The Kingdom of Heaven

WILL JESUS REIGN ON THE PHYSICAL EARTH AT SOME FUTURE TIME?

WHAT ARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?

Many aspects of the teachings about the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are very difficult to understand. The reason for this is because Jesus uses figurative and symbolic language when he is teaching about it. An extensive study of Revelation, Daniel and John chapters 12-17 helps in understanding how symbolic language is used in the Bible and how to interpret it. John chapters 12-17 take place in the days shortly before Jesus death. During these teachings Jesus is generally speaking to his disciples about how things will be “in that day,” after his return at the rapture, and he is using very figurative, difficult to understand language. In John 16:25 Jesus says, “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.” Jesus then begins to clarify some things for them, as we see in John 16:29. A short few days later, after his resurrection, Jesus begins to teach them once more. He taught them over the forty days until he was taken up to heaven, and his concentration was on the kingdom of God as we read in Acts 1:1, 3. Excerpts from these verses say: “I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven,” and “He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” After the resurrection the disciples could much more clearly understand what Jesus had been teaching them in figures and symbols. Three examples using his death and resurrection include (1) the sign of Jonah, Matt 16:4, (2) destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days, John 2:19, Matt 26:61, and (3) the Son of Man must be lifted up, John 3:14, 12:34.

The terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” are expressions that are used in the New Testament. There seems to be much confusion about what they mean and whether or not they mean the same thing. I have done a study of the passages in which these expressions are used and have come to the following conclusions about what they refer to:

God is Spirit. Those who worship him must worship him in and with their spirit. The abode of God is in the spiritual dimensions. The spiritual dimensions are eternal; eternal in the past and the future. God is above everything in those spiritual dimensions. Nothing exists that is not under his control. We might say that he is king of the megasphere; his kingdom is everywhere and includes everything. We refer to that place as heaven. Heaven is a spiritual place, inhabited by spirit beings. Another name sometimes used for heaven is the “kingdom of God.” The physical universe in which we live is simply a physical creation of God in the midst of heaven.

The vastness of our physical universe is incomprehensible to us, but it is only an extremely tiny blip in the boundless kingdom of God. God’s kingdom is eternal, and our universe is extremely temporal. The tiny blip in the continuum of time in which man exists on the earth and interacts with Jesus in some way is referred to as the “kingdom of heaven.”

When man enters the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God that he is entering the domain of God. He is entering the place where God lives, so to speak. Where does God now live? He lives in heaven and he lives within those who are believers and followers of Jesus. He co-inhabits with the spirits of believers in the bodies in which they temporarily reside.

We can distinguish whether or not we are in the kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God by where our spirit lives. If our spirit is living on earth, in a body co-inhabited by Jesus’ Spirit, then we are experiencing the kingdom of heaven. If we have died and our spirit has gone to heaven, then we are experiencing the kingdom of God. When we enter or become a part of the kingdom of heaven we are said to receive life, or eternal life. We are guaranteed that as long as we remain in the kingdom of heaven that we will live forever with God. When our earthly dwelling place, our body, dies, our spirit lives on eternally. It simply moves to heaven, to the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of heaven in general and the millennium in particular are several times referred to as the kingdom of Jesus; see Matt 13:41, 16:28; Luke 22:30; John 18:36; 1 Cor 15:24-28.

The reasons for calling this the kingdom of heaven may be given in two scriptures. (1) Daniel is speaking about the millennium and he says in Dan 7:27, “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” (2) Matt 25:31 is speaking of the time right after the Second Coming when Jesus is preparing for the millennium and it says “he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory,” and verse 31 refers to Jesus as “king.”

The remainder of this study will dig into the details of the scriptures that have led me to the above conclusions. For purposes of simplicity and to give us an easy way to remember what I have concluded the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” mean, I present the following definitions:

Kingdom of God: heaven, the place where God lives. The all encompassing reign of God over all things in all places. In this context it includes the kingdom of heaven.

