The Kingdom of God or The Kingdom of Heaven

http://www.oldpaths1611.com/index.php/archives/51-kingdom-of-god-vs-kingdom-of-heaven

Written by Cody Watters

Note: All Scripture quotations found in this article are from the text of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

The Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are two different kingdoms in scripture. Simply, the word "God" does not mean "Heaven". Making the two the same will cause problems and contradictions in the Bible.

In Matthew 5, the Kingdom of Heaven is spoken about and it says that if one sinned against God that he would go to hell. While Paul taught that the Kingdom of God is where the Christian lived(Romans 14:17). If the two are same then there is a contradiction that the Christian's salvation includes works.

Matthew 25:14-30 talks about the Kingdom of Heaven where an unfaithful servant goes to hell. Luke 19:12-27 talks about the Kingdom of God where the unfaithful servant loses his rewards and this matches up with the Christian at the Judgment Seat of Christ(2 Cor. 5:10). There is obviously a difference between the two kingdoms.

According to Matthew 25:1, the parable of the ten virgins is connected to the Kingdom of Heaven. When the bridegroom comes, the foolish virgins are shunned at the wedding because they did not keep their lamps burning. The bridegroom professes that he does not know them(Matthew 25:1-10). This is not the Christian's Kingdom of God because Christians are know by Christ(John 10:14,27) and are not virgins(plural), rather they are the Bride of Christ(Ephesians 5:22-32, Revelation 19:7-9). The Church is likened unto chaste virgin(singular) in 2 Corinthians 11:2, but does not match the plural virgins in Matthew 25 that follow the Bride as her companions in the wedding(Psalms 45:14).

The Kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom. In Matthew 6:25-33, it talks about not worrying about physical things, but rather spiritual things, which is the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

The Kingdom of God is not a physical place to live in, but rather is within the believer when he is Born Again.

Luke 17:20 "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

The Kingdom of Heaven is a physical kingdom that will take place on earth and consists of violence. Remember that the earth is in the heaven(Genesis 1:14-16).

Matthew 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."

The first place where the Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned is where John the Baptist was preaching about the the fulfillment of Isaiah 40. John was preaching about the Kingdom of Jesus Christ on this earth. Other Old Testament prophecies also reveal that the Kingdom of Heaven was physical. Read Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 2:1-5, 49:5-13; Psalms 2; Jeremiah 23:5 and Luke 1:30-33.

Matthew 3:2 "And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Jesus tells the Jews that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand in Matthew 4:17. This proves that it is physical because it shows a kingdom coming on earth and is not referring to someone dying. The book of Matthew mentions the Kingdom of Heaven several times speaking of an earthly rule of Israel that is talked about in Old Testament prophecies(Matthew 5:1-6, 13, Matthew 19:10-30).

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

The gospel that Jesus Christ preached for Israel to the Jews was the Kingdom of Heaven(Matthew 4:23, 5:4, 8:11-12, 19:28, 20:16, 25:31-34). The Jews knew that this gospel that Jesus was preaching was the physical reign on earth(John 1:41,45,49, 6:14-15, 12:13). The disciples of Jesus Christ knew that the Kingdom of Heaven was on earth like King David and Solomon's kingdom. Notice in the below verse, Jesus does not rebuke them and this proves that it is physical.

Acts 1:6 "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power."

The physical kingdom was appointed to Adam in Genesis 1:28. Adam was also in dominion over a spiritual kingdom also until he fell(Genesis 1:27, Genesis 5:1-5). When Adam fell he lost the image of God and the spiritual kingdom was gone.

1 Corinthians 15:45 "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption."

After Adam, we see God setting up His physical kingdom on earth through the Kings of Israel. The Devil also appoints physical kingdoms on earth(Deut. 13:12-16, Luke 4:6, 2 Cor. 4:4). The Devil rules the kingdom of Assyria and Egypt through the king of Assyria and Pharaoh in Ezekiel 31 and 29. Jeremiah recognized that God's physical kingdom ended at the Babylonian Captivity(Lamentations 5:16).

Satan is referred to the god of this world in 2 Corinthians 4:4 and is in charge of worldly kingdoms that he can give to people(Luke 4:6). In Daniel 10:13, the Devil was the ruler of the kingdom of Persia during the times of the Gentiles.

When the New Testament begins Jesus comes into the world and the Jews remember that God promised them that he would restore His physical kingdom as talked about earlier in the article. Jesus preached about both the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God(John 4:24). He preached about both because he can rule both at the same time, which explains why he talks about them with conjunction with each other sometimes in the Gospels. The Kingdom of Heaven was put off for Israel because they rejected Jesus as King and chose a Gentile king instead.

John 19:15 "But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar."

Jesus Christ prophesied that the Kingdom of God would be inside his saints in Luke 17:20-21. Later on, Paul told Christians that they were now working in the Kingdom of God(Romans 14:17-18, Colossians 1:13, 4:11). The spiritual kingdom that Adam lost was now back for the Christians after being Born Again.

Luke 17:20 "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

During the Millennium at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, both the Kingdom of God and Heaven will be on the earth. Jesus will reign physically on this earth and also spiritually.

