In the New Testament, the term kingdom of God appears more than 80 times. Most of these references appear in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The God’s Kingdom is mentioned in both the old and new testaments of the Bible. As a Christian, it is important to understand the meaning, that is often confusing for many Christians and non-Christians.
Although no exact terminology was found in the Old Testament, the existence of the Kingdom was expressed similarly in the Old Testament.
Let’s take a look at the original Greek and Hebrew meanings of the phrases and the different concepts explained throughout the Bible.
Finding out what is the meaning of the kingdom and how to live and pray with God’s kingdom in our hearts is what we have covered in this guide.
What is the Origin of the Kingdom of Heaven?
From the beginning of the establishment of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to the history of redemption and the story of the church, we have seen the gospel.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the Bible refers to “the Kingdom” in different ways:
Matthew 6:33, Mark 1: 14-15, and Luke 4:43 refer to “Christ Kingdom”
Matthew 13:41 and 20:21 mention “Christ and the God’s Kingdom“
Ephesians 5: 5 mentions “Kingdom of David“
Mark 11:10 mentions “Kingdom“
Matthew 3: 2, 4:17, 8:12, 13:14 and 13:29 refer to “the kingdom of heaven“
What is the meaning of the Kingdom of God?
Although the exact wording differ between the Christ, God, and Heaven, but all the scriptures symbolize the same concept in different ways.
The three things that represent the Kingdom of God means:
- The rule of Jesus Christ on earth.
- The blessing and advantages that flow from living under Christ’s rule.
- The subjects of this kingdom, or the Church.
How important is the understanding of the importance of the kingdom? John Baptist used it because he called for:
“repentance because the kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3: 2)
Not only did Jesus Christ say:
“The God’s kingdom is near. Repent and believe” (Matthew 4:17), but he is teaching his disciples how to pray “Your kingdom is coming” in.
“They are a kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 6:10) also used it (Matthew 5: 3 and 10), and at the last supper,
“I didn’t drink the fruit of the grape until that day when I drank the grape again in the God’s kingdom.” (Mark 14:25)
What does the Holy Bible signify about Kingdom?
The Kingdom is the realm of God’s rule, and Jesus Christ is the King. In this kingdom, the authority of God is recognized and his will is kept.
The concept of the kingdom is not one of the space, territory, or politics in the kingdom of the country, but one of kingship, rule and sovereign control.
Ron Rhodes, a theology professor at the Dallas Theological Seminary, provided an unmistakable definition of the kingdom.”
The worldly rule of God over his people (Colossians 1:13). The future rule of the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20).
Old Testament scholar Graeme Golds worthy summarized the kingdom of Heaven as “the people of God under God’s rule” in fewer words.
What were Jesus’ teachings over the God‘s Kingdom?
Jesus taught his followers how to enter the kingdom:
“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but someone who follows the will of the Father.” (Matthew 7:21, ESV)
The parable Jesus said explained the truth about the kingdom of God:
“Jesus answered them, ‘It is to you that you know the secret of the kingdom of heaven, but it is not yet known to them.” (Matthew 13:11, ESV)
Likewise, Jesus urged his followers to pray for the coming of the kingdom:
“Then pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, your name will be holy. Your kingdom comes and you will be fulfilled, just like in heaven the same.'” (ESV Matthew 6: -10)
Jesus promised that he would return with glory again to establish his kingdom and become the eternal legacy of his people. (Matthew 25: 31-34)
Jesus said in (John 18:36) “My kingship does not belong to this world.”
He is not suggesting that his rule has nothing to do with the world, but that his rule does not come from any human on earth, but God.
Therefore, Jesus refused to use worldly fighting to achieve his purpose.
Where is the Kingdom as per the Holy Bible?
Sometimes the Bible refers to the Kingdom as the present reality, and it refers to the Kingdom as the future territory or territory.
The apostle Paul said that the kingdom is part of our current spiritual life:
“Because the kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of diet, but the justice, peace, and joy of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, ESV)
Paul also taught that the followers of Jesus Christ were saved into the Kingdom of God:
“He (Jesus Christ) has rescued us from the dark realm and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:13, ESV)
However, Jesus often said that the kingdom as the future inheritance:
“Then the king said to those on the right, Come on, my father’s blessings, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34, NLT)
“I tell you that many people will come from the East and the West, and will have a place in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Matthew 8:11, NIV)
Here, the apostle Peter describes the future rewards of those who adhere to the faith:
“Then God will give you a magnificent entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ the Savior.” (2 Peter 1:11, NLT)
What is the Significance of the Kingdom of Heaven?