Kingdom of heaven: the way we experience the kingdom of God while we are on earth. Associated with humans on earth who proclaim Jesus as their king. Phase 1 - the kingdom of God as experienced on earth by believers through Jesus living within them through the Holy Spirit. Phase 2 - the kingdom of Jesus on earth in the millennium. Both phases – the place where Jesus dwells and reigns as God. Also, in Matt 19:16-26 Jesus equate eternal life with the kingdom of heaven

ANSWERING THE HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

DISTINGUISHING THE PHYSICAL FROM THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

We previously defined the kingdom of God as a term used to express the all encompassing reign of God over all things in the megaverse through all of eternity past, present and future. We defined the kingdom of heaven as the way in which we experience the kingdom of God while we live upon the earth. The kingdom of heaven exists in two phases, (1) a spiritual, inner man phase while a believer lives on earth as a human, and (2) a physical phase during the 1000 year millennium when Jesus is physically on earth as King of kings. We will next try to better understand the details about the kingdom of heaven by asking and answering several pertinent questions.

QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Phase 1)

1. What is a spiritual kingdom?

A spiritual place, or dimension, in which a spiritual king reigns.The spiritual dimensions are a hidden place that we currently cannot physically see. Many current scientists who study the universe and the mathematical laws that describe it believe that the universe must have at least ten dimensions.Only three are physical, one is time and the others are hidden from us. These may be the spiritual dimensions.

2. Is there currently a spiritual kingdom that can be experienced by men living on the earth?

Yes

3. Where is this spiritual kingdom?

It exists within the spirits of those who believe in and belong to Jesus, his followers, Luke 17:20-21.John 3:3 says that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (John 1:12).John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.”Man is a nonphysical and eternal spirit being inhabiting a temporary physical body.The spirit is the part of man that is eternal and goes to heaven at death, Eccl 12:7, Acts 7:59.Prov 20:27 says that the spirit is the innermost part of a man.Angels are also referred to as spirits.Heaven, the domain of God, is a place inhabited by spirits.

In John 3:3-15 Jesus says that when he speaks about the kingdom of God he is speaking of “heavenly things.” Remember that the kingdom of God encompasses the kingdom of heaven.

4. When did this spiritual kingdom come to earth or begin on earth?

Jesus’ sacrifice made it possible for man to again be seen as perfect, free from sin and able to come into the presence of God.That sacrifice also made it possible for Jesus to take the spirits residing in Abraham’s Bosom in Hades to heaven.His sacrifice atoned for all sins, past, present and future.After Jesus’ resurrection the spirits of believers go directly to heaven at the time of death.That opened the way for the kingdom of heaven to come to earth.We could argue that it began at Pentecost.At Pentecost Jesus sent his Spirit to live within those who had accepted him and become followers.That means that both the spirit of a redeemed man and the Spirit of Jesus live within the same physical body.They live together.The kingdom of heaven is now within believers because the Spirit now lives within them.Believers can now experience the benefits of kingdom living while they are on earth.

Matt 11:7-19 is a little complicated. Jesus says that John the Baptist represented the last of the Old Testament prophets and the end of the Old Covenant. This passage says that there has never been a man on earth greater than John the Baptist, yet even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. In that regard John lived under the law and was therefore judged by the law, while even the least of believers in Jesus lived under grace and was therefore declared as perfect in God’s eyes. Another way of looking at it is that the least of those in the spiritual kingdom of heaven will be greater than the greatest of men while they were living under the law, because even the best of men was still a sinner. Those in the kingdom of heaven will have been declared perfect by the blood of Jesus and free from sin. The kingdom of heaven was being introduced in a spiritual sense by Jesus and those who accepted Jesus became members of the spiritual kingdom of God.

In Matt 4:17 Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven was imminent. By this I expect that he meant that he was now on earth and things would soon change, implying his death, resurrection and the taking of paradise from Hades to heaven (Eph 4:7-10, 1 Pet 3:19, John 5:25-27). The kingdom of heaven was imminent in that it was less than 3 years away. This meant that two very significant changes were coming. After Jesus’ resurrection and the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost a person would enter the kingdom of heaven at the moment they became a believer in and follower of Jesus, and they would enter the kingdom of God in heaven immediately upon their death.

