Summary

The provided text discusses the nature and significance of the Kingdom of Heaven as described in various passages from the Bible, emphasizing its value, presence, and the means of entering it.

Abstract

The article delves into the concept of the Kingdom of Heaven, exploring its immense worth as illustrated by parables where individuals sell all their possessions to obtain it. It highlights the importance of seeking the Kingdom of Heaven above all else, suggesting that doing so leads to completeness and the fulfillment of one's needs. The text underscores the goodness inherent in the Kingdom, noting that it is devoid of evil. It also stresses the foundational commandments of loving God and one's neighbor as essential for nearing the Kingdom. The eternal nature of God's Kingdom is affirmed, suggesting it transcends time and is accessible in the present. Entry into the Kingdom is likened to receiving it with the trust and faith of a child, implying a departure from reliance on wealth and an embrace of divine trusteeship. The Kingdom's victory over darkness and its coexistence with the world are noted, with the ultimate invitation extended to all, regardless of past sins, to step into its beauty and majesty.

Opinions

The Kingdom of Heaven is of supreme value, surpassing all worldly possessions.
Seeking the Kingdom of Heaven should be one's primary pursuit, leading to a state of wholeness.
The Kingdom of Heaven is characterized by goodness, with no place for evil.
Loving God completely and loving one's neighbor are prerequisites to being close to the Kingdom.
God's Kingdom is everlasting and omnipresent, existing in the past, present, and future.
Entering the Kingdom of Heaven requires childlike faith and trust in God, not in wealth or material security.
The Kingdom of Heaven prevails over darkness, and those who abide in it need not fear evil.
The Kingdom is not a physical realm but a state of being that is activated through faith in God and Christ.
The text suggests a dichotomy between serving God and serving wealth (Mammon), advocating for wholehearted trust in God.
An invitation is extended to all to enter God's Kingdom, offering a fresh start and a clean slate, regardless of past transgressions.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like…

So I recently began to struggle with the idea of the kingdom of heaven, just what was it, and what did God say about it, and why did it seem like I was even against its coming, thinking to myself that I’m fine the way I am.

I found myself fighting against God, and I didn’t know how to stop. I knew that I was wrong, but I was not able to change my thinking. That lead me to do a study, of all the times, well not all but a lot, of the times when Jesus mentions the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of God. Just what was it? How was it coming? Was it already here? I thank God that I did this study because it really helped my mindset a lot. Maybe it will help you too. I hope so.

Here at two scriptures that tell us a lot about the Kingdom of Heaven:

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys the field. Matthew 13:44

Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it. -Matthew 13:45

We can see from these two scriptures that the kingdom of heaven is worth more than anything, more than everything. In both instances the individuals sold all they had to buy it. This shows us that we should seek the Kingdom of Heaven above all else, because it is worth everything.

This is illustrated in the scripture below as well:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33

Here we are instructed to seek the Kingdom of God first. We are to make it the focal point of our search, and when we find it all else will be added unto it. So, in this regard the Kingdom of Heaven is a fullness. You will be made whole and complete after you find the Kingdom.

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they threw away. Matthew 13:47

The Kingdom of Heaven is filled with goodness. The bad does not exist or have any place in the Kingdom.

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard reasoning together, perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

Jesus answered him, “The first of all commandments is ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

So the scribe said to him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love ones neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offering and sacrifices.

Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”

Here we see that we are to love God completely. When we realize how good God is to us we are able to love him completely. Jesus told the scribe that he was not far from the Kingdom of God. So we know it’s important to love our God and our neighbor. Nice. Next.

And the glorious majesty of his Kingdom,

Your Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom,

And your dominion endures throughout all generations. Psalm 145:12

I was reading psalms when I came across this verse. The glorious majesty of his Kingdom. An everlasting Kingdom. And God’s dominion endures throughout all generations.

This leads one to believe God’s Kingdom is always present, past, present, future. It’s a kingdom that we can step into, right now. It has always existed, and it will always exist. What then, prevents us from stepping in?

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. Mark 10:15

Now here we see we can not enter the Kingdom of God unless we receive it as little children. This means it is not of the intellect, but that it’s of trust and faith. As children, we trust that our parents will take care of us. As children in the Kingdom of God we trust that God will take care of us.

Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. Mark 10: 24

This is because we often believe that it is our bank accounts that will keep us safe. We trust and rely on money, instead of our Heavenly Father. The rich man trusts in his riches. In the Kingdom of Heaven all of our trust is in God.

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28

Darkness can not exist inside the Kingdom. Jesus casts out demons with a word. In the Kingdom we do not fear the darkness. We shine our light bright.

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. -Matthew 13:41

This verse leads us to believe Christ’s Kingdom is already here. The Angels will come and gather out of God’s Kingdom all that offends. Christ’s kingdom is all around us. It occupies the same space that we are in right now. It was present in the past, it is present now, and it will be present in the future.

So now based on these verses we see that God’s kingdom is available in the present moment. It is worth everything we have. We must trust God completely and love him with all our hearts. We also must love our neighbor. We see that it is a life of joy and of faith. We must put our trust in God and not in money, the economy, or on our jobs.

We see that God’s Kingdom, which is present now, has victory over darkness. In fact, darkness can not stand in the light.

The Kingdom of Heaven is within you:

The Kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ Or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you.”

The Kingdom of Heaven is a state of being. A state of being that can be activated and achieved by all of us. When we put our faith in God and in Christ first and foremost, we enter into God’s Kingdom. It is a Kingdom built on trust and faith, and it reigns over all.

We choose each day when we wake up where we will put our focus. “Because you can not serve both God and Mammon.” -Matthew 6:24

So we will put our whole trust in the Lord our God. We will enter into his Kingdom through the Narrow Gate. Through faith in Christ and faith in our Father God first and foremost, above and before anything else, we will step into the Kingdom of Heaven.

We will live from this place while we are alive on Earth, and in our lives to come.

I hear God inviting us all into his Kingdom. He cares not what sin we have sinned before. He is inviting us in. Fresh start. Clean slate.

Step into the beauty and majesty of God’s Kingdom today.