As per the book The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God. The author George Eldon Lodd has mentioned about the Kingdom of Heaven as:
Fundamentally speaking, the kingdom is the sovereign rule of God; but God’s rule expresses itself at stages through the history of redemption.
Video: What and Where is the Kingdom of Heaven?
Therefore, people may enter the realm of God at several stages of God’s rule Experience God’s rule to a certain extent.
God’s kingdom is the realm of the afterlife, commonly known as heaven.
Then we will realize the blessing of his kingdom (rule) in the process of enriching their kingdom. But the kingdom is here now.
We can enter a spiritual realm that is partially enjoyed but enjoys the blessing of the kingdom of God (rule).
Why Matthew has mentioned the Kingdom of Heaven in his Gospel?
In the Gospel of Matthew, we use the term “heaven” when we see Matthew referring to the reign of Jesus Christ and the good news of his reign.
He did this out of sensitivity to the Jews, who avoided mentioning the holy names of the Jews. The doctrine is the same.
There is no same view or meaning about the God’s kingdom or the kingdom of heaven. Matthew is only using an indirect phrase to respect the reader.
What does the phrase “Seek first the Kingdom of God “signifies?
(Matthew 6:33) is a scripture that every Christian should dedicate: “But first seek the God’s kingdom and his justice, all of which will be added to you.”
Jesus taught us to pray: “Your kingdom is here. You will finish. On the earth, just like in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
This is a day that prays to God to bring heaven to the earth and bring his rule to this planet. God still has a plan for the earth. He will rule and rule here, as believers, we will rule and rule him. So it is the future.
When we pray and seek the God’s kingdom, we are also praying for the reign of the God in our lives. This is when Jesus rules.
Jesus once said, “Because the kingdom of God is indeed in you” (Luke 17:21), where Jesus is talking about himself.
When you are under his rule, and when he controls your life, that is the God’s kingdom. This is not a rule, but “justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” says (Romans 14:17).
Prayer for the Kingdom of God
In what is commonly referred to as the “Lord’s Prayer”, we are taught not only to pray that God will bless our lives, but that the gospel of salvation will spread throughout the earth.
When we accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and repent, we have become part of the God’s kingdom. Then we are called witnesses of Jesus and tell others about Jesus, and we dedicate our lives to him.
Prayer
“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, you will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. “
Why is the Kingdom’s arrival so celebrated in the New Testament?
Since God’s purpose for the world was to save a nation for himself and renew the world for that nation, his kingship meant saving and redemption on their behalf.
This is why the Kingdom’s arrival in the New Testament is called good news. Jesus, the king is entering the world in a new way to establish his salvation rule.
First, to overcome sin, Satan, and death, in the hearts of his people and their relationships.
Then, by exercising his rule, he gathered his people in the congregation, who were the newly loyal citizens of the country (not the world).
Christ came for the second time and completed the reign by establishing a new heaven and a new earth.
Conclusion
The easiest way to understand the kingdom of God is in the realm of the supreme authority of God under the rule of Jesus Christ.
This kingdom exists now and (partly) in the lives and hearts of the redeemed, and the future perfection and abundance.
As Christians, praying for God’s Kingdom should be our focus to make our lives fruitful and make Jesus known throughout the earth.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
What does the kingdom of God mean in Hebrew?
The notion of God’s kingship goes back to the Hebrew Bible, which refers to “his kingdom” but does not include the term “Kingdom of God”. The term pertains to the kingship of Christ over all creation. Kingdom of “heaven” appears in Matthew’s gospel due primarily to Jewish sensibilities about uttering the “name” (God).
How many times is the kingdom of God mentioned in the Bible?
The Kingdom of God is translated to Latin as Regnum Dei and the Kingdom of Heaven as Regnum caelorum. Kingdom of Heaven (Basileia tōn Ouranōn) appears 32 times in the Gospel of Matthew and nowhere else in the New Testament.
What does the kingdom of God be within you mean?
The title of the book originates from Luke 17:21. In the book, Tolstoy speaks of the principle of nonviolent resistance when confronted by violence, as taught by Jesus Christ. When Christ says to turn the other cheek, Tolstoy asserts that Christ means to abolish violence, even the defensive kind, and to give up revenge.
What did Jesus mean by the kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of Heaven, in Christianity, the spiritual realm over which God reigns as king, or the fulfillment on Earth of God’s will. The phrase occurs frequently in the New Testament, primarily used by Jesus Christ in the first three Gospels.
What is the coming from the kingdom of God?
The coming of the kingdom of God involved God finally taking back the reins of history, which he had allowed to slacken as pagan Empires had ruled the nations. Most Jewish sources imagine a restoration of Israel and either a destruction of the nations or a gathering of the nations to obedience to the One True God.