Mark 15:43 says that Joseph of Arimathea was waiting for the kingdom of God. Obviously it had not yet come to earth at the time of Jesus death.

We can say that Jesus sacrifice for us made it possible for the kingdom of heaven to come to earth and that it actually arrived with the Spirit at Pentecost.

5. How does one get into the kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God?

John 3:3 says we must be born again to see the kingdom of God.John 1:12 says we become children of God if we believe in Jesus, meaning that we are born of God.John 3:6 says flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.God is Spirit and we are born of Spirit when we become believers in Jesus.John 3:13 says that no one had ever gone to heaven except the one who came from heaven, namely Jesus.However, upon his death he took all of those in Abraham’s Bosom to heaven.That made it possible for the kingdom of heaven to come to earth in a spiritual sense.

6. What happens now in a kingdom sense when a follower of Jesus dies?

The spirit of the believer transitions from one phase of the kingdom of God to another.He is no longer in the phase called the kingdom of heaven since he is no longer on earth.When a believer dies his spirit transitions from earth to heaven and he becomes a partaker in the heavenly kingdom of God.He will then be in the presence of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit and the spirits of all of those believers who preceded him to heaven.

7. Can we say that Jesus is currently the king or ruler of the earth, speaking in a spiritual sense?

No.

8. Who then is the current ruler of the earth, in a spiritual sense?

Satan. There are several scriptures that confirm this and tell us who Satan and his evil angels are and what they do. We will quote a few for confirmation.

Satan is called the ruler and god of this world (John 12:31, 2 Cor 4:4).
Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2).
Satan is the deceiver of the whole world (Rev 12:9. 20:3).
Satan is man’s adversary and opposes him in every way he can (1 Pet 5:8), he is our enemy (Matt 13:39), he opposes all that is good and promotes all that is evil (1 Jn 5:19). In fact he is a man killer (1 John 3:12, 15).
Satan is the father of lies (Jn 8:44).
Satan is the leader of the evil angels (Rev 12:9, Matt 25:41).
Satan has power over world governments (Matt 4:8-9, 2 Cor 4:4), in the physical realm (Lk 13:11, 16), in the angelic realm (Eph 6:11-12, Jude 9), and even in the church realm (Rev 2:9, 3:9).
Satan’s principal tactic in attacking God’s kingdom is to present a counterfeit kingdom and program. He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). The Bible tells us that Satan is responsible for false churches, ministers, gospels, theologies, teachers, prophets, and christs in the world.
Satan’s principal goal since his banishment from God’s heavenly government has been to thwart God’s plan to provide a kinsman redeemer for mankind and to oppose the work of Christ in the world.
Evil angels inflict disease, mental disorders, and even death upon man in some cases.
The Bible tells us that Satan and his followers do the following to believers; tempt them, slander them, hinder their work, place unbelievers among them, persecute them, hinder answers to their prayers, place doubts in their minds, and place pride and jealousy in their hearts.
Believers have protection against demons since the Holy Spirit is within them (1 Jn 4:4).
Our defense against Satan and his followers is through Jesus (Rom 8:34, Heb 7:25), and through our spiritual armor (Eph 6:11-18). Also see James 4:7 and Eph 6:13-14.
Presently there are two classes of demons or evil angels, (1) those who are at work in the universe opposing God and his people and (2) those who are being confined in Tartaros (2 Pet 2:4, Jude 6)

9. How can Satan be the spiritual ruler of the earth?

The vast majority of those living on earth follow Satan and reject Jesus as their Lord, ruler and king.John 8:39-47 says that all of those who can truly call God their Father love Jesus.It also says that Satan is the father of all of those who do not love Jesus.1 John 2:23 says that no one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.This clearly implies that Satan is the god and father of all of those who deny Jesus as their personal God.That is over 75 % of those living on earth today.

