Y’all, I’ve sat through a LOT of Bible studies, a LOT of seminary courses, and a LOT of sermons, but I have never heard the definition of the “Kingdom of Heaven” that I’m about to share with you.
It’s the definition I recently heard from God after meditating on this question for months: “What is the Kingdom, really?”
Common Definitions
Before I share with you the simple answer God told me (and feel free to scroll to the bottom if you want a sneak peak) about who may be a member of the Kingdom of Heaven, I want to share with you some of the more common definitions I was taught, but which were insufficient (or even inaccurate) to cover the breadth of what the Kingdom of Heaven may truly mean. I was taught:
- The Kingdom of Heaven is another name for “everyone who goes to Heaven”
- The Kingdom of Heaven is another name for “the Bride of Christ”, AKA people who believe in Yeshua as the Messiah (the Healer-Savior-Deliverer of the world), AKA the church
- The Kingdom of Heaven is another name for the leaders of churches who do the “real work” of God; like if you’re a pastor, you’re in the Kingdom because you’re a closer confidant of God and do more of God’s will
- The Kingdom of Heaven is another name for when Yeshua (Jesus) comes back in bodily form and reigns from a literal throne as a literal king for 1,000 years (AKA “the Millenial Reign”)
- The Kingdom of Heaven is another name for New Jerusalem, which comes way after Yeshua comes back, and even after a big literal war between good and evil (AKA “Armageddon”)
Scriptures About the Kingdom
I’m not gonna lead you through a Bible study here but I will invite you to review the scriptures that mention the phrases “kingdom of God” and/or “kingdom of Heaven” for yourselves and ask God the same question: “What is the Kingdom, really?” (I currently believe these kingdoms refer to the same thing, but I’m open to God changing my understanding. How about you?)
I also invite you to focus on the parables Yeshua spoke about the Kingdom(s). Some are here, but if I find a better link, I will edit this article.
My Understanding of the Kingdom
After meditating on all of these scriptures over a multi-year period, I heard God say to me one day: “The purpose of the Kingdom is to destroy death.”
“When you talk about destroying death, do you mean spiritual death (like going to Heaven after we die) or ALL death (like physical death, emotional death, relational death?)” I asked for clarity.
“Yes,” God replied. “What many don’t yet realize is that all of these deaths are related. If you are spiritually dying, your body and soul will die faster and more painfully than if your spirit was born again. If your body is dying, you will not be as spiritually alive in this life (even born again) as if your body was fully healthy, and so on. It’s all connected! That is why I ask everyone to love me with every part of themselves,” God continued. Then, I remembered Mark 12:28.
I followed on with some more questions (I mean, wouldn’t you?): “So… these people who want to destroy death, do they have to be followers of Yeshua? Or can then be anyone who destroys any type of death, like an EMT, a doctor, a nurse, a pharmacist, a minister, a counselor, a life coach, a social worker, a food bank manager, a Reiki healer, or a spiritual cleanser?” I asked. (Perhaps you can see how this question starts blurring the lines of organized religion as well as the sacred-secular split… all very scandalous, indeed, in certain religious circles!)
“Anytime anyone—ANYONE—partners with my desire to destroy death, they are—for that moment—in my Kingdom,” said God. “I’m highly practical.” God continued. “If they aren’t against me in that moment, they are for me.” Then, I remembered Mark 9:38.
“Of course, I always invite those who know me into my Kingdom activities first, but so few of them are willing to follow me into new places that I have to invite the population of the entire world to accomplish my will,” God replied. Then, I remembered the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22, and the judgment of the goats and sheep in Matthew 25.
My Conclusions
After discussing with my husband AT GREAT LENGTH about this revelation, we concluded that it was exactly in line with God’s personality as described in the Bible and history.
God created and blessed Adam and Eve to enjoy the whole world, but only the line of Shet (Seth) through Nuh (Noah) followed God enough to make it through the flood. A remnant made it, but not everyone God originally blessed.
God had blessed all of Nuh’s kids to multiply and fill theEarth but only the line of Shem through Avraham (Abraham), Yitsak (Isaac), and Yakup (Jacob) followed God into the next blessing: the nation of Israel. A remnant made it, but not everyone God originally blessed.
God blessed all of Yakup’s kids but only the line of Yahuda (Judah) through Davut (David) to Meryem (Mary) and Yusuf (Joseph) followed God into the next blessing: bringing Yeshua the Messiah (Healer-Savior-Deliverer) into the world. A remnant made it, but not everyone God originally blessed.
God blessed all of the Messiah’s disciples in his Earthly ministry but only those who followed God enough to be born again made it to the next blessing: becoming a member of the Bride of the Messiah (the body of believers in Christ after the cross, AKA the Church). A remnant made it, but not everyone God originally blessed.
God blessed all of the born-again-believers after the cross but only those who follow God enough to destroy death will make it to the next blessing: becoming a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. A remnant will make it, but not everyone God originally blessed.
An Invitation
Is it bad or shameful or worthy of damnation to not make it from one stage to the next? No. God receives our best efforts based on our best intentions. God is a good dad, a good mom, a good brother. But… is there more life, more hope, and more joy for any who make it through? Absolutely!
That’s why I invite you to ask God, “When am I in your Kingdom, and when am I not? How can I stay in your Kingdom longer and longer each day, until I never leave?” God’s answers will change you and your life forever. ❤️