The KINGDOM OF GOD is The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

By Ven Dr Ifechukwu U. Ibeme

http://priscaquila.6te.net ; http://www.scribd.com/ifeogo ;

Modern dispensationalist theories and messianist speculations and Judaizing formulations about two
different Kingdoms – one of Heaven and the other of God – are intriguing conjectures that are impossible
to be established from the comprehensive testimony of the Scriptures.

What is the KINGDOM OF GOD or the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?

The Kingdom of God (i.e. Kingdom of Heaven) is not a locality or territory but a sovereignty and authority –
God’s Sovereign Rule and Royal Government or His Reigning Relationship from heaven towards humanity
and all creation. This Royal Relationship ranges from God’s REDEMPTIVE GRACE (Revelation for Renewal,
Regeneration for Rescue, and Recruitment for Regency) to God’s REIGNING GLORY (Resurrection for
Reward and Retribution). God’s Kingdom is the operation of God’s unlimited Reign (Dominion or Authority
or Government) over all in time and eternity, and over life and death.

The KINGDOM of God/Heaven is the DOMINION or REIGN of God from Heaven over His creation in such a
way that the willing and believing obtain God's Redemptive heritage now and in eternity.

The heavenly Kingdom (Dominion or Reign or Lordship or Government) of God is not only a REIGNING
Kingdom from eternity but a REDEEMING Kingdom toward humanity in temporality and REWARDING
Kingdom toward humanity unto eternity.

Psalms 103:19-22 Philippians 2:9-11

(19) The LORD has established HIS THRONE IN (9) As a result God exalted him
HEAVEN; and gave him the name
HIS KINGDOM EXTENDS OVER EVERYTHING. that is ABOVE EVERY NAME,
(20) Praise the LORD, you angels of his, (10) so that at the name of Jesus
you powerful warriors who carry out his EVERY KNEE WILL BOW
decrees — IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH AND
and obey his orders! UNDER THE EARTH —
(21) Praise the LORD, all you warriors of his, (11) and EVERY TONGUE CONFESS
you servants of his who carry out his desires! THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD
(22) Praise the LORD, ALL THAT HE HAS MADE, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.
IN ALL THE REGIONS OF HIS KINGDOM!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!

A comparison of some Kingdom verses from the Synoptic Gospels (See the table below), shows that in the
same instances where Matthew used “Kingdom of Heaven” in reporting Christ’s teachings, the other
Synoptic Gospel writers used “Kingdom of God”. Therefore, the overwhelming evidence is that the two are
same and interchangeable according to biblical testimony of Christ and His Apostles. Modern conjectures
erecting a wall of partition between these two usages cannot be authentic or serve any better purpose.

God’s Kingdom is Eternally One, Spiritual and Heavenly (of heaven, over the world, in the world but not of
this world John 18:36) and His Authority reigns sovereign over all creation, generations and nations (Psa
47:7-9; 103:19-22; Dan 4:17, 25, 32-35; Eph 1:20-22; Php 2:9-11). God’s Kingdom, Dominion or Authority is
not a delimited place or specified period but His Lordship, dominion or reign according to His power, His
purity and His purpose.

Christ speaks about

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 RECEIVING the Kingdom (Mat 10:15),
SEEKING the Kingdom (Mat 6:33),
ENTERING the Kingdom (Mat 10:15) or
PRESSING INTO (Luk 16:16) the Kingdom of God/heaven for
REDEMPTION from SIN unto SANCTITY and
ADOPTION as SONS unto HERITAGE and REGENCY according to the New Covenant
Gospel.

Redemptive Grace through Faith, brings

 Regeneration which enables one SUBMIT TO GOD’S REIGN as Lord in one’s life in order to
please God in holiness and righteousness (Heb 12:28) and
 Adoption which enables one to REPRESENT GOD’S REIGN with power and authority (Mat
18:18; John 1:12; Acts 1:8).