10. Can we change this?

We can certainly change the percentages.However, Satan is a powerful enemy and ruler.He has vast legions of angels at his disposal.There is currently a great spiritual war ongoing in the spiritual dimensions over the spirits of all humans.This war and what we can do to protect ourselves is presented in Eph 6:10-17.We must dress our own spirits for the spiritual battle.

11. Is there any chance that unbelievers or those who live wicked lives will be a part of the kingdom?

No. In 1 Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, and Eph 5:5 Paul tells us that the wicked will not enter the kingdom of God. John also tells us this in Rev 21:8, 27. In 1 Cor 15:50 Paul tells us that we will not get into the kingdom of God in our earthly bodies. Also see Luke 9:62.

12. Will there one day be a permanent transition from the kingdom of heaven to the kingdom of God?

Yes. In Matt 13:24-30 Jesus told the disciples a parable about the weeds among the wheat. He explained the meaning of this parable to the disciples in Matt 13:36-43. Jesus says this parable concerns the “end of the age” when all unbelievers will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire. We know from Revelation 20 that this takes place at the end of the 1000 year millennium. The millennium is the physical kingdom of heaven on earth. In Matt 13:43 Jesus says that the righteous will then shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father. This is the eternal kingdom of God. Paul tells us the same thing in 1 Cor 15:24 when he says, “Then the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. After that time there will no longer be humans in the universe, but only the redeemed in their glorified bodies living with God in the new heaven and new earth. There will no longer be death, Hades or evil of any kind as they will all have been permanently destroyed. This is all described in Revelation chapters 20 and 21.

13. How long will the kingdom last?

Luke 1:33 tells us that Jesus will reign forever over his kingdom.Taken with 1 Cor 15:20-28, we see that his reign will be under the authority of the Father.This is confirmed in Dan 7:11-27.2 Peter 1:11 and Heb 1:8 confirm that the kingdom of Jesus is eternal.

QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE LITERAL, PHYSICAL KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Phase 2)

1. What is a literal, physical kingdom?

A place on the physical three dimensional earth where a king reigns and there are many people who are subject to his reign.

2. Who will be the king of the kingdom of heaven on earth?

Jesus!! The kingdom of heaven in general and the millennium in particular are several times referred to as the kingdom of Jesus; see Matt 13:41, 16:28; Luke 22:30; John 18:36; 1 Cor 15:24-28. Matt 25:31 is speaking of the time right after the Second Coming when Jesus is preparing for the millennium and it says “he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory,” and verse 34 refers to Jesus as “king.”

3. Was the physical kingdom of heaven on earth during the time when Jesus lived on earth in the first century?

No. Jesus indicated in Matt 20:28 that he came as a suffering servant, to serve and not be served. He did not come as a king, but as a servant, to save mankind from the penalty for sin. In John 18:36 Jesus makes these two statements; “My kingdom is not of this world,” and “But now my kingdom is from another place.” Use of the word “now” leaves room for Jesus’ kingdom to one day be here on earth in a physical sense.

In Acts 1:6-7, Jesus was asked if he was going to restore the kingdom to Israel at that time. He told them that it was not for them to know the dates or times. This discussion makes it clear that the physical kingdom of heaven was not imposed upon the earth at Jesus death and that it was not upon the earth during the early church period.

In the parable in Luke 19:11-27, it is clear that the Jewish people of Jesus time thought that the physical kingdom was going to come in their lifetime. They were expecting the Messiah to come as an earthly king to save them from their oppression by the Romans. However Jesus tells them by parable that he was their king, that they would reject him, that he was going away for a long time, that he expected them to work as his servants while he was gone, and that he would one day return to judge how they had performed as his servants (in the spiritual phase of the kingdom). The implication is that the kingdom of heaven under Jesus reign would begin upon his return. This is confirmed in Rev 11:15-18. The physical aspect of his kingdom was a long time in the future when Jesus was on earth.