Revelation 11:15 "And 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 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."

So remember, the two kingdoms are different. The Kingdom of God is spiritual and the Kingdom of Heaven is physical. Remembering these two facts will help you understand more things in scripture once you start looking for the occurrences of these phrases. Failing to realize the difference can lead Bible readers in doctrinal errors, such as Christians losing their salvation, working for their salvation and even going through the Tribulation.

Great post.

I have always believed the kingdom of heaven is where I am in the flesh and the Kingdom of God is where Christ is in me by His Spirit born again in me, the hope of glory.

Very nice to see the truth articulated by the Word and confirmation of this truth.

In Christ: Phillip

The Kingdom of God vs. the Kingdom of Heaven divide is purely an issue of dispensational theology, which separates the physical from the spiritual, and creates two peoples of God. It is simply bad theology that doesn't understand God's desire to redeem all of fallen creation, and His using one Messiah and one people to do that through.

King Jimmy,

Can you supply a source to support your comments? I'm not questioning what you say. It's just that I think a more comprehensive theological explanation would be helpful in challenging the dispensationalist view.

Diane

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15(KJV)

Diane,

I would refer you to the writings of the leading Dispensational theologian, Lewis Sperry Chafer. I'm sure you could easily find some quotes on the subject if you Google it.

One quick search yielded the following essay which briefly documents this doctrine: http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/eschatology/dispensationalism/dispensationalist-beliefs-israel-and-the-kingdom-of-god-by-william-e-cox/

I didn't take the time to read this essay. I just quickly scanned it, and it looks like it hits on the key points of Dispensational theology.

Jimmy

I guess the use of "dispensation" used by Paul does not count. Is this the dispensation of Grace, or because of the word "dispensation" Grace is null and void?

Hyper dispensationalism I don't find validation in the scriptures, I do see many ways God has delt with man in the old testament, and new testament Grace of Chrsit in the believer by Faith, without it, it is impossible to please God. Abraham had faith. The "believe on the name of the Son of God", The faith of the Son of God in the believer is different. Righteousness was reconned to Abraham, Righteousness is Made unto the believer of Jesus Christ the Son of God, by He that is birthed in us.

1 Cor 9:17, Eph 1:10, 3:2, Col 1:25

In Christ: Phillip

http://www.biblebelievers.com/Dispen1a.htm

The difference is in the dispensations; By Timothy Morton

In Christ: Phillip

Thank you King Jimmy for the website. I took a quick glance at it too.

Actually, some time ago I checked this at length, and have come to reject the tenants of dispensationalism because of what I see as a heavy reliance on presumptions read into scriptures which complicate and distort its plain truth.

I know that there is an exegetical article somewhere which explains why the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven is the same thing. I thought you might have had it at your finger tips. As for me, I am not going to get into this!!

Christmas blessings to you all here on SI - and may the grace of God uplift you.

Diane

It's an interesting teaching, but it's just information, it does nothing in relation to growth

Such is the nature of the dispensational system of theology. In this system, more time is given to studying past and future dispensations, and filling your head with useless knowledge with little to no practical application, other than to, perhaps, thank God you aren't living in past or future dispensations. Very little attention is given to the present dispensation, and growing in your faith. You are considered a master of faith if you can become a "Bible prophecy" expert. But, typically speaking, very little attention is given to living a holy life, bearing fruit, and pursuing conformity to the image of Christ. Indeed, most such talk is combated with talk about legalism and emphasis is placed on the eternal security of the believer, and his ability to live whatever type of lifestyle works for him.

Dispensationalism is a very dangerous system of theology to associate oneself with. Thank God for most people, the system is on its way out the door except for in some S. Baptist church that align themselves with Dallas Theological Seminary. Sadly though, we are still have the theological leftovers of this system that was invented about 150 years ago. Namely, the idea of a pre-tribulational rapture.

1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

Ephesians 1:10 That 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:

Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Colossians 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

"The fulfilment of the Word of God"

Colossians 1:26-29 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

This is the only dispensation I am concerned about, all the others fall short and on this fulfilment dispensation, the final gospel which Paul call "MY Gospel" of Christ in the believer, is our new life making us son's of God.

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Christ not only is come in the body prepared for Him through Mary by His Father, but He is come in the flesh temple of the spirit of man, The Spirit of Christ in you the hope of glory. "Yet I live"; Galatians 2:16-20 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

This is my dispensation that I cling to and will never let it go to waste, I love Him because He first loved me.

In Christ: Phillip

AMEN!

Our word “Dispensation” comes from the Greek word “οἰκονομία,” the word we get “economy” from. It literally means “the laws by which a household is operated, or the way the master of a house arranges his household.”

For many years, “Dispensation” has been used to denote a period of time. This is because our understanding of history and the Bible, and therefore God’s dealings with mankind, is linear, based on time.

However, outside of the constraint of time, we see that God’s dealings are not specific “chunks of time,” but are instead based on God’s Covenants with different people. As we look through history as presented in the Bible, we will understand how God dealt differently with different people at different times.

