The kingdom of heaven isn't where you go when you die. It's the active reign of God breaking into the world right now. Here's what Yeshua actually meant.
I once did an entire lesson on John 17:3 ("This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent."). I took it apart, virtually word by word. I figured if our Lord Himself literally defined "eternal life," then it stood to reason we ought to know exactly what He meant. The fact that "they may know You... and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent" is present tense means that eternal life is NOT for something later on, after we pass from this life. Eternal Life is NOW.
So thankful for this study, as I have returned to the kingdom of heaven and son of Man many times. Daniel 7:14 alongside Matthew really helped my understanding. Jesus broke through he broke through religious heresies, political abuses, it's like he's saying live above this culture return to me I will guide the kingdom is in you. Because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit we can live above culture we can align ourselves with Jesus God's will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. This is a true miracle because without Jesus we will be enslaved by this world.
Absolutely! I like your focus on praying that God’s Kingdom would come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s not just about us! We get to align ourselves with God’s plans.
@shessoscripture, many of us shrink the kingdom into a place later, and we miss God’s rule right now. Your point brings it back into focus. Matthew 6:33 calls me to seek His reign today, and Romans 14:17 shows it in daily life by the Holy Spirit. It pushes me to practice small acts of mercy, honesty, and prayer, where His rule becomes visible.
Good word, Diane! I touched on this in my first book & will again touch on it with my soon-to-be published book of devotional studies from the Sermon on the Mount.
My super simplified version is– the Kingdom is wherever the King reigns => our hearts/inner being.
This is why I die daily. Unless you die you can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven or God. We die daily & We rise daily.
Thank you for this wonderful writing. I am having issues with certain people who are dead to God but alive to their pride and arrogance, this might help them see the light of day. We who are saved compare the spiritual with the spiritual and we see the truth that the world does not. Until the whole world hears.. keep writing ✍️ Holy words spoken to you by His Holy Spirit. Some are waking up for the first time when they read your words. God bless you and keep you safe Diana :)
This is really well explained. I appreciate how you laid out the kingdom as the reign of God, not merely a place, which makes all the difference in how your think about it . I think another place we get tripped up is when we focus on our “building” or “advancing” the Kingdom, when the Kingdom is described as something we receive, enter, bear witness to it. Like you said, it’s here and coming. So wherever God’s kingdom is realized, embodied through His people, His Kingdom is there. So cool.
And the Son of Man imagery gets even more profound when we look at the hints that suggest the Book of Enoch was very influential during Yeshua's life.
Comparing Enoch's presentation of the Son of Man alongside Daniel's while looking at Matthew is incredible.
I'm not sure where you land on the book of Enoch (among other extra biblical narratives), but I do find certain aspects of it compelling, especially where it lines up with Scripture.
That lines up pretty well with how I view the apocrypha. Useful for context and sometimes as a secondary witness but approach with skepticism if Scripture doesn't support it.
Reflection #1. Wow! That was an amazing learning session. It brings understanding to rather confusing verses.
I do want to tell you of an experience that happen years following my mom’s death. I lay. In the recliner wondering if I would make it until my scheduled surgery 2 weeks away. The tumor was causing diploplia and generalized weakness. As I lay there quietly ponder, mother chose to speak ( telepathically. “You will be so happy when you come here. It is so beautiful, so beautiful.”
Thank you for sharing this. I can tell that was a really significant moment for you, especially in such a vulnerable season.
When it comes to things like that, I always want to stay anchored in what God has made clear through Scripture. That’s where we have something solid to stand on.
With the Kingdom, what I’m trying to help us see is how Yeshua is talking about something very real and present, not just something we experience in isolated moments, but something that reshapes how we live and see the world now.
I’m really glad you’re engaging the teaching and thinking deeply about it. Stay with the text. That’s where the clarity comes.
I actually created them and then I use Midjourney to take the original ones and create new ones that are consistent with them. It doesn't always work but I would go broke if I had to pay my graphics guy to do them every day LOL
I find it interesting that you do not mention the definitive mention of the Kingdom of God. Jesus told Nicodemus that unless you are born again, you can 't even see the Kingdom of God. I find that to be literally true.
John 3:3 Yeshua answered him, “I tell you that unless a person is born again from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” CJB
If you want to think of this life as the kingdom of heaven part 1 good on ya, but I'm holding out for something better; when I can actually be in the presence of our Lord.
The hope of being fully in the presence of the Lord is absolutely part of what we’re waiting for. That’s the “not yet” of the Kingdom.
What I was getting at in the post is that Scripture also speaks of the Kingdom as something that has already broken into the present. Jesus says the Kingdom is at hand, that it has come near, even that it is in your midst.
So it’s not that this life is the fullness of the Kingdom. It’s that we are already living in the reality of it in part, while still longing for its completion.
Both are true, and I think we lose something important if we hold onto only one side.
Well confessing Jesus is Lord with your mouth, incongruence with true belief in your heart, means the Holy spirit dwells within you. In that sense you're part of Kingdom right? But ultimately heaven is a place separate from Earth, so for me it's a stretch to say the kingdom of heaven has already started here.
I think you're perspective is inciteful and a really interesting take though. 💕
I once did an entire lesson on John 17:3 ("This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent."). I took it apart, virtually word by word. I figured if our Lord Himself literally defined "eternal life," then it stood to reason we ought to know exactly what He meant. The fact that "they may know You... and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent" is present tense means that eternal life is NOT for something later on, after we pass from this life. Eternal Life is NOW.
YES!! Amen!!
