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An important Distinction that is in the Holy Scriptures which needs to be acknowledge is the distinction between the Kingdom of Heaven (physical) and the Kingdom of God (spiritual).
As one studies the dispensations and the differences which are in the Scriptures, as they get into the Gospels, they will soon notice the phrase: "kingdom of heaven" show up. And it shows up a number of times.
An interesting thing one will find as they study this phrase is that it only shows up in the Gospel of Matthew and it is not found in any of the other Gospel accounts.
Another phrase that shows up is: "kingdom of God." And this phrase shows up a number of times in the book of Matthew, but it also is found in the other three Gospel accounts. It is found numerous times in the Acts of the Apostles. And even in some of the Pauline epistles.
Now having written this as a brief introduction, it is now important to note the differences between these two kingdoms. And yes they are two different kingdoms, they are not at all the same.
Will start out with a very clear notable distinction and that is this: While the Kingdom of God is spiritual, the kingdom of Heaven is a physical, literal kingdom that the Jews will inherit in the Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us look at some Scriptures that affirm that this kingdom of Heaven is a literal and physical kingdom on this Earth:
Matthew 4:17-25
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan.
From the above passage of Scripture we see that from the very first days of Jesus' ministry on this Earth that He was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Nation of Israel. And He was proclaiming that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand at that time. Hence, the first note we can make is that the Kingdom of Heaven is connected with the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom. And this very Gospel of the Kingdom is what is going to be preached by the 144,000 sealed Jews in the time of Jacob's trouble as well as by the two witnesses (Moses and Elijah).
And the purpose for the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom will be to prepare the Jews to receive their Messiah (the Lord Jesus Christ) and His physical Kingdom on this Earth (Kingdom of Heaven).
Now on the contrary, The Kingdom which is in operation today is the Kingdom of God, which is a spiritual Kingdom. Let us now look at some Scriptures which affirm this truth:
Luke 17:18-22
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
Romans 14:14-21
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
The Scriptures above teach us that the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but that it is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Also, the Kingdom of God does not come by observation, but that it is within every born again believer.
See the difference?
The Kingdom of Heaven is a literal, physical, Jewish Kingdom that is on the Earth and it is in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King (Psa. 48:2; Matt. 5:35).
The Jews inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (physical Kingdom on the Earth. While the church of God (Body of Christ) inherits the Kingdom of God (spiritual).
The Jews get physical blessings: health (Exo. 15:26; Deut. 7:15), prosperity and wealth (Deut. 8:18), and many goods (Gen. 14:16; 31:18).
We (born again Christians) get all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3).
Even in Eternity there will be a distinction between the Jew, the Gentile and the Body of Christ.
We (the Body of Christ) get New Jerusalem. The Jews inherit the New Earth. And the Gentiles get outerspace (New Heaven).
Another distinction between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven is that one is born into the Kingdom of God by the New Birth (John 3:3).
Also, in the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit seals the believer unto the Day of Redemption (Eph. 4:30).
While in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Jews who make it through the time of Jacob's trouble will inherit this physical Kingdom. And Christ Jesus Himself will rule and reign in this Kingdom for 1,000 years.
The Kingdom of Heaven will be a Glorious Kingdom on this Earth with an absolutely perfect government. This government will be a Theocracy. Now to conclude, let us look at some OT Scriptures about this future Messianic and Jewish Kingdom which Jesus Christ the Lord will rule and reign in:
Daniel 7:13-14
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Micah 4:1-8
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
4 But in the last days it shall come to pass,
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and it shall be exalted above the hills;
and people shall flow unto it.
2 And many nations shall come, and say,
Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
and to the house of the God of Jacob;
and he will teach us of his ways,
and we will walk in his paths:
for the law shall go forth of Zion,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 And he shall judge among many people,
and rebuke strong nations afar off;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks:
nation shall not lift up a sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree;
and none shall make them afraid:
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god,
and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.
6 In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth,
and I will gather her that is driven out,
and her that I have afflicted;
7 and I will make her that halted a remnant,
and her that was cast far off a strong nation:
and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth,
even for ever.
