Reference: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
American
An expression used in the New Testament to signify the reign, dispensation, or administration of Jesus Christ. The ancient prophets, when describing the character of the Messiah, Da 2:44; 7:13-14; Mic 4:1-7, and even when speaking of his humiliation and sufferings, were wont to intersperse hint of his power, his reign, and his divinity. The Jews, overlooking the spiritual import of this language, expected the Messiah to appear as a temporal king, exercising power over his enemies, restoring the throne of David to all its splendor, subduing the nations, and rewarding his friends and faithful servants in proportion to their fidelity and services. Hence the contests among his disciples, ere they had fully learned Christ, about precedency in his kingdom; and hence probably the sons of Zebedee desired the two chief places in it, or those nearest to their endeared Master and Lord. They afterwards learned that his kingdom was not of this world, Joh 18:36-37; that its origin, spirit, means, and ends were spiritual and heavenly. It has indeed its outward form, the visible church, Mt 13:47, and bestows on the world the richest of temporal blessings; but its true dominion is in the souls of men. It embraces all who by the Spirit of Christ are united to him as their divine Head and King, to love, serve, and enjoy him for ever. His work on earth was to establish it, Mt 3:2. He introduced his disciples into it while on earth, and more fully after his resurrection and ascension, Joh 20:22; Ac 2:32-36; is "head over all things," in order to make it triumphant and supreme even on earth, Da 7:27; Eph 1:20-22. It will be perfected in heaven, Mt 8:11, and will never cease, Lu 1:33, even when the mediatorial reign of the Savior is accomplished, 1Co 15:28.
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And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will put up a kingdom which will never come to destruction, and its power will never be given into the hands of another people, and all these kingdoms will be broken and overcome by it, but it will keep its place for ever.
I saw in visions of the night, and there was coming with the clouds of heaven one like a man, and he came to the one who was very old, and they took him near before him. And to him was given authority and glory and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages were his servants: his authority is an eternal authority which will not come to an end, and his kingdom is one which will not come to destruction.
And the kingdom and the authority and the power of the kingdoms under all the heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all powers will be his servants and do his pleasure.
But in the last days it will come about that the mountain of the Lord's house will be placed on the top of the mountains, and be lifted up over the hills; and peoples will be flowing to it. And a number of nations will go 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 give us knowledge of his ways and we will be guided by his word: for from Zion the law will go out, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. read more. And he will be judge between great peoples, and strong nations far away will be ruled by his decisions; their swords will be hammered into plough-blades and their spears into vine-knives: nations will no longer be lifting up their swords against one another, and knowledge of war will have gone for ever. But every man will be seated under his vine and under his fig-tree, and no one will be a cause of fear to them: for the mouth of the Lord of armies has said it. For all the peoples will be walking, every one in the name of his god, and we will be walking in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. In that day, says the Lord, I will get together her who goes with uncertain steps, I will get together her who has been sent away, and her on whom I have sent evil; And I will make her whose steps were uncertain a small band, and her who was feeble a strong nation: and the Lord will be their King in Mount Zion from now and for ever.
Saying, Let your hearts be turned from sin; for the kingdom of heaven is near.
And I say to you that numbers will come from the east and the west, and will take their seats with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, which was put into the sea and took in every sort of fish:
He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
Jesus said in answer, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom was of this world, my disciples would have made a good fight to keep me out of the hands of the Jews: but my kingdom is not here. Then Pilate said to him, Are you then a king? Jesus made answer, You say that I am a king. For this purpose was I given birth, and for this purpose I came into the world, that I might give witness to what is true. Every lover of what is true gives ear to my voice.
And when he had said this, breathing on them, he said to them, Let the Holy Spirit come on you:
This Jesus God has given back to life, of which we all are witnesses. And so, being lifted up to the right hand of God, and having the Father's word that the Holy Spirit would come, he has sent this thing, which now you see and have knowledge of. read more. For David has not gone up into heaven, but says, himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Be seated at my right hand, Till I put all those who are against you under your feet. For this reason, let all Israel be certain that this Jesus, whom you put to death on the cross, God has made Lord and Christ.
And when all things have been put under him, then will the Son himself be under him who put all things under him, so that God may be all in all.
By which he made Christ come back from the dead, and gave him a place at his right hand in heaven, Far over all rule and authority and power and every name which is named, not only in the present order, but in that which is to come: read more. And he has put all things under his feet, and has made him to be head over all things to the church,
Fausets
(Greek "the heavens") of God. The former is Matthew's phrase, the latter Mark's phrase and Luke's phrase. Derived from Da 2:44; 4:26; 7:13-14,27. Messiah's kingdom, as a whole, both in its present spiritual invisible phase, the gospel dispensation of greet, and also in its future manifestation on earth in glory, when finally heaven and earth shall be joined (Joh 1:51; Revelation 21-22). Our Lord's parables designate several aspects and phases of it by the one common phrase, "the kingdom of the heavens," or "of God, is like," etc.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will put up a kingdom which will never come to destruction, and its power will never be given into the hands of another people, and all these kingdoms will be broken and overcome by it, but it will keep its place for ever.
And as they gave orders to let the broken end and the roots of the tree be, so your kingdom will be safe for you after it is clear to you that the heavens are ruling.
I saw in visions of the night, and there was coming with the clouds of heaven one like a man, and he came to the one who was very old, and they took him near before him. And to him was given authority and glory and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages were his servants: his authority is an eternal authority which will not come to an end, and his kingdom is one which will not come to destruction.
And the kingdom and the authority and the power of the kingdoms under all the heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all powers will be his servants and do his pleasure.
And he said to him, Truly I say to you all, You will see heaven opening and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of man.