4. Is the physical kingdom of heaven on earth at the present time?

No. In John 18:36-37 Jesus says that his kingdom is not of this world, but it is from another place. That precludes the kingdom from existing literally on the earth at the present time. That should not preclude the existence of a spiritual aspect of the kingdom at the present time in our hearts and in heaven. Our hearts are spiritual and are not of this world, even at the present time. The literal, physical kingdom of heaven will begin on earth at the Second Coming of Jesus.

Eph 5:5, Gal 5:21, and 1 Cor 6:9-10 all say that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom.1 Cor 15:50 says that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; Paul calls it perishable.Obviously the kingdom is not presently on the earth in a physical sense.It is something that we will inherit in the future (in our resurrected, glorified bodies).

In Matt 5:19-20 Jesus is clearly referring to the kingdom of heaven as being something not of the world as they knew it.It had to be either in heaven or during the millennium.It’s not clear from this passage.The same can be said for Matt 7:21-23 which says that “only those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.”Jesus makes it plain in verse 23 that he will be the judge concerning who enters the kingdom of heaven.Verse 22 says we will enter the kingdom “on that day,” in the end times.The judgment being spoken of is likely the sheep-goat judgment just after the Second Coming, as recorded in Matt 25:31-46.

Eph 1:8-10 clearly teaches that the physical phase of the kingdom of heaven begins when all things in heaven and on earth are placed under one head, Jesus.Rev 11:15 confirms this.This can only be at the Second Coming when Satan is bound and thrown into Hades for 1000 years.Before that time Satan is the ruler of the earth, John 12:31, 2 Cor 4:4, Eph 2:2, Matt 4:8-9.

Rev 12:7-12 talks about the time period apparently beginning at the middle of the seven year tribulation period as “the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.” It appears that Satan and his evil angels have just been evicted from heaven and exiled to the earth. Those in heaven are seen as rejoicing at this happening, while those on earth are facing woe. It seems that this begins a period referred to as “the kingdom of our God under the authority of Christ.”

5. When will the literal, physical kingdom of heaven come to earth?

When Jesus returns to earth as “King of kings and Lord of lords” at his Second Coming, Rev 19:11-16.Rev 11:15 is describing the seventh judgment when Jesus returns at his Second Coming and says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”Eph 1:8-10 is also very clear concerning when the literal kingdom begins.The only way it exists before that is in people’s hearts, in a spiritual sense, and in heaven.

In the discussion in Matt 20:20-28, the mother of one of the disciples, Zebedee, came to Jesus asking that one of her sons set on Jesus left and the other on his right in his future kingdom. Again, the kingdom of heaven is the future millennial kingdom.

There are two kingdom parables in Matt 25:1-30. These kingdom parables seem to describe how to get into the literal kingdom of heaven in the millennium, including who will be there and who will not be there. These two parables are immediately followed by a description of Jesus Second Coming. Jesus is described as “sitting on his throne in heavenly glory.” This may be where the term “kingdom of heaven” comes from. It represents the millennial period where Jesus will be on earth for 1000 years on his throne in heavenly glory. Going on, verse 34 tells us that this time just after the Second Coming is the “kingdom prepared for believers.”

In 2 Tim 4:1 Paul is giving a charge and says, “In view of his appearing and his kingdom, etc.” This clearly implies that the kingdom will appear at the return of Jesus.

6. Are there other scriptures that clearly teach that there will one day be a physical kingdom of heaven on earth?

Yes, there are many spread throughout the Bible.

In Luke 22:28-30 we see that the Father had conferred a kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, upon Jesus and that Jesus likewise was conferring a future kingdom upon his disciples so that they could rule with him. This would be a literal physical kingdom on earth.

Matt 8:10-12 makes it clear that the Old Testament saints including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be with Jesus during his reign on earth for 1000 years in what is called the kingdom of heaven.

In Matt 19:27-30 Jesus makes it very clear that his millennial kingdom is included in the kingdom of heaven. Here he describes his throne in the kingdom and how the judgments will be conducted. It is also very clear that it will have a distinct Jewish flavor to it, just as the prophecies in the Old Testament make clear.