8 And thou, O tower of the flock,
the strong hold of the daughter of Zion,
unto thee shall it come,
even the first dominion;
the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
As one studies the dispensations and the differences which are in the Scriptures, as they get into the Gospels, they will soon notice the phrase: "kingdom of heaven" show up. And it shows up a number of times.
An interesting thing one will find as they study this phrase is that it only shows up in the Gospel of Matthew and it is not found in any of the other Gospel accounts.
Another phrase that shows up is: "kingdom of God." And this phrase shows up a number of times in the book of Matthew, but it also is found in the other three Gospel accounts. It is found numerous times in the Acts of the Apostles. And even in some of the Pauline epistles.
Now having written this as a brief introduction, it is now important to note the differences between these two kingdoms. And yes they are two different kingdoms, they are not at all the same.
Will start out with a very clear notable distinction and that is this: While the Kingdom of God is spiritual, the kingdom of Heaven is a physical, literal kingdom that the Jews will inherit in the Millennial Reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us look at some Scriptures that affirm that this kingdom of Heaven is a literal and physical kingdom on this Earth:
Matthew 4:17-25
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan.
From the above passage of Scripture we see that from the very first days of Jesus' ministry on this Earth that He was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Nation of Israel. And He was proclaiming that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand at that time. Hence, the first note we can make is that the Kingdom of Heaven is connected with the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom. And this very Gospel of the Kingdom is what is going to be preached by the 144,000 sealed Jews in the time of Jacob's trouble as well as by the two witnesses (Moses and Elijah).
And the purpose for the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom will be to prepare the Jews to receive their Messiah (the Lord Jesus Christ) and His physical Kingdom on this Earth (Kingdom of Heaven).
Now on the contrary, The Kingdom which is in operation today is the Kingdom of God, which is a spiritual Kingdom. Let us now look at some Scriptures which affirm this truth:
Luke 17:18-22
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.
Romans 14:14-21
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
The Scriptures above teach us that the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but that it is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Also, the Kingdom of God does not come by observation, but that it is within every born again believer.
See the difference?
The Kingdom of Heaven is a literal, physical, Jewish Kingdom that is on the Earth and it is in Jerusalem, the city of the Great King (Psa. 48:2; Matt. 5:35).
The Jews inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (physical Kingdom on the Earth. While the church of God (Body of Christ) inherits the Kingdom of God (spiritual).
The Jews get physical blessings: health (Exo. 15:26; Deut. 7:15), prosperity and wealth (Deut. 8:18), and many goods (Gen. 14:16; 31:18).
We (born again Christians) get all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3).
Even in Eternity there will be a distinction between the Jew, the Gentile and the Body of Christ.
We (the Body of Christ) get New Jerusalem. The Jews inherit the New Earth. And the Gentiles get outerspace (New Heaven).
Another distinction between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven is that one is born into the Kingdom of God by the New Birth (John 3:3).
Also, in the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit seals the believer unto the Day of Redemption (Eph. 4:30).
While in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Jews who make it through the time of Jacob's trouble will inherit this physical Kingdom. And Christ Jesus Himself will rule and reign in this Kingdom for 1,000 years.
The Kingdom of Heaven will be a Glorious Kingdom on this Earth with an absolutely perfect government. This government will be a Theocracy. Now to conclude, let us look at some OT Scriptures about this future Messianic and Jewish Kingdom which Jesus Christ the Lord will rule and reign in:
Daniel 7:13-14
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Micah 4:1-8
Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
4 But in the last days it shall come to pass,
that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established in the top of the mountains,
and it shall be exalted above the hills;
and people shall flow unto it.
2 And many nations shall come, and say,
Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
and to the house of the God of Jacob;
and he will teach us of his ways,
and we will walk in his paths:
for the law shall go forth of Zion,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 And he shall judge among many people,
and rebuke strong nations afar off;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks:
nation shall not lift up a sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree;
and none shall make them afraid:
for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god,
and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.
6 In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth,
and I will gather her that is driven out,
and her that I have afflicted;
7 and I will make her that halted a remnant,
and her that was cast far off a strong nation:
and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth,
even for ever.
8 And thou, O tower of the flock,
the strong hold of the daughter of Zion,
unto thee shall it come,
even the first dominion;
the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