The regenerate who believingly and submissively receives the GIFT of Kingdom Grace shall in the end be
rewarded with the PRIZE of Kingdom Glory.

Those who submit to Christ in God’s redemptive reign in grace, shall sit with Christ in God's rewarding
reign in glory.

Moved by His “love for the world” and “goodwill towards humanity”, God has since creation been on a
gratuitous mission, not only to gradually REVEAL the rich grace and glory of His Kingdom amongst
humankind, but also to graciously REDEEM many from humankind into the heritage of His Kingdom. This is
what the Gospel of Christ is all about. God’s gracious mission of revealing His Kingdom grace and glory to
the world and redeeming souls into His Kingdom heritage is accomplished by bringing the Kingdom WITHIN
the souls of those Redeemed IN CHRIST and through their lives, the virtues and values of the Kingdom are
brought AMONGST/NEAR their societies and generations.

A look at the Scriptures plainly shows that:

 God’s heavenly Kingdom reigns over all people in all the earth for all generation, and over all creation
through all eternity (Psa 47:7-9; 103:19-22; Dan 4:17, 25, 32-35; Eph 1:20-22).
 God had foreshadowed His Kingdom REIGNING glory and Kingdom REDEEMING grace through the
PATRIARCHS, ISRAEL, PROPHETS and even WORLD POWER EMPIRES, while awaiting the GRACIOUS and
sure promise of Christ’s coming for PERSONAL manifestation of the Kingdom’s saving power and
messianic propitiation (Luk 1:72-79). The New Testament is NOT about a NEW Kingdom but a NEW
ENTRANCE.
 God has revealed the redemptive ways and manifested the regenerating works for our access into His
Kingdom through the CHRIST Who came to Personally set-up or inaugurate the MESSIANIC REDEEMING
GRACE of the Kingdom by His propitiating blood for His CHURCH of all whosoever believes (Act 29:15-
18; Rom 5:1-2, 8-12).
 God shall soon manifest the authority and majesty of His Kingdom when Christ returns to Personally
consummate the MESSIANIC REIGNING GLORY of the Kingdom by the glorious RESURRECTION of His
Saints and “Millennial” REIGN with His glorified Saints (Dan 2:44; 1Cor 15:23-28; Rev 20:1-6).
 God shall finally manifest His Kingdom, after this old creation order passes away (Rev 21:1-7), when the
Saints shall enter the Kingdom reward of ETERNAL bliss in the incorruptible New Heaven and Earth.
(The devil, demons and the wicked as well as death and hades shall be recompensed with eternal
torment in the eternal fire Rev 14:10-11; 20:10-15).
The Kingdom, the power and the glory belong to our heavenly Father, Whose Name the redeemed of all
generations seek to hallow on earth in accordance with His heavenly will (1Chr 29:11; Mat 6:9,10,13b).

The heavenly Kingdom (Dominion or Reign or Lordship) of God is not only a REIGNING Kingdom from

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eternity but a REDEEMING Kingdom (by Revelation and Regeneration) in temporality and REWARDING
Kingdom unto eternity. The messianic SAVING MISSION of God’s Kingdom through His Christ, which
messianic Kingdom our Lord Christ said had come to be soon or near AT HAND and already AMONGST
humanity is not only:
 to REDEEM (recruit, rescue, regenerate, reconcile, renew, revive) fallen humanity through Christ,
 and REFORM fallen society through ALL the redeemed (who have realised or received this Kingdom
truth to repent and believe);
 to RULE (Reward every repentant realisation and Recompense every recalcitrant rebellion),
but also particularly that all redeemed repentant humanity shall:
 REPRESENT Him in this temporal present age, and
 REIGN with Him in the eternal coming age.

There is often confusion between the Gospel message on Revelation OF the Kingdom and the Gospel
message on Salvation INTO the Kingdom. Recently some dispensationalists have begun to theorise or
imagine a distinction between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven which neither Christ nor His
Apostles ever made (Mat 13; Mar 4).

