The Kingdom of Heaven is the sovereign rulership of the King (God) over a territory (Earth), impacting it with His will, purposes, and intent, producing a citizenry of people (ekklesia—the Church) who express a culture reflecting the nature and lifestyle of the King.
Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven is a real, literal country, although invisible to physical eyes because it is spiritual in nature. As King of Heaven, God’s big idea was to extend the influence of His heavenly country over and throughout the Earth. So we are really talking about two things here: God’s country and its influence.
In reading the four Gosp els of the New Testament— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—it becomes immediately clear that Jesus used two similar but different phrases to refer to the country of the King and the influence of the King. Sometimes He referred to the “Kingdom of Heaven,” and at other times to the “Kingdom of God.” Although it is common to use these phrases interchangeably, there is an important difference in focus. The phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” refers to the literal place, the “headquarters” country of God. “Kingdom of God,” on the other hand, refers to the King’s influence wherever it extends, but especially its extension into the earthly realm.
The most powerful expression of any nation is its culture:
its values, morals, customs, codes of conduct, standards of living, modes of dress, food, and dietary practices, etc. A strong and rich culture can wield an influence far beyond its geographical boundaries. France is a good example. Historically, French culture has a high and proud heritage with truly worldwide influence, particularly in the areas of language and the culinary arts. Many English words —“croissant” for example—either were borrowed directly from the French or are of French origin or derivation. French cooking is deservedly famous around the world and so influential that even to this day most of the terminology used in Western cooking is French (such as saute). One reason French culture has had such tremendous influence is because Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” was the most powerful monarch in European history. The culture of his kingdom spread not only throughout Europe, but also to all nations worldwide that were originally colonized by European nations. So, even though the kingdom of Louis XIV is long gone, the influence of its culture remains.
Take a few minutes to think about the following statements after reading the text written above…
The Kingdom of Heaven is not a religion and has nothing at all to do with religion.
The Kingdom of Heaven is the sovereign rulership of the King (God) over a territory (Earth).
The Kingdom of Heaven is a real, literal country, although invisible to physical eyes because it is spiritual in nature.
The most powerful expression of any nation is its culture.
A strong and rich culture can wield an influence far beyond its geographical boundaries.
Are you spreading the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth?!?
Words of Wisdom from my favorite teacher from the grave Dr. Myles Munroe
Comentarios