In 2 Thess 1:5-10 Paul describes the kingdom of God as existing at Jesus 2nd coming when he is revealed from heaven with his powerful angels. He describes the judgment which will take place at that time. The wording seems to imply that this will take place on earth.

Luke 9:62 says that we will serve in the kingdom of God. In the discussion by Jesus of the house owner in Luke 13:22-30, it is obvious that the kingdom is a future place occupied only by believers. There is a feast described as taking place in the kingdom for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, all the prophets in the kingdom and believers from all over the earth. This seems to be describing the millennial reign of Christ.

Rev 5:10 says that believers will be a kingdom and priests and will reign on the earth.

7. Was the future physical kingdom of heaven prophesied in the Old Testament?

Yes, many times and in many places in the Old Testament. There are fascinating prophesies of this in the book of Daniel. The book of Daniel is a book written by Daniel the prophet during his exile in Babylon from 605-530 BC. During this exile God gave Daniel prophecies of the future history of the world from his time until the time of the end. The prophecies included descriptions of each of the major empires that would rule the known world during this timeframe. The prophecies given to Daniel end with Jesus Second Coming to earth to set up his future kingdom on earth, the kingdom of heaven.

The book of Daniel has the imprint of the Holy Spirit all over it. It is supernaturally organized in much the same way as 1 John and Revelation. In 1 John, John presents how a believer can have assurance that he is saved and will go to heaven. He does this three different times with each of the three keyed to a particular phrase. The phrases are “this is how we know,” “By this we know,” and “we (or you) know.” There are seven corresponding proofs keyed to each phrase. This pattern is present in both the Greek and NIV versions of the Bible. In Revelation, John presents three sets of end time judgments, each with seven corresponding judgments. It is obvious that John is presenting the same topic three times in each book, with seven corresponding specific topics in each of the three major topics. In each book the three are presented in different ways in such a way that they complement each other, with each succeeding topic giving additional detail and insight. We might say that John tells us, tells us again, and then tells us what he has told us. We see something very similar in the way that Daniel organizes the book of Daniel. We know in saying that, that it is really the Holy Spirit doing the organizing.

How is this then presented in Daniel? Daniel gives us the future history of the world in advance in three different ways, with each ending with the Second Coming of Jesus to set up his kingdom of heaven. What Daniel says about the future kingdom follows:

a. The first prophetic presentation is given in Dan 2:31-45. In verse 44 Daniel is told, “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”The Second Coming of Jesus is presented in verses 34-35 as a rock that was cut out, but not by human hands, that destroyed the kingdoms of the earth and became a huge kingdom that filled the whole earth. This whole story is presented in seven segments, a dream, an interpretation, a description of four human kingdoms and finally Christ’s kingdom is established on earth.

b. The second prophetic presentation is given in Dan 7:1-28. In verse 14 Daniel is told, “He (Jesus) was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion and will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” In verse 27 Daniel is told, “Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.” This story is presented in the same seven segments, a dream, an interpretation, a description of four human kingdoms and finally Christ’s kingdom is established on earth.

c. The third prophetic presentation is given in chapters 8-12, and spans three separate visions given to Daniel. Again we have seven segments, the three visions given in ever increasing detail, the interpretations, and descriptions of four human kingdoms or kings finally leading up to the time of the Second Coming of Jesus in chapter 12. In verses 1-2 of chapter 12 we read, “But at that time your people – everyone whose name is written in the book – will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” This takes us right up to the millennial kingdom on earth.

