The Kingdom of Heaven

The Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus sent out His disciples to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven was near. On the day of Pentecost this kingdom was born in them by the Holy Spirit; it consists of righteousness, peace, and joy. Rom. 14:17.

Blessed are all those who receive this kingdom from heaven into their hearts through a living faith. At first it is as small as a grain of mustard seed, but it grows through faithfulness and bears within itself a heavenly strength and glory. This kingdom is invincible, since joy and peace are firmly united with righteousness. Through righteousness we gain an inner firmness and a joy and peace that neither man nor devils can move. Nero and Hitler, as well as wild beasts, were powerless when confronted with this joy. The bodies of the saints could be overcome, but not their spirits. Stephen possessed this heavenly kingdom within himself as the stones rained down on him and he looked into an open heaven. He was a righteous man, full of joy and peace that the powers of evil could not move. He kept a good heart until the end, with the result that he could pray for his enemies and forgive them.

Today, when everything is being moved and shaken more than ever before, it is good to have something firm, unshakable, and eternal in one’s heart. If people mock and deride us, if they say all manner of lies against us, or if they praise us as high as the heavens, we can still keep that inner rest and balance, in humility and faithfulness.

Everything we can see and touch that has some external value is to be reckoned as nothing compared to the inner treasure of possessing the kingdom of heaven within us. It is a heavenly joy and peace, and by this new Spirit the new heavenly song is born in our lives. It increases in content and meaning through life’s many temptations and tribulations, by which all the heavenly things increase in strength and fullness.

Jesus said to His disciples, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God.” Mark 4:11. If we have the kingdom of God within us, we also possess a great mystery. Ordinary people cannot comprehend how we can keep that inner rest, peace, and joy in all circumstances. The riches of the glory of this mystery were revealed to Paul. It was Christ in us, the hope of glory. “The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.” Col. 1:26-27.

Daniel saw the way this kingdom developed outwardly. “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44. Then all these small kingdoms of God on two feet will be united into one large kingdom that will conquer all other kingdoms and will fill the earth with the righteousness, peace, and joy that they have within them. None of the external things have had power over them, and on this day they will also be triumphant because they possess the power to overcome.

In the old covenant they could not receive the kingdom of heaven within. That is why the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist. “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Read Matthew 11:11-12.

Those who consider money and everything they can get for money to be very great, scramble after these things and by force take as many of these things as possible. However, they can only keep them for a little while, together with great unrest and anxiety. “‘There is no peace,’ says the Lord, ‘for the wicked.’” Isa. 48:22.

We can only take the heavenly treasures by force to the same degree that we see them as great and glorious. Most “believers” are quite poor when it comes to righteousness, peace, joy, love, truth, mercy, and goodness. Paul pursued these things so he could lay hold of as much as possible of these everlasting treasures. He will be one of the richest people in eternity.

Peter also says in 2 Peter 1:5-11: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue . . . for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Jesus uses many parables to describe the kingdom of heaven, and in Matthew 13:38 He says, “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.” The children of the kingdom bear the seed within them and with them, and he who sows with blessing will also reap blessing. 2 Cor. 9:6.

“But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:31-32.

With God’s kingdom comes everything that is truly good, both in this world and in eternity. Seeking God’s kingdom is therefore the most rewarding thing a person can do.