Welcome to Episode #146 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.
On this episode, Salt, Light, and the LAW, we’re going to continue the introduction of the Kingdom of God as revealed by Jesus in what is called the Sermon on the Mount recorded in the book of Matthew. On our last Episode #145, I read and encouraged the listeners to use a meditative reading technique to chew, swallow, and digest the rich serving of Blessing presented at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:2-12.
In this passage, Jesus spoke of the blessing of everyday life of a believer in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew is the only gospel writer to use the term kingdom of heaven. He also uses the term kingdom of God in his text. Many scholars believe these two “kingdom of” phrases of heaven and God mean the same thing. Could be interchanged in the text without consequence of loss of meaning.
Other scholars believe Matthew, as guided by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, used kingdom of heaven to refer to the time of the Millennial reign of Jesus when he returns to judge the world. When the rule of heaven will be brought down to earth as is suggested in the Lord’s prayer. These same scholars believe Matthew as well as the other gospel writers use the term the kingdom of God to refer to God’s sovereign rule over all of creation which he has always held and will never relinquish.
I personally hold to this view and believe Jesus is going to bodily return to earth, judge the nations, and set up a kingdom with King David as prince ruling over Israel. Jesus will live in a new temple to be built on the highest mountain in the world just north of Jerusalem and rule the nations with an iron scepter. All nations will come to this mountain and bring offerings and worship Jesus for 1000 years. After which will be another rebellion led by the devil, the destruction of the rebellious by Jesus, the final great white throne judgment, and the permanent and eternal separation of evil from the new heaven and new earth eternal state God will create.
All that to say, I believe Jesus is referring to the kingdom of heaven all believers are born into when they are born again. When Jesus the God/man ascended into heaven and was given glory and dominion by God over the heavens and the earth, Jesus opened the way to submit under his authority as a disciple in the kingdom of heaven on earth. The afore mentioned passage I read last week, commonly called the beatitudes, refers to those who live in the world but are no longer of the world, but citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
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