Several other Old Testament prophecies also speak of the future kingdom of heaven on earth and some of the characteristics are described below:

Isa 2:2-4 – The Lord’s kingdom will be established as the chief among the kingdoms on earth and all nations will stream to it. Jesus will establish a holy government and will be judge over the whole earth. It will be a time of peace over the whole world and there will be no wars among nations.
Isa 9:7 – He will reign on David’s throne and over his whole kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time and forever.
Isa 4:5-6 - The Holy Spirit will be a protective canopy, a shelter, over Israel in that day.
Isa 60:14 - The sons of Israel’s oppressors will call her, “The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”
Isa 24:23 - In that day the moon will be ashamed, the sun ashamed; and the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem.
Ps 132:11-18 – Jesus has chosen Zion as his resting place, his dwelling forever. He will reign from there because it is his choice. He will bless his people and nobody will be poor or hungry.. They will sing for joy.
Isa 32:1-3 - See a king will reign in righteousness, and rulers will rule with justice. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
Ezek 34:24, 37:25 - Jesus will be king over all united Jews, from all tribes. David will be their prince.
Micah 4:1-5 – Jesus will rule the peoples of the earth from Jerusalem in the Millennium.
Micah 4:3 – Jesus will be judge and will settle disputes between nations all over the world. It will be a time of peace among men and there will be no wars or armies.
Ps 8:5-9, 72:8-9 – The Father crowned Jesus with glory and honor and put everything in creation under him. He will reign on earth. He will rule over the entire earth and everyone will bow down to him.
Ps 96 – We will sing a new song when Jesus comes to judge the world in righteousness.
Ps 45:9-11 – Jesus is enthralled by the beauty of his bride, the church. His reign will last forever.
Ps 45:17, 110:1-7 – Jesus will crush the nations of the earth, then judge them and reign over the earth forever. He will also be a priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Ps 2:9, Rev 2:27 – He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery.
Zech 14:9-11 – Jesus will become king of the whole earth. He will be universally recognized and worshipped as God.
Zech 9:10 – God will proclaim peace to the nations. His rule will extend from sea to sea.
Ezek 37:24-28 - The sanctuary of God will be with man forever. God will live with man forever, they will be his people and he will be their God.
Zech 2:10-11 – God the Father will send Jesus to live among his people in that day.
Zech 2:11-12 – Many nations will be joined to Jesus and will be his people in that day.
Zech 8:20-23 – People will come from many powerful nations to Jerusalem in that day seeking God.
Isa 25:3 - Strong peoples will honor you, cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
Ps 45:12, 68:29-31, 72:10-15, 76:11 – Nations will bring gifts to Jesus during the millennium.
Isa 18:7 - Ethiopia will bring a very special gift to Jesus at Mount Zion.
Isa 11:9 - The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord.
Zeph 2:11 – The nations on every shore will worship God, every one in his own land.
Zech 14:16-21 – In that day all the nations of the earth will come to Jerusalem year after year to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Any nation that does not do so will be punished by God. Everything in Judah and Jerusalem will be holy to God.
Ps 118:25-26 – Jesus tells us in Matt 23:29 that the Jews will repeat the words in these verses just before the Second Coming and when he hears them he will return to save them. The words are “O Lord save us; O Lord grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Priests recite this passage daily during the Feast of Tabernacles. This connection may be why this feast is so important during the millennium. This may imply that the Second Coming will occur during this feast. Jews finally cry out to Jesus with sincerity and conviction during the feast and he returns to save them.
Isa 25:6-8 - On Mount Zion the Lord will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples; on this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples; he will swallow up death forever, (the blindness that keeps them from seeing the truth about who Jesus is).
Zech 8:18-19 – The Jews will still celebrate their feasts and fasts in that day.
Isa 66:2-4 - God does not want nor will he allow any types of sacrifices in that day, either animal or grain.
Isa 35:9 - But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will cover their heads.
Jer 30:18-26 – Israel and Jerusalem will be rebuilt. The Jews will finally realize the reason for all of the punishment that they have had to endure.
Jer 31:38-39 – Israel and Jerusalem will be rebuilt in that day.
Ezek 36:35 - The land of Israel will become like the Garden of Eden.
Isa 35:6-8 - Water will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness.
Zech 1:17 - The towns of Israel will overflow with prosperity and the Lord will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem.
Isa 65:20 - In that day people will live to be hundreds of years old.
Isa 65:23-24 - God’s people will be blessed by the Lord and their descendents with them. In that day all of the prayers of his people will be heard and answered, even before they are spoken.
Joel 3:18 – Israel will be richly blessed in that day.
Micah 4:4 – It will be a time when people do not have to be afraid. Everyone will own their own home and have a means to supply the needs of their family.
Zeph 3:14-20 – In that day God will remove all fear and sorrow from his people. God will give the Jews honor and praise among the peoples of the earth.
Zech 3:10 – In that day each of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and fig tree.
Isa 11:6-8 - The wolf will lie with the lamb, the lion will eat straw like an ox, the infant will play near the hole of the cobra and the young child put his hand in the viper’s nest.
Isa 65:25 - Wild animals will become vegetarians and will no longer be dangerous. Insects will no longer be poisonous. They will neither harm nor destroy.
Ezek 34:25-31 - Jesus will rid the world of wild beasts (including pandemics caused by viruses, parasites, etc.) and make it a place of peace and safety. There will be showers in all seasons and seasons of blessing. People will live in freedom and have plenty to eat. God will be their only God in that day.
Job 19:26 – Job knew that he would one day receive a resurrected body and that he would see God with his own eyes as he was in that body.
Job 19:25, Ps 71:20 – Job knew that he had a redeemer, that he lives and that he would someday stand upon the earth. The Psalmist knew that he would be resurrected and live in the presence of the Lord.
Ezek 17:22-24 – In that day Israel will become a splendid nation and a blessing to the whole world.

