Kingdom of God vs kingdom of Heaven
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In my years of reading the holy scriptures exclusively (without outside influences) I have not come to see the Kingdom of heaven/Kingdom of God as identifying different things or places. It seems unwise to conclude that they are different solely on the basis that they are different words with different definitions.
After all, in the old testament we see:
Kingdom of Israel, 1 Samuel 15:28; 24:20.
Kingdom of Saul, 1 Chronicles 12:23.
Kingdom of the LORD, 1 Chronicles 28:5.
His (Solomon's) kingdom, 2 Chronicles 1:1.
All referring to the same place.
After all, in the old testament we see:
Kingdom of Israel, 1 Samuel 15:28; 24:20.
Kingdom of Saul, 1 Chronicles 12:23.
Kingdom of the LORD, 1 Chronicles 28:5.
His (Solomon's) kingdom, 2 Chronicles 1:1.
All referring to the same place.
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The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are the same.
Matthew is the only person out of the Gospels that uses kingdom of heaven and all 4 Gospels use kingdom of God.
And Matthew is the only person of the New Testament that uses kingdom of heaven.
And Matthew writes kingdom of heaven of a certain scripture where another Gospel uses the same scripture but says kingdom of God for they are interchangeable.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Matthew uses kingdom of heaven, and Mark uses kingdom of God, the same kingdom.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
In verse 23 Jesus uses kingdom of heaven, and in verse 24 He uses kingdom of God, but it is the same story and the same place.
Matthew is the only person out of the Gospels that uses kingdom of heaven and all 4 Gospels use kingdom of God.
And Matthew is the only person of the New Testament that uses kingdom of heaven.
And Matthew writes kingdom of heaven of a certain scripture where another Gospel uses the same scripture but says kingdom of God for they are interchangeable.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Matthew uses kingdom of heaven, and Mark uses kingdom of God, the same kingdom.
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
In verse 23 Jesus uses kingdom of heaven, and in verse 24 He uses kingdom of God, but it is the same story and the same place.
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The Lord’s Prayer gives clear indication of such:
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are both in the spirit realm. It's the holy city that will come down in Revelation 21:2 "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven..."
The comment about people taking it by force and it suffers violence simply implies that men, through earthly religious systems, traditions of men, take it away from men's hearts and minds and lead people away from the righteousness of God through hypocrisy. "You make them two fold more the child of hell than yourselves" Jesus told the Pharisees (Matthew 23:15). "Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men...neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in" (Matthew 23:13).
Also, Christ did say that his kingdom was not of this earth. The intention of God was not that Christ should be accepted as an earthly king by Israel. And this is the more obvious because God had already destined Christ to be crucified and resurrected in order to bring salvation by his blood (Acts 4:28).
"Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." Acts 3:24.
Jesus placed Paul into the ministry (1 Timothy 1:12) so that he could be shown as a pattern of God's long-suffering for those that should after believe on him to life everlasting (1 Timothy 1:16). Not because he was sent to preach a different kingdom.
The mystery of the kingdom (God/heaven) was revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, not just to Paul. (Ephesians 3:5).
The comment about people taking it by force and it suffers violence simply implies that men, through earthly religious systems, traditions of men, take it away from men's hearts and minds and lead people away from the righteousness of God through hypocrisy. "You make them two fold more the child of hell than yourselves" Jesus told the Pharisees (Matthew 23:15). "Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men...neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in" (Matthew 23:13).
Also, Christ did say that his kingdom was not of this earth. The intention of God was not that Christ should be accepted as an earthly king by Israel. And this is the more obvious because God had already destined Christ to be crucified and resurrected in order to bring salvation by his blood (Acts 4:28).
"Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days." Acts 3:24.
Jesus placed Paul into the ministry (1 Timothy 1:12) so that he could be shown as a pattern of God's long-suffering for those that should after believe on him to life everlasting (1 Timothy 1:16). Not because he was sent to preach a different kingdom.
The mystery of the kingdom (God/heaven) was revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, not just to Paul. (Ephesians 3:5).