Bible Handbook:
On the subject of the kingdom we observe that the inspired writers have been led of God to use a variety of expressions. Thus we read of ‘the kingdom,’ ‘the kingdom of God,’ ‘the kingdom of heaven,’ ‘kingdom of our Lord,’ etc. and it well becomes us to seek to understand the different terms.
It was foretold in Daniel 2:44, “And in the days of these kings [the fourth kingdom, the Roman Empire] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” See also Daniel 7.
The God of Israel, who formerly had His throne of earthly government at Jerusalem, but in consequence of the sin of the house of David had withdrawn His glory to heaven and transferred the power to Gentiles in Nebuchadnezzar for a season, would ultimately replace Israel by His own direct rule from heaven. Notice that the title GOD OF HEAVEN is only found after the captivity.
The Lord announced the kingdom when on earth. This answered to the time noted above, inasmuch as it was during the existence of the Roman Empire, though it did not at that time consume it: that is still future. The rejection of Messiah by the Jews has put off till later times the kingdom in power.
The Lord Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven and of the kingdom of God. The parable of the leaven is referred to the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 13:33, and to the kingdom of God in Luke 13:20; yet the terms are not interchangeable, indeed we find the expression ‘kingdom of heaven,’ or rather ‘the kingdom of the heavens,’ in the Gospel by Matthew only, which surely gives a dispensational character to that title. Israel was expecting an earthly kingdom, and in due time they will possess such, but it will be on the basis of the new covenant; the Lord directed their eyes to the kingdom of the heavens. They must look to heaven for present and future blessing.
Both John the Baptist and the Lord preached that the kingdom of the heavens was at hand, and required a moral preparedness for it; but it was no sooner announced than it was opposed. The rulers did not receive it, nor suffered others to do so, as far as they could prevent it. We may say that the kingdom of the heavens really began when Christ ascended to heaven; for the force of the expression is the seat of authority, not the sphere of the rule; as it is said, England rules India.
The term ‘Kingdom of God’ is used in a wider sense, and often in a moral sense. The point is, whose rule it is, namely, God’s. The authority is in the hands of the Lord Jesus; hence ‘the kingdom of Christ.’ It may be said to have been brought in when Christ began His ministry in the sense that ‘the kingdom of God is among you,’ for the King was present in their midst for their acceptance; but He was rejected, and the kingdom was not established. Our Lord said He would not drink of the fruit of the vine until He drank it new (that is, after a new order) in the kingdom of God, and He taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come.” It is now, therefore, “the kingdom and patience” (Rev. 1:9); by-and-by it will be the kingdom in power. Christ is represented as having gone to receive a kingdom and to return (Luke 19:12).
Still, while our Lord is away, the kingdom goes on in its mysterious form (Matt. 13). There are those who profess obedience to God and to the Lord Jesus, and who look to the heavens as the throne from whence come all their blessings, whilst living in this world of which Satan is the god.
The parables explain to us the nature of the kingdom while the Lord is away, and show us that there are not only true, but false ones in the kingdom: Satan introduces the latter, whereas the former are described as those that “hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit” (Mark 4:20). {See Parables.}
The thought will naturally arise, What difference, if any, is there between the kingdom in its present existence, and the professing church?
The term ‘professing church’ never occurs in Scripture. It may be noted (1) that Christ spoke of the church as a future thing in Matthew 16:18, and it began to be formed at Pentecost. That which Christ builds, embraces every saved soul, and only such, ‘living stones,’ from that date until the Lord Himself comes to fetch the sleeping saints and those that may be alive at that moment (1 Thess. 4:16-17; see also Eph. 2:20-21). This company forms also the body of Christ, of which He is the Head.
(2) Besides the above we read of the church which is the house (1 Tim. 3:15); the builders of this are men, servants of Christ, (1 Cor. 3:9-17); and they may, perhaps, build in stones that are not living stones (1 Peter 2:5) — as for instance, Simon Magus (Acts 8:13) — and which will be refused by the Lord. Under another figure, such are compared to ‘wood, hay, and stubble’ which will not stand the fire, but will be burnt up (1 Cor. 3:13).
