.
.
Since these terms are used so often in the Bible, in the New Testament anyway, let’s take a look at exactly what they mean. Let’s clearly understand the difference between the two, so that from now on when we read these terms in the Bible, we know exactly what is being spoken of.
Kingdom – area within which a king or other authority reigns supreme
Heaven – the spiritual realm
Just from reading the two terms, it should be clear that the kingdom of heaven is where the spiritual realm reigns supreme, and the kingdom of God is where God reigns supreme. The kingdom of heaven is made up of two kingdoms: The kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil.
And Jesus knew their (the Pharisees, who were accusing Jesus of casting out devils by the prince of devils) thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand; And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
Matthew 12:25, 26
“But wait,” you might think. “Doesn’t God reign everywhere?” The answer is no, He does not. If He did, there would be no death or evil. No, God gave man dominion over the earth, and God never took it back. What Adam handed over to the serpent (the devil) when he got deceived, Jesus Christ has won back by his defeat of the devil.
From that time (after his temptations in the wilderness) Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 5:17
Why was the kingdom of heaven “at hand” (meaning it was present right then, or about to be)? Because though the kingdom of heaven existed before Jesus, it was never available to be manifested, or brought into understandable reality, to men prior to Jesus.
And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the spirit of truth; whom the world can not receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him; but you know him; for he dwells with you (being in Jesus) and shall be in you (beginning on the day of Pentecost). John 14:16, 17
Though the kingdom of heaven was all around during the Old Testament, it was completely (except for rare occasions) hidden from view, until the son of God was manifested on the earth, beginning at his baptism by John.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him; Matthew 3:17
The kingdom of heaven today includes God, angels (both good and evil), and the children of God, including the Christ. These are the sum total of all spiritual beings. The kingdom of God includes only God, His children and His angels. Of course, when we speak of God, we are speaking of His spirit, which is what God is.
God is (a is not in the text) spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24
Angels, both good and evil, are also spirits, though they have at times manifested in physical form. This is why, whenever the kingdom of heaven is spoken of, there are usually included good and evil, and often the idea of when the evil will be eradicated.
Here are a few parables which Jesus spoke concerning the kingdom of heaven, along with Scriptural references:
Matthew 13:3ff The different seeds sown by the sower
Matthew 13:24ff The sower and the tares
Matthew 13:47 The net which gathers good and bad fish
But the kingdom of God is all good.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the holy spirit. Romans 14:17
So technically, the kingdom of God is a subset of the kingdom of heaven, as is the kingdom of the devil. In the future, there will be no difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God.
Then comes the end, when he (Jesus) shall have delivered up the kingdom (of heaven) to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. I Corinthians 15:24, 25
When Paul was speaking of being caught up into the third heaven in II Corinthians, he wasn’t talking about a third level of heaven, but a chronologically third heaven. God was revealing to him the spiritual realm with no devil.
… such an one caught up to the third heaven, II Corinthians 12:2b
In the first heaven, there was God and His spirits and there was no evil and Lucifer was the angel of light. In the second heaven, Lucifer made war with God and has been cast down and his ability to operate is bound to earth. He is the god of (spiritual) darkness and death and is called the devil. In the third heaven, all evil spirits will have been destroyed in the lake of fire, and heaven will be once again and for ever be all good, containing God and His spirits and in addition His children (us). This is the heaven which Paul saw when he was “caught away.” He saw a future heaven, perhaps even its manifestation.
As there are three heavens, so are there three earths. The first is described by Genesis 1:1, which came to ruin, as described in Genesis 1:2. The making of the second earth is described in the verses following Genesis 1:2, and is the earth we live on today. The third earth is described in Peter and Revelation, among others.
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. II Peter 3:12, 13
Today, the kingdom of heaven is entered into by man walking in the spirit, and only by a bold confidence to enter into the spiritual battle. It is not for the faint of heart! Without having the spirit of God, you can’t even enter into the spiritual battle.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in the heavenly realm. Ephesians 6:12
In conclusion, when we speak of the kingdom of God (and in the book of Acts this is what is recorded as being what Paul preached all the time), we are speaking of where the spirit of God has its way. Though the term may include a reference to the kingdom of God exerting itself in the physical world, the term itself only directly refers to the spiritual realm where God’s will reigns supreme.
Our Father, Who art in heaven, holy be Your name. Your kingdom come (when your kingdom manifests itself in this physical world), your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9a, 10
__________________________________
Get notified when new studies are posted by subscribing in the upper right corner. Your information will not be shared.
_______________________________
Now available on Amazon! Buy both books to supercharge your spiritual relationship with God and your reading of the Bible.
More Christ – The Ultimate in Human Experience
Give Me Christ … Revelations of the Glorified Christ