Isa 27:12-13 – In that day Israel will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you O Israelites will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound.

Isa 61:7 – They will inherit a double portion of the land.
Zech 6:9-15 – The Branch will rebuild the temple of the Lord and he will be a priest on its throne.
Isa 37:25-26 – David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them.
Rev 3:21 – Those who overcome will sit with Jesus on his throne.
- Rev 5:10 – You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.
Rev 20:4 – Those who did not worship the beast and take his mark came to life and reigned with Christ for 1000 years.

A SUMMARY OF THE MYSTERIOUS ASPECTS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

It was promised to David and his descendents.
The King of the kingdom was born in Bethlehem to a virgin as prophesied.
The King was eventually crowned with “thorns” and crucified as prophesied.
The kingdom was prophesied as being “near” by John the Baptist, the King himself and the apostles.
The kingdom came in a mysterious fashion and involved many “mysteries” and “secrets” being presented by the King. The King revealed the “keys” to understanding the mysteries and secrets, but many would not or could not understand them. One mystery was the mystery of the church.
The mysteries and secrets will all be fulfilled in the period between the King’s rejection and the millennium.
After the “gospel of the kingdom” has been preached to the whole world by a special angel sent by Jesus just before his Second Coming, the period of mysteries and secrets will end with the return and earthly reign of the King.
After the King’s 1000 year reign, he will defeat the last enemy and deliver the kingdom to “God the Father.”

PRELIMINARY SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS

After studying many of the scriptures using the phrases “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” we reached the following preliminary summary conclusions:

The physical kingdom is clearly not on earth at the present time.
The kingdom of heaven was still in the future when Jesus was on earth.
The kingdom is currently spiritual only.
There will be a literal, physical phase of the kingdom in the future.
The kingdom will enter the literal, physical phase on earth at the Second Coming of Jesus.
The kingdom of heaven is subsumed by the kingdom of God; the kingdom of God lasts forever.

We have not yet studied the kingdom parables in Matthew in detail. That will be our next task. However we can make some preliminary conclusions from what we have studied so far concerning the way that the terms “kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” are used in the New Testament. We see that the kingdom of heaven seems to be a subset of the kingdom of God. Matthew is the only New Testament writer to use the term kingdom of heaven. In many cases he used it synonymously with the way that other New Testament authors used the phrase “kingdom of God.” We also see that the kingdom of heaven seems to be expressed in two phases, one expressing the way in which the believer experiences the kingdom of God in a spiritual sense while he is on earth and the other expressing the believer’s physical experience with Jesus on earth after the Second Coming. See the attached figure for a summary of the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the all encompassing reign of God over all things in the megaverse through all of eternity past, present and future.

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