected the kingdom of God with the demonstration of God’s power. Throughout his ministry, Jesus preached the kingdom of God and healed all manner of
sickness and disease among the people (Mark 4:23). Jesus instructed his
disciples to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick (Luke 9:2). Let’s look
at the words of Jesus Christ regarding the reality of the kingdom of God.
Jesus
is King – Jesus
says, “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of
God is come unto you” (Matt. 12:28). Jesus confirms his kingship with the
demonstration of the Spirit of God over the works of the devil.
Jesus
Preached The Gospel of the Kingdom
– After being baptized and receiving
the Holy Spirit, Jesus began his ministry by preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
The
Kingdom Comes with Power
– Jesus tells his disciples that some of them will see the kingdom of God come
with power. “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be
some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have
seen the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1). Jesus’ words were
confirmed on the Day of Pentecost when three thousand souls were converted (Acts 2:41).
You
Must be Born Again – Jesus
explains to Nicodemus that he must be born again to enter into the kingdom of
God. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). “Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
A
Spiritual Kingdom – Jesus tells the Pharisees that the kingdom
of God will not be observed as an earthly kingdom is observed because this kingdom is
within them. “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of
God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the
kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21).
Jesus
Inherits the Kingdom – All prophecies
concerning the kingdom of God were fulfilled after the death, burial, and resurrection
of Jesus Christ. Jesus' last words on the cross were: "It is finished”
(John 19:30), indicating that all God's promises concerning the kingdom of God had
been fulfilled. Jesus proclaims after his resurrection that he has been given
all power in Heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18), confirming that he had inherited his kingdom.
What is the kingdom of God? Based on
biblical resources, this article presents several facts about the kingdom of
God. 1. The kingdom of God is the spiritual realm in which God rules and
reigns; 2. The kingdom of God is a present reality for the saints of God; and
3. The saints of God reign with Christ in the kingdom of God (Rev. 5:10).
Christ will come again to return the kingdom to God. The Apostle Paul tells us
that Christ will rule until he has put all enemies under his feet, then he will
deliver the kingdom up to God (1 Cor. 15:24-25). This event is commonly
referred to as the rapture of the saints. An important point to make here is
that the kingdom can only be delivered up to God if it is already in the earth.
If you desire to have a personal relationship with God, you must be born again according to Acts 2:38
where it is written, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Thank you for taking the time to read
this article. Please share your comments or questions in the comments section
below. We would love to hear from you.
Diane Margo Penny is an author,
content creator, social media specialist, and Web designer.
Works Cited:
The Holy Bible King James Version. Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1990.
HarperCollins Bible Dictionary.
Blueletterbible.org. Web. 13 Sept.
2023.
heaven-635516_1920. Jeff Jacobs. Pixabay.com. Web. 14 Sept. 2023.
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