The Kingdom of God is His ONE and SUPREME Dominion and Government OVER all creation for eternity and
His Salvation IN all believing humanity. But the Kingdom of the devil is its evil government revealed as
satanic rebellion against God’s good pleasure and as sinful depravity in all fallen humanity. These must
not be confused with the CHURCH and the STATE which are divinely instituted respectively as instrument
for spiritual/eternal REDEMPTION (Rom 12; 1Tim 3) and instrument for social/temporal RESTRAINT (Rom
13; 1Tim 2); but on earth, both could be influenced and revealed through divine, human and demonic
agendas.

God’s Heavenly Kingdom (or Divine Government) is about His SOVEREIGN CONTROL over all and SAVING
COVENANT in the faithful – His reign and redemption, His judgment and justification, His might and mercy,
His dominion and deliverance and His Lordship and love. God’s heavenly Kingdom is not a haphazard
staccato disjointed or truncated matter but the ONE Sovereign Government organized and ordered
systematically by God. All folk and faith communities in all ages and all nations are either regents or
renegades, and agents or antagonists of God’s Kingdom Reign – so they are all subject to the judgment of
God’s government. God’s Government or Kingdom is revealed in the Scriptures as applicable to humanity
on basis of COVENANT RELATIONSHIP with God, in various forms:
- Kingdom Administration of Divine Agenda – Divine purpose, precepts, policy and programme;
- Kingdom Authority of Divinely given power, position, princedom and priesthood;
- Kingdom Adoption to admit believers into Divine covenant participation by purification;
- Kingdom Agency for Divine commission or ambassadorial propagation and proclamation;
- Kingdom Adoration for prayer and praise; and
- Kingdom Additions for necessary provision, protection and perquisites.

The following aspects of the one Heavenly Kingdom (Government or Dominion or Reign or Lordship) of God
were severally preached, expounded and demonstrated by the Prophets, the Christ and His Apostles:
- The power of the Kingdom,
- The nature of the Kingdom,
- The King of the Kingdom,
- The coming of the Kingdom,
- The mission of the Kingdom,
- The operations of the Kingdom,
- The agencies of the Kingdom,
- The judgment of the Kingdom,

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 - The covenant of the Kingdom,
- The redemption into the Kingdom,
- The entrance into the Kingdom,
- The inheritance of the Kingdom.

Preaching of the Kingdom message refers to all the above.

Messianic Salvation into (co-regency in and co-heritage of) the Kingdom specifically refers to the last four
but the saved need the whole picture of the Kingdom and its ways for proper walk and witness.
The Church of the Christ/Messiah refers to the fellowship of those who through Christ have been
redeemed to reign in the Kingdom according to its Covenant Institutions and represent the Kingdom as its
agents in order to propagate its Salvation and demonstrate its Manifestation on earth.

Christ came first to fully inaugurate the Kingdom’s messianic REDEEMING GRACE by which we are justified
and regenerated through faith in Him, but Christ will come again to fully consummate the Kingdom’s
messianic REIGNING GLORY by which we shall be judged for our works and reign with Christ.

That is why the Gospel message preaches….

Repent and believe Christ’s Gospel, for the Kingdom of God is graciously here for you to see and enter to be
among its coregents now.
Behold Christ (the King of the Kingdom) comes soon gloriously to recompense everyone according their
works!

The following table of verses from the Synoptic Gospels show that the Kingdom of God is exactly the
same and interchangeable with the Kingdom of Heaven.
The KINGDOM (By Other Synoptics) The KINGDOM (By Matthew)
mainly “OF GOD” mainly “OF HEAVEN”
(Mark 1:14) Now after John was put in prison, Jesus Matthew 3:2) And saying, Repent: for the kingdom
came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
of God,

(Mark 1:15) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the (Matthew 4:17) From that time Jesus began to
kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of
gospel. heaven is at hand.

((Luke 6:20) And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, (Matthew 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for
and said, Blessed be you poor: for yours is the kingdom theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
of God.