So thankful for this study, as I have returned to the kingdom of heaven and son of Man many times. Daniel 7:14 alongside Matthew really helped my understanding. Jesus broke through he broke through religious heresies, political abuses, it's like he's saying live above this culture return to me I will guide the kingdom is in you. Because of the ministry of the Holy Spirit we can live above culture we can align ourselves with Jesus God's will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. This is a true miracle because without Jesus we will be enslaved by this world.
Such an important message! A good King has already conquered evil and we can live in his presence and the power of his victory here on earth.
Yes!! We need to look at this as a corporate thing as well and not just a personal place we go after we die.
Absolutely! I like your focus on praying that God’s Kingdom would come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven. It’s not just about us! We get to align ourselves with God’s plans.
In a way equivalent to Jewish thought to be of good character and of benefit to people but not because of some future reward.
Yes!!
@shessoscripture, many of us shrink the kingdom into a place later, and we miss God’s rule right now. Your point brings it back into focus. Matthew 6:33 calls me to seek His reign today, and Romans 14:17 shows it in daily life by the Holy Spirit. It pushes me to practice small acts of mercy, honesty, and prayer, where His rule becomes visible.
AMEN!!!
Good word, Diane! I touched on this in my first book & will again touch on it with my soon-to-be published book of devotional studies from the Sermon on the Mount.
My super simplified version is– the Kingdom is wherever the King reigns => our hearts/inner being.
Sounds amazing. What is the name of your book?
The Heart & Soul of God’s Kingdom
I will check it out!
It’s not released yet. If you want to see a pre-pub draft, I’d be happy to send one to you. Just give me an email & preference for PDF or EPUB version
Sure. You can send it to diane@worthbeyondrubies.com and PDF is fine. Thank you!!
This is why I die daily. Unless you die you can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven or God. We die daily & We rise daily.
Thank you for this wonderful writing. I am having issues with certain people who are dead to God but alive to their pride and arrogance, this might help them see the light of day. We who are saved compare the spiritual with the spiritual and we see the truth that the world does not. Until the whole world hears.. keep writing ✍️ Holy words spoken to you by His Holy Spirit. Some are waking up for the first time when they read your words. God bless you and keep you safe Diana :)
Thank you so much Sebastian. I really appreciate your kind words. Blessings to you!!
This is really well explained. I appreciate how you laid out the kingdom as the reign of God, not merely a place, which makes all the difference in how your think about it . I think another place we get tripped up is when we focus on our “building” or “advancing” the Kingdom, when the Kingdom is described as something we receive, enter, bear witness to it. Like you said, it’s here and coming. So wherever God’s kingdom is realized, embodied through His people, His Kingdom is there. So cool.
Thank you!! I am so happy you enjoyed the post and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Yes!
And the Son of Man imagery gets even more profound when we look at the hints that suggest the Book of Enoch was very influential during Yeshua's life.
Comparing Enoch's presentation of the Son of Man alongside Daniel's while looking at Matthew is incredible.
I'm not sure where you land on the book of Enoch (among other extra biblical narratives), but I do find certain aspects of it compelling, especially where it lines up with Scripture.
I do read Enoch but not as canon, as well as all the apocrypha.
That lines up pretty well with how I view the apocrypha. Useful for context and sometimes as a secondary witness but approach with skepticism if Scripture doesn't support it.
I sat with this a long while this morning. Transformation- the product or true belief in the Messiah! Thanks again!
Reflection #1. Wow! That was an amazing learning session. It brings understanding to rather confusing verses.
I do want to tell you of an experience that happen years following my mom’s death. I lay. In the recliner wondering if I would make it until my scheduled surgery 2 weeks away. The tumor was causing diploplia and generalized weakness. As I lay there quietly ponder, mother chose to speak ( telepathically. “You will be so happy when you come here. It is so beautiful, so beautiful.”
Thank you for sharing this. I can tell that was a really significant moment for you, especially in such a vulnerable season.
When it comes to things like that, I always want to stay anchored in what God has made clear through Scripture. That’s where we have something solid to stand on.
With the Kingdom, what I’m trying to help us see is how Yeshua is talking about something very real and present, not just something we experience in isolated moments, but something that reshapes how we live and see the world now.
I’m really glad you’re engaging the teaching and thinking deeply about it. Stay with the text. That’s where the clarity comes.
What program does these beautiful illustrations?
I actually created them and then I use Midjourney to take the original ones and create new ones that are consistent with them. It doesn't always work but I would go broke if I had to pay my graphics guy to do them every day LOL
I find it interesting that you do not mention the definitive mention of the Kingdom of God. Jesus told Nicodemus that unless you are born again, you can 't even see the Kingdom of God. I find that to be literally true.
John 3:3 Yeshua answered him, “I tell you that unless a person is born again from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” CJB
If you want to think of this life as the kingdom of heaven part 1 good on ya, but I'm holding out for something better; when I can actually be in the presence of our Lord.
I don’t think we’re actually disagreeing here.
The hope of being fully in the presence of the Lord is absolutely part of what we’re waiting for. That’s the “not yet” of the Kingdom.
What I was getting at in the post is that Scripture also speaks of the Kingdom as something that has already broken into the present. Jesus says the Kingdom is at hand, that it has come near, even that it is in your midst.
So it’s not that this life is the fullness of the Kingdom. It’s that we are already living in the reality of it in part, while still longing for its completion.
Both are true, and I think we lose something important if we hold onto only one side.
Well confessing Jesus is Lord with your mouth, incongruence with true belief in your heart, means the Holy spirit dwells within you. In that sense you're part of Kingdom right? But ultimately heaven is a place separate from Earth, so for me it's a stretch to say the kingdom of heaven has already started here.
I think you're perspective is inciteful and a really interesting take though. 💕