What is the Kingdom of God?

 The kingdom of God is the sphere where God rules. He is Master and Sovereign. 

Jesus declared, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:17). 

Jesus’ words carry a lot of weight. Why? Because He is providing revelation in what He is preaching. What He was telling His audience is that in order for one to enter into His kingdom, they must repent – that is change their mind regarding their sinful ways and agree with the gospel. We must receive the gospel positively.  

Where is the kingdom of God now? Currently the kingdom rules in the hearts of all who have believed in Christ. The physical kingdom of God as a place has not manifested yet. We as Christians must bring the kingdom to the lost. That is what Jesus was telling Nicodemus in John chapter three – unless you are born again (i.e., born from above) you cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3). The kingdom is ruling in the hearts of those who are children of God. When Jesus became incarnate, the kingdom of God had to come to earth, in Him. When He began preaching, the kingdom became closer to men as a declared revelation. Once man embraced the gospel truth, he possesses the kingdom.  

So, what is our responsibility now? We are to pray that “thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10). We need to bring the kingdom of God to the earth. How? By declaring the gospel truth, we are able to do that. By declaring the truth, men receive salvation. They are taken out of the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13).  

The religious leaders of Christ’s day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When is the kingdom coming? Jesus replied to them, ‘The kingdom does not come with observation; neither shall they say. Lo here, or there! For the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21, KJV). Some other versions say the kingdom of God is in your midst – namely that Jesus is the kingdom, personified. 

God’s kingdom now is in a sense invisible because we recognize an earthly kingdom with of course a monarch – pageantry, royalty, and splendor. A powerful kingdom has strength, power, servants, and a mighty fortress. A majestic kingdom is known and revered around the world for its military strength and its weapons detail. The kingdom of God is not like that at all. That is why Jesus said the kingdom of God is within you. It is not seen and observed with the naked eye. 

In John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not of this world. ” In other words, God’s kingdom is spiritual in its nature. When Jesus returns, He will establish His millennial and everlasting kingdom. The latter physical kingdom will rule the universe forever (Isaiah 9:7; 35:1; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 25; Revelation 21:3).