(Luke 11:2) And he said unto them, When you pray, (Matthew 6:9) After this manner therefore pray: Our
say, Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your Father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name.
name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in (Matthew 6:10) Your kingdom come. Your will be
heaven, so on earth. done in earth, as it is in heaven.

(Luke 10:9) And heal the sick that are therein, and say
unto them, The kingdom of God is come near unto you.
(Luke 9:2) And he sent them to preach the kingdom of
God, and to heal the sick.
(Matthew 10:7) And as you go, preach, saying, The
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(Matthew 10:8) Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out demons: freely you have
received, freely give.

(Luke 7:28) For I say unto you, Among those that are (Matthew 11:11) Verily I say unto you, Among them
born of women there is not a greater prophet than John that are born of women there has not risen a greater
the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is than John the Baptist: yet he that is least in the

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greater than he. kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

(Luke 16:16) The law and the prophets were until (Matthew 11:12) And from the days of John the
John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers
and every man presses into it. violence, and the violent take it by force.

Mark 4:11) And he said unto them, Unto you it is given (Matthew 13:11) He answered and said unto them,
to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of
them that are outside, all these things are done in the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
parables:
(Luke 8:10) And he said, Unto you it is given to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in
parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing
they might not understand.

(Mark 4:26) And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as (Matthew 13:24) Another parable put he forth unto
if a man should cast seed into the ground; them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto
a man who sowed good seed in his field:

(Mark 4:30) And he said, With what shall we liken the
kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we
compare it?
(Mark 4:31) It is like a grain of mustard seed, which,
when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds
that be in the earth:
(Matthew 13:31) Another parable put he forth unto
them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a
grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed
in his field:

(Mark 10:14) But when Jesus saw it, he was much (Matthew 19:14) But Jesus said, Allow little
displeased, and said unto them, Allow the little children children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for
to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the of such is the kingdom of heaven.
kingdom of God.
(Luke 18:16) But Jesus called them unto him, and said,
Allow little children to come unto me, and forbid them
not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

(Mark 10:15) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall
not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall
not enter therein.
(Luke 18:17) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall
not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in
no wise enter therein.
(Matthew 18:3) And said, Verily I say unto you,
Except you be converted, and become as little
children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven.
(Matthew 18:4) Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the
kingdom of heaven.

(Mark 10:23) And Jesus looked round about, and said (Matthew 19:23) Then said Jesus unto his disciples,
unto his disciples, How hard for those that have riches Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly
to enter into the kingdom of God! enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(Mark 10:24) And the disciples were astonished at his
words. But Jesus answered again, and said unto them,
Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to
enter into the kingdom of God!
(Luke 18:24) And when Jesus saw that he was very
sorrowful, he said, How hard it is for those that have
riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

(Mark 10:25) It is easier for a camel to go through the (Matthew 19:24) And again I say unto you, It is
eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,

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kingdom of God. than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
(Luke 18:25) For it is easier for a camel to go through a
needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the
kingdom of God.

(Luke 22:28) You are they who have continued with me
in my trials.
(Luke 22:29) And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my
Father has appointed unto me;
(Luke 22:30) That you may eat and drink at my table in
my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.
(Matthew 19:28) And Jesus said unto them, Verily I
say unto you, That you who have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the
throne of his glory, you also shall sit upon twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

(Mark 14:25) Verily I say unto you, I will drink no
more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it
new in the kingdom of God.
(Luke 22:18) For I say unto you, I will not drink of the
fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
(Matthew 26:29) But I say unto you, I will not drink
again of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

(Luke 11:20) But if I with the finger of God cast out Matthew 12:28) But if I cast out demons by the
demons, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto
you. you.

For more detailed study on the Kingdom of God see https://www.scribd.com/doc/33435907/The-Kingdom-Reign-or-Dominion-of-

God-What-does-this-mean

Updated September 27, 2018 by Ven. Dr. I. U. Ibeme. Copyright  © PriscAquila Publishing, Maiduguri, Nigeria.