Monday, September 26, 2011
Matthew 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
The Kingdom of Heaven is neither a kingdom nor is it a part of heaven.
Heaven can quite easily be defined in such a way as to make it nearly equivalent to the term kingdom of heaven. Heaven, however, in the way we normally think of it (i.e. that place we go after death) is not what Christ is talking about here.
Rather the two terms combined here form a concept which is perfectly expressed by Christ himself in His words to Pilate, "You say rightly I am a king ..." BUT "My kingdom is not of this world ..."
With the first term "kingdom" Christ affirms His right and inheritance to rule (see Psalm 2). With the second term "heaven" He makes it clear that this rule will have nothing in common with the political powers of this earth, nor will it consist of earthly boundaries, but will instead be accomplished in the spiritual realm.
The Jews of Jesus day, as many of you well know, believed that when the Messiah came he would create "the Kingdom." They believed it would be physical, political, glorious, and mighty. Jesus takes the word which was the core of their belief, kingdom, and uses it to describe everything that was the opposite of their dreams but the truth of what Jesus came to do and how He would accomplish it.
If we come as the Pharisees, looking to be exalted in the kingdom of God before the kingdoms of this world, we will find Christ's version of the kingdom very confusing. But if come with broken hearts, confessing our sins, we will find God's kingdom enfolding us in the love of Christ, proclaiming the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God.
Let us take also our dreams and see how they compare to Jesus' description of "His Kingdom" throughout the 13th chapter of Matthew.
