The Kingdom is Like…
How would you describe the Kingdom of God?
Verse of the Day
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Today’s Devotional
Several days ago, I posed the question, “What is the Kingdom of God and how do I seek it?” If our quest for simplicity is rooted in honoring this command from Jesus, it seems like a good thing to explore. Right?
I have looked up the verses that refer to the Kingdom of God, and they all point to one conclusion. (And this conclusion comes from a sermon that I heard earlier this year.) “The Kingdom of God is simply the rule and reign of God. It is both a physical and spiritual reality. It is where things (and people) are in submission and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. It is where things are in agreement and alignment with God’s heart. Wherever God’s will is done, that’s where the Kingdom has come. The Kingdom starts in the Father’s heart, and extends to wherever His will is done.”
So if the Kingdom of God is simply the rule and reign of God, how do I seek it? I seek this Kingdom by seeking to KNOW and DO whatever God’s will is. This is why the “and live righteously” phrase is included in today’s verse. I can know the will of God and not obey it. Just like I can know what the speed limit is and still not abide by it.
Some things are just hard to describe. Like WiFi, or internet, or social media. Our lack of ability to describe something does not make it any less real. Today, we will let the Bible tell us about the Kingdom of God, which is what we are to be seeking before anything and everything else.
- It is not of this world. It is not earthly. ‘Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”’ (John 18:36)
- It is a matter of living in the Holy Spirit. ‘For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’ (Romans 14:17)
- It is here now, in our midst. ‘“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”’ (Mark 1:15) ‘Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”’ (Luke 17:20-21)
- It is something we inherit, and we will not inherit it if we are living according to the flesh. ‘The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.’ (Galatians 5:19-21)
- It is a matter of power. ‘For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.’ (1 Corinthians 4:20)
- It requires a spiritual rebirth. ‘Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”’ (John 3:3)
- It requires water and Spirit baptism. ‘Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.’ (John 3:5)
- It is for our spirits, not our physical bodies. ‘What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.’ (1 Corinthians 15:50)
- The parables of Jesus contain the secrets of this Kingdom. ‘His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’’’ (Luke 8:9-10)
What do we learn from all of these Scriptures? The Kingdom of God is not of earthly origin, nor was it meant to establish an earthly government. Sometimes we misinterpret the prophecies and we hope things mean what we want them to mean. We need the Holy Spirit’s help to live within God’s Kingdom, which makes sense, since it is not an earthly Kingdom yet we are earthly beings. The rules and reign of God is here, now. It’s not everywhere, because not everyone submits to God’s authority. But it’s here nonetheless. There are things we must do to enter God’s Kingdom, like believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And then begin the process of realigning our spirit with His Spirit. This requires dying to myself and my desires. This is a SLOW process in my experience. While we must live our earthly lives under God’s authority, we will not see the realities of the Kingdom of God until we enter the spiritual realm. And finally, Jesus taught about the Kingdom quite a bit. Because He was telling us about His Home, and hoping we would want to be there with Him.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What do you think God is trying to get you to learn or realize about His Kingdom?
How can you further submit to His Lordship today?
What can you do to seek God’s Kingdom?