Now, though false professors will be found in the church, which is the house, and those who ‘do iniquity’ in the kingdom, yet the ‘church’ and the kingdom are not interchangeable terms. The ideas are not the same. The kingdom is the sphere of Christ’s rule; the church is the dwelling place of God the Holy Spirit. In the kingdom the wheat and the tares are to grow together till the harvest. In the church a wicked person is to be put out (1 Cor. 5:13).
We do not read of Satan acting in the church as he did when he sowed the tares among the wheat; it was in the world he did that, of which he is the god. He can and does act upon those who are in the church, and he has his emissaries there; but in the church he should be resisted. They who build in the wood, hay, and stubble are inside.
Neither will the church which is the house (which is often called Christendom) terminate at the same time as the kingdom. The church, which is the body of Christ, will, as we have seen, be fetched by Christ Himself. The Antichrist will then be developed, and Christendom will be judged and brought to an end before the millennium; whereas the kingdom, after being purged, will be in its full power as the kingdom of the Son of Man, and will continue beyond the thousand years, until Christ shall deliver up the kingdom unto the Father, when God will be all in all (1 Cor. 15:24,28). See {Church}.
From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:
This term has to do with the sphere of the Lord’s authority in connection with men in various ways on earth. There are at least ten different expressions in Scripture regarding the kingdom depicting its different aspects. It is not that there are ten kingdoms, but rather, ten aspects or distinctive characters of one kingdom (Precious Things, vol. 3, p. 272):
1) The Kingdom Of God
This term (mentioned over 70 times in Scripture) has to do with the moral state that God forms in the subjects of the kingdom. That is, when this term is used, it is emphasizing the moral order that should be found in the walk and ways of those in the kingdom. In Romans 14:17, the Apostle Paul defines this aspect of the kingdom as not being outward religious rituals and ceremony (“meat and drink”), but rather as being moral characteristics (“righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”) that God produces in His people.
This is seen in the answer that the Lord gave to those who were looking for the kingdom of God to be set up. The people thought that it would come in with an outward display of political power and material blessing. However, the Lord explained that it had already come and was on display "in the midst" of them, as demonstrated in His life, because He exemplified the moral features of the kingdom perfectly in His walk and ways (Luke 17:20-21).
A person enters the kingdom of God by new birth (John 3:5). Receiving a new life and nature from God (through new birth) enables a person to live according to the moral order of the kingdom. Apart from this, a person cannot rightly display the moral features of the kingdom of God in his life, nor can he understand and appreciate them displayed in others (John 3:3). While a person must enter the kingdom in reality by new birth, it is possible for one to put on an outward display of the moral features of the kingdom of God without being a real believer at all. Luke 13:18-21 indicates this hypocrisy. A great outward show of faith has developed among men in the Lord’s absence, mixed with much evil doctrine. In the millennial day, the kingdom will be marked by the appropriate, moral features in its subjects.
2) The Kingdom Of The Heavens
This is a term that is found in Matthew’s gospel only—occurring 33 times. It refers to the kingdom that was promised in the Old Testament Scriptures which the Messiah of Israel would set up on earth, having its seat of rule in the heavens (Gen. 49:10; 2 Sam. 7:12-13; Dan. 2:44). It is not a kingdom up in heaven, as commonly thought, but rather, a kingdom on earth with the seat of its government being in the heavens (Psa. 103:19). Israel’s prophets describe this kingdom as having incredible utopian conditions. (See The Millennium.)
Scripture indicates that on account of the Jews’ rejection of their Messiah, the setting up of the "the kingdom of the heavens" with its outward blessings would be postponed (Dan. 9:26; Mic. 5:2-3; Zech. 11:4-14). History attests to this fact. For almost two thousand years since the Jews crucified their Messiah, virtually nothing has materialized for them in the way of the kingdom being established as promised in the Old Testament.
God has not been frustrated by this rejection of Christ; He has ordered that, in the meantime, the Lord Jesus would set up “the kingdom of the heavens” in a mystery form. This can be seen by tracing the outline of Matthew's Gospel. In chapters 1-10, the Lord presented Himself to the nation as their Messiah. These chapters demonstrate that He had all the credentials as well as the power to bring in the kingdom according to the description given by the Old Testament prophets. However, the common people (chap. 11) and the leaders (chap. 12:24-45; Mark 3:22) rejected Him. Consequently, in chapters 12-13, in a number of symbolic actions and teachings, the Lord indicated that He would sever His connections with the nation (temporarily) and bring in the kingdom in this mystical character. Hence, the kingdom of the heavens would pass through a mystical phase (Matt. 13:10-17) before it would eventually be established in a public manifestation at the Appearing of Christ, as promised by Israel’s prophets. These two phases can be distinguished as:
• The kingdom in mystery (Matt. 13:11).
• The kingdom in manifestation (1 John 3:2 – J. N. Darby Translation footnote).
The parable in Luke 19:11-27 indicates that the Lord received the kingdom when He ascended to heaven after His death and resurrection. The “nobleman” in the parable (Christ) went into “a far country” (heaven) to receive a kingdom (vs. 12). Thus, the mystery phase of the kingdom of the heavens had its beginning at that time. Being in a mystery form at this present time, it does not look as though there is a kingdom in session. From all outward appearances it seems that God is not doing anything in this world at all. It is in a mystery form today because:
• It is without a visible King.
• It is without an earthly, geographical, administrative center.
• It has no national boundaries.
• Most of its professed subjects do not regard the authority of the King and live as if there were no King.
Regardless of these peculiarities, faith sees the King (the Lord Jesus) on His throne today in His kingdom. As good subjects in the kingdom, faith leads the believer to live according to the principles of the kingdom, as given in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), until the time comes when the kingdom passes into its public manifestation phase.
A person enters the kingdom in its mystery form by making a profession of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, but the formal way of entrance is through baptism. Thus, “the kingdom of the heavens” is the realm of Christian profession. It includes those who are real believers and those who are merely professing faith in Christ. From Matthew 13 to 25, the Lord gave ten similitudes of the kingdom of the heavens in its mystery phase. These similitudes present a comprehensive description of the character the kingdom would have in this present day when the King is absent. The point of these special parables is not to reconcile the Christian revelation of truth (given in the epistles) with what is presented in the similitudes. Each similitude has a salient point that the Lord intends for us to understand, but they do not necessarily incorporate all of the doctrines of Christianity into them. For instance, God is seen as the King rather than the Lord Jesus in the 7th and the 9th similitudes. Also, in the 9th and 10th similitudes, believers are seen as guests invited to the wedding, and not the bride. The bride in both similitudes is not the focus of the Lord’s teaching, and thus is not in the picture. Therefore, it is important to focus on the salient point which the Lord is emphasizing in each, rather than to try to reconcile Christian doctrine with the details of each parable.
The ten similitudes can be divided into three groups: the first group (#1 Through #3) tells us what Satan is doing in the kingdom. The next group (#4 through #6) tells us what the Lord is doing in the kingdom in spite of Satan’s work. The last group (#7 through #10) tells us what we should be doing in the kingdom as good subjects.
• Similitude #1—Satan is introducing evil persons ("tares") into the kingdom (Matt. 13:24-30, 37-43).
• Similitude #2—Satan is introducing evil spirits ("fowls") into the kingdom (Matt. 13:31-32).
• Similitude #3—Satan is introducing evil doctrines ("leaven") into the kingdom (Matt. 13:33).
• Similitude #4—The Lord is securing individuals (a "treasure") for Himself (Matt.13:44).
• Similitude #5—The Lord is calling the Church (the "pearl") at a great cost to Himself (Matt. 13:45-46).
• Similitude #6—The Lord is saving souls by the gospel (the "dragnet") and putting them in local assemblies ("vessels") (Matt. 13:47-50).
• Similitude #7—We should maintain a right state of soul in relation to the Lord and have a forgiving spirit toward our brethren for fear of the governmental dealings of God in our lives (Matt. 18:23-35).
• Similitude #8—We should willingly serve in the Lord’s vineyard without competition, jealousy, or complaint (Matt. 20:1-16).
• Similitude #9—We should spread the gospel to the world, even though the Lord is rejected (Matt. 22:1-14).
• Similitude #10—We should be looking for the imminent return of the Lord (Matt. 25:1-13).
As mentioned, “the kingdom of the heavens” will pass into its manifestation phase at the Appearing of Christ (Dan. 2:31-45; 7:9-28). The kingdom in this aspect will be brought in by the power of God through judgment (Isa. 26:9; Acts 17:31). The first thing the Lord will do is cleanse the kingdom of the heavens of the mixture that has existed in it for many centuries. Those who are merely professing believers and those who have abandoned faith in God (apostates) will be taken out in judgment by the angels (Matt. 13:40-43; 24:40-41; Rev. 19:20). Many of these have professed subjection to the King, but have not believed the gospel of the grace and glory of God.
3) The Kingdom Of The Son Of Man
When the kingdom of the heavens passes into its full manifestation in the Millennium, Christ will reign publicly as "the Son of Man" (Matt. 13:41). There will be two departments in the kingdom—a heavenly sphere and an earthly sphere. The earthly side of the kingdom is called the kingdom of the Son of Man (Matt. 13:41; 16:28; 19:28; 20:21; Luke 22:30; 23:42; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 3:21; 20:4) and will be composed of the remnant of Israel and the Gentile nations (Zech. 2:11; Rev. 2:26-27; 21:24).
4) The Kingdom Of Their Father
—This term refers to the heavenly department of the kingdom in the day of Christ's public reign in the Millennium (Dan. 7:18, 22, 27 – J. N. Darby Trans.; Matt. 6:10; 13:43; 26:29; 1 Thess. 2:12; Heb. 12:28). In Matthew 13:43, the Lord used the figure of the “sun,” which is a heavenly orb, to describe those in the heavenly side of the kingdom. The “righteous” who will “shine forth” are not those who will be left on earth after the angels take the wicked out in judgment, but those who have been gathered into the “barn” in heaven (Matt. 13:30). This heavenly department of the kingdom will be composed of resurrected Old Testament saints ("the spirits of just men made perfect" – Heb. 12:22-23; Matt. 8:11; Luke 13:28), those who have died under the age of accountable responsibility and have been resurrected (Matt. 18:10), the resurrected martyred portion of the Jewish remnant (Rev. 11:11-12; 14:13; 20:4), and the Church—the "dead in Christ" who will be raised and the living saints who are raptured (1 Thess. 4:15-18; Phil. 3:20-21). These heavenly saints will reign with Christ over the earth in the millennial day (Heb. 12:22-23; Rev. 3:21). The reigning time of the heavenly saints will close at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:4). Revelation 22:5 confirms this, stating: "They shall reign to the ages of ages," which is, to the Eternal State.
5) The Kingdom Of The Son Of His Love—(Col. 1:13).
This term describes the one prevailing rule of life for those in the kingdom now who have the special place of being "sons"—i.e. Christians (Rom. 8:14-15; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5). They are as near to God as the Son Himself (Eph. 1:6) and are loved by the Father as the Son Himself (John 17:23).
6) The Kingdom Of The World Of Our Lord And His Christ—(Rev. 11:15).
This term refers to Christ's Lordship authority being established over the whole world by the power of judgment at His Appearing. This aspect of the kingdom correlates with "the day of the Lord" when He publicly asserts His universal power and authority over all men (Isa. 2:10-22; Jer. 46:10; Joel 1:15; Zeph. 2:2-3; Mal. 4:5; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2; 2 Peter 3:8-10).
7) The Kingdom Of Christ And Of God—(Eph. 5:5).
This aspect of the kingdom has to do with the display of Christ's glory in the Millennium. It correlates with "the day of Christ" which emphasizes the manifestation of His glory and the manifestation of the rewards of the heavenly saints (John 8:56; 1 Cor. 1:8; 3:13; 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:16; 2 Thess. 1:10).
8) The Kingdom Of Our Father David—(Mark 11:10).
This aspect of the kingdom sees Israel as the center of God's earthly operations.
9) The Heavenly Kingdom—(2 Tim. 4:18).
This has to do with the destiny of the heavenly saints.
10) The Everlasting Kingdom Of Our Lord And Saviour Jesus Christ—(2 Peter 1:11).
This aspect of the kingdom emphasizes the longevity of the kingdom. It will literally go on to the end of time, unrivaled by men. “Everlasting” in this verse does not mean eternal, but rather what goes on to the end of time. That is, the kingdom will exist for as long as time will run—which will be to the end of the Millennium. (The word “forever” is used in the same way in many places in the Old Testament.) Thus, the reign of the saints with Christ in the government of the world to come will continue “to the age of ages,” which is, to the Eternal State (Rev. 22:5 – J. N. Darby Trans.). When the Eternal State begins, there will be no need for reigning and controlling adverse powers that might rise up, as a kingdom implies.
G. Davison said, “This title assures us that once the kingdom has been set up in power, it will never be succeeded by another, as it will last as long as time lasts. It does not mean that the kingdom will go on forever in the eternal state, but rather that it will not have a successor. Kingdoms are established to keep adverse powers in subjection, as well as protect their subjects. Indeed one is the outcome of the other, but as there are no adverse powers in the Eternal State, the kingdom will not be needed. This is clear from 1 Corinthians 15:24-26” (Precious Things, vol. 1, Answers to correspondence –July/Aug).
At the end of time, the Lord will deliver the kingdom to the Father, in order to devote Himself to His bride (1 Cor. 15:24-28). Having received the kingdom from God, He will deliver it back to Him with an enhanced glory. Every administrator in history has failed to maintain the sphere of authority in which he has reigned; neither Adam, nor David, nor Solomon, nor any Gentile monarch has done so. However, when the Lord takes the kingdom, “all enemies” will not be all “put down,” but when He delivers it up to the Father in "the end," they will all be in complete subjection to God. This sets Christ apart from all others as the greatest Administrator.
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Many Christians confuse the kingdom with the Church, and consequently use unscriptural phrases such as, “The kingdom of the Church.” However, the kingdom is not synonymous with the Church for the following reasons:
Firstly, the kingdom in mystery spans a greater period of time than the Church’s time on earth. It is longer in duration, having its beginning ten days before the Church began, when the Lord went back to heaven (Luke 19:12; Acts 1:9-11). And it will also continue in its mystery phase after the Church is taken to heaven, to the end of the 70th week of Daniel, some seven years after the Rapture.
Secondly, the kingdom is broader than the Church as far as its subjects are concerned. As we have seen, the kingdom at the present time has both “tares” (mere professors) and “wheat” (real believers), whereas the Church consists of true believers only. People may join a so-called church denomination and be on its official register, but if they are not saved through faith in Christ, they are not a part of the Church of God.
Thirdly, Christ is the King in His kingdom and we are His servants, but in Scripture He is never spoken of as being the King of the Church. Rather, He is Head of the Church and believers are members of His body (1 Cor. 12:12-13; Col. 1:18).
Fourthly, Matthew 16:19 tells us that Peter was given “the keys of the kingdom of the heavens,” not the keys of the Church. These keys are baptism and discipleship. By these two things, one enters into the kingdom outwardly, but they do not make a person part of the Church. Entrance into the Church of God is only through being born of God and being sealed with the Holy Spirit (John 3:5; Eph. 1:13; 4:4).
Lastly, in the fellowship of the Church, we are to put away leaven by excommunicating the person or persons in whom it is found (1 Cor. 5:11-13). In the kingdom of the heavens (in mystery), evildoers and the leaven are not removed, but are permitted to go on "until the harvest" (Matt. 13:28-30).