4.4 The Kingdom of Heaven

What's the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God? Most scholars agree that they are synonymous. Matthew used "Kingdom of Heaven" because he wrote for a Jewish audience, while the authors of the other gospels used the term "Kingdom of God" for Gentile belivers as well.

Jesus arose and is alive forevermore as King and as Prince of Peace. He is the eternal/everlasting guarantor of the New Covenant. Jesus, the offspring of Abraham and David, is the progenitor of the New Covenant. Revelation 19:16 describes Jesus as King and Lord:

1 Revelation 19:16

16 He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

All who place their faith in Jesus become recipients of all of His blessings as described in Galatians 3:7-9:

3 Galatians 3:7-9

7 Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham.

8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations will be blessed."

9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.

Psalms 144:15 accentuates these blessings:

1 Psalms 144:15

15 Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

In Galatians 3:16, Paul further explained that Jesus was the offspring of Abraham who would receive all of God's promises.

1 Galatians 3:16

16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn't say, "To descendants", as of many, but as of one, "To your offspring, which is Christ."

Our primary allegiance is to Jesus Christ. Even the best presidents and kings are subject to error and should walk in humility, reverence, and honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords. The ultimate form of governance a believer has is the Holy Spirit, granted that the believer has learned to discern and display the fruit of the Spirit.

Ever since Adam and Eve broke the first covenant (life for obedience, but death for rebellion), God did not fully give up on humanity. He put a plan into motion in Genesis 3:15 when he judged Satan for tempting Eve.

1 Genesis 3:15

15 I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.

This was fulfilled with victory over death and Satan during the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascendancy of Jesus Christ.

I like to think of the Sermon on the Mount, also known as the Beatitudes, as the New Covenant replacement of the Old Covenant Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. It reveals God as approachable, understanding, and compassionate. Matthew 5:3-16 is an invitation to participate in the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. It also reveals that entry into the Kingdom of Heaven comes with suffering. This is a paradigm shift from the Old Covenant in which obedience resulted in blessing and protection.

14 Matthew 5:3-16

3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who have been persecuted forrighteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

11 "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 "You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.

14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can't be hidden.

15 Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house.

16 Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

One of the most revealing descriptions of the kingdom of heaven took place when Jesus was on trial before Pilate in John 18:33-37. The Jews were not allowed to put anyone to death - that was left for the Romans, so they had to get Pilate to go along with their plan. On the one hand, they hated the Roman occupiers, but on the other hand, they learned how to take advantage of them. It was best for Pilate to keep the peace with the Jews so that his leadership abilities would not be questioned in Rome:

5 John 18:33-37

33 Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium, called Jesus, and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"

34 Jesus answered him, "Do you say this by yourself, or did others tell you about me?"

35 Pilate answered, "I'm not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What have you done?"

36 Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn't be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here."

37 Pilate therefore said to him, "Are you a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

In verse 36, we are taught that the protocol of Jesus' Kingdom does not need physical battles to defend it because it is from above. Jesus reigns because all who are of God's truth heed Jesus' words. This is another example of what God declared in Zechariah 4:6.

1 Zechariah 4:6

6 This is God's message to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty - you will succeed because of my Spirit.'

It has practical applications for peacemaking and nonviolent intervention.

Jesus was intentional about his entry into Jerusalem on a donkey in John 12:12-15. If He rode a big white war horse, he would have been mistaken for a military leader coming to drive out the Romans.

4 John 12:12-15

12 On the next day a great multitude had come to the feast. When they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet him, and cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!"

14 Jesus, having found a young donkey, sat on it. As it is written,

15 "Don't be afraid, daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes, sitting on a donkey's colt."

Jesus was and is the Prince of Peace. He is not a god of earthly warfare.