A “Dispensation” always takes place within an “age” or a time period, but as we will see, some aspects of the Covenants span many “ages,” and some behave even more peculiarly, skipping 2,000+ years, only to show up once again!

We will study each of the Covenants or “Dispensations” in detail, but for now we will simply give an overview of history, from God’s perspective, in a linear timeline.

First, we must understand, according to 2 Timothy 2:15, that the way to study the Bible is to divide it. It is a NEGATIVE action, not a positive one. Thus, we must find the divisions in the Scriptures, so we can begin our study.

The first and most obvious division is between the books of Malachi and Matthew: the Old and New Testaments. Being that a “Testament” is a “covenant,” or set of rules (i.e. “last will and testament”), we must understand that something in changing!! After all, “Things that are different are not the same!”

Hebrews 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

There is obviously a change between the Old and New Testaments: to deny this is to deny the very clear words of Scripture. For the majority of the Old Testament, the Jews were required to keep the Law of Moses (Deut. 6:25), but in the New Testament, through the writings of Paul, we see that we are no longer under the bondage of the Law (Gal. 5:1).

So we see that there is one very obvious division: the difference between the Law and the Grace of God under the new covenant.

More divisions in “house rules” occur in Genesis 3, Genesis 9, Genesis 12, Exodus 20, 2 Chronicles 21:7, Matthew 3, Acts 9, Acts 15, Revelation 4, and Revelation 21.

Let’s quickly go over the different time periods that we will be dealing with in our study of the Covenants

We’ve made a basic division between the “Law” and God’s “Grace.” However, that isn’t exactly right. We have to understand the following:

•Adam was innocent and sinless, and God dealt with him according to a WORK, Genesis 2:15-17
•After Adam’s sin, man possessed a conscience, which he was expected to live by, trying to please God (i.e. Abel’s accepted blood offering), Gen. 3:22, 4:4, Cain’s punishment (not death), 4:9-15
•After the Flood, God instituted human government in capital punishment, Gen. 9:5-6
•God called Abram (Abraham) our of Haran and began dealing with him as an individual, and then his sons and his descendants, the nation of Israel. Abraham and his sons are called “Patriarchs,” Gen. 12:1-3
•God called Israel out of Egypt and gave them the Law to live by, which included sacrifices for when they broke the law and sinned. The Law was later called a “schoolmaster” by Paul, because it could never be lived up to perfectly, Exodus 20
•When Christ, and John before Him, preached to Israel, they offered The Kingdom, the literal, physical reign of Christ on earth. The Jews ultimately rejected this offer, and God allowed the Gentiles to experience His grace and to be grafted into the Body of Christ, the Church, Matthew 3:1-2, 4:17, Matthew chaps. 5 and 7
•With the rejection of Christ by Israel, there occurred a “Transitional Period,” a time when things were switching over from Israel to the Gentiles, because “blindness in part is happened unto Israel.” The first two Gentiles to be saved were the Eunuch (Acts 8:26-38) and Cornelius (Acts 10).
•After Acts 15, when the Apostles figured out that Salvation was by Grace through Faith alone, we understand that we are now in the “Church Age,” a time when God deals with all men (Acts 17:30) according to His Grace alone.
•After the Rapture of the Church, The Kingdom will once again be offered to a remnant of Israel during the seven-year Tribulation, and they will ultimately turn to Christ and accept Him as their Messiah (Rom. 11:26)
•The Millennium follows the seven-year Tribulation period, where Christ literally sits on a throne in the city of Jerusalem and rules with a rod of iron (Rev. 12:5, 19:15), Isaiah 9:7

This is a very brief overview, and we will go into much more detail as we go along, but hopefully this illustrates the need to STUDY in order to not “be ashamed.” See, the reverse is also true: if we do not study, we WILL be ashamed.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". 2 Timothy 2:15.

So what does it mean to "rightly divide the word"?

Greek word use is "orthotomeō" and according to strongs has these meanings:

1) to cut straight, to cut straight ways

a) to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right

2) to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly

And Vine says this..
lit., "to cut straight" (orthos, "straight," temno, "to cut"), is found in 2Ti 2:15, AV, "rightly dividing," RV, "handling aright" (the word of truth); the meaning passed from the idea of cutting or "dividing," to the more general sense of "rightly dealing with a thing." What is intended here is not "dividing" Scripture from Scripture, but teaching Scripture accurately. In the Sept., of directing one's paths, Pro 3:6; 11:5 ("righteousness traces out blameless paths").

So rather than the way it is often used to support dividing up portions of scripture to apply to diffrent periods, it seems to mean 'correctly and accurately teaching the word of truth. Nothing to do with cutting up into different time periods.

Now I do believe there are different dispensations (periods of time) in God's dealing with mankind, but this cutting up the word of God so that 'this or that portion does not speak to us' is very dangerous. It makes the word of no effect and the tendancy I have seen is that any scripture teaching that one does not like or does not fit in with ones doctrinal position can be dismissed as "not for us". Where as "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..2 Timothy 3:16 (interesting it is in the same letter as previous quote to Timothy!).

Now I am pre-millenial in my views, in case you wondered.

Thanks Approved.

I would have said more like,

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, accurately teaching the word of truth".