The Kingdom of God

The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the Son of man are each a part of the overall kingdom of God (Matt. 13:11¹¹He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. (Matthew 13:11); Mark 4:11¹¹And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: (Mark 4:11)).

The present earth serves as a laboratory for a preparation of the fulfilling of the "eternal purpose" in which the Man Christ Jesus will be the Center and where God will be all in all.

The world government upon earth began in the hands of Noah, a fallen man, then given to Israel who forfeited this honor because of disobedience and idolatry (1 Sam. 10:1¹Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (1 Samuel 10:1)), next to the Gentiles under Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (Dan. 2:37³⁷Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. (Daniel 2:37)), and lastly it was taken over by the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:7,8⁷After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. ⁸I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Daniel 7:7‑8)) which at the end, before the reign of Christ, shall be held responsible for all earthly government and judged accordingly (Dan. 7:26-28²⁶But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. ²⁷And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. ²⁸Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. (Daniel 7:26‑28)).

The Kingdom of Heaven

The distinction between the kingdom of heaven and the Church is that the kingdom of heaven is a sphere of responsibility in which all profession of the present day is found and assumed to be real, but there is counterfeit material in it which will be left behind when Jesus returns. All who believe, since Pentecost, will have their part in the Father's house in heaven.

The true Church is composed of only those who are real and do not belong to earth. They are resting upon the finished work of Christ, trusting in His precious blood, and are holy and never can be lost because Christ is their life. This gives real rest of heart and true devotedness to God our Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ.

During the tenure of the Roman Empire, John the Baptist foretold of the kingdom of heaven, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2²And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 3:2)).

In the following Scriptures, the Holy Spirit gives principles which belong to the kingdom of heaven.

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 4:17)).

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3³Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)).

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven" (Matt. 5:11,12¹¹Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. ¹²Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5:11‑12)).

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matt. 7:13,14¹³Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: ¹⁴Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:13‑14)).

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?... And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:21-23).

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, greatest of prophets born of women, will have his portion in the heavens forever.

"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there bath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matt. 11:11,12¹¹Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:11‑12)).

To take the kingdom by force calls for the energy of the Holy Spirit within. There must be wholehearted resistance to Satan who uses many pleasant things of this life which are sin, especially religious, to hinder the soul from following a rejected Christ.

After Christ went on high, the kingdom of heaven commenced and will end when the Lord comes for His Church, during which time any might press into it to follow a rejected King in His absence.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you test. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28‑30)).

The rapture of the Church will close the kingdom of heaven in mystery on earth; it will then be spoken of as "the kingdom of their Father" in heaven (Matt. 13:43⁴³Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:43)).

The Kingdom of the Son of Man

"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain" (2 Sam. 23:3,4³The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. ⁴And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. (2 Samuel 23:3‑4)).

After the great tribulation the kingdom will no longer be a mystery but will be publicly seen on earth (Matt. 13:41⁴¹The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)).

In the kingdom of the Son of man, the millennium, every power or authority on earth and in heaven will be subject unto Christ. This is His dispensational headship.

"That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Eph. 1:10,11¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: ¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:10‑11)).

God's promises to the patriarchs shall then be fulfilled as Israel reigns on the earth under Christ for one thousand years (Gen. 15:18¹⁸In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: (Genesis 15:18); Mic. 7:20²⁰Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. (Micah 7:20)).

"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19¹⁹For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19)).

The manifestation is the coming of Christ and the Church to reign over the earth during the millennium.

"Sons of God" implies a position of dignity for both the angels in the Old Testament and for the Church in the New Testament (Job 1:6⁶Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6); Rom. 9:26²⁶And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. (Romans 9:26) N.T.). In the New Testament more is meant by "sons of God" inasmuch as we are sons now by a new nature, being born of God by the Holy Spirit, a nature which the angels do not possess. "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham" (Heb. 2:16¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)).

The entire creation fell with Adam, its head, and now waits for deliverance from its thraldom and servitude, deliverance by the new Head, Christ, with the Church. This will be at the manifestation of the sons of God.

The curse removed, peace and rest will be the order of the millennial day, when creation is delivered "into the liberty of the glory of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21²¹Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21) N.T.).

The one-thousand-year period of peace and tranquility, such as this world has never known before, will be the last test of man before the final judgment on the wicked (Rev. 20:7-10⁷And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, ⁸And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. ⁹And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. ¹⁰And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:7‑10)).

Those who have owned the King during this period will be blessed forever on a new earth (Rev. 21:2,3²And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:2‑3)). The remainder shall be destroyed and later judged at the great white throne.

In retrospect, we have seen the government on earth, first as an earthly monarchy under Israel; second, after Israel's failure, given to Nebuchadnezzar, a Gentile, at Babylon; and, finally, the Roman Empire ruled. We noted that during the time of the Roman Empire, after Christ had gone on high, the kingdom of heaven in mystery began and will continue until the Lord comes, then will be followed by the kingdom of the Son of man.

"Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he bath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all" (1 Cor. 15:24-28²⁴Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. ²⁷For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. ²⁸And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:24‑28)).

We have pictured the kingdom of God in two temporary earthly stages as the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the Son of man until the time that it will emerge among the redeemed, possessing its full, final, moral character of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as the kingdom of God, even the Father, in heaven (1 Cor. 15:24²⁴Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. (1 Corinthians 15:24)), also as the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:11¹¹For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:11)). In this kingdom we shall reign with Christ forever and ever. There will be no nations after the millennial day (Heb. 12:28²⁸Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: (Hebrews 12:28); Rev. 11:15¹⁵And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15); Rev. 22